Storing empty bottles

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MashBag
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Re: Storing empty bottles

Post by MashBag » Sun Mar 07, 2021 12:28 pm

TFR or truck wash gets them stunnningly clean. I then store with a tiny splash on vodka in them. Never seen a bottle of vodka go off!

perchlorus
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Re: Storing empty bottles

Post by perchlorus » Thu Apr 08, 2021 11:01 am

After pouring I just rinse a couple times so that I don't see anything left in the bottle, then put upside down on the wash rack for a bit. Later (end of the evening?) I turn the bottles back over and let them sit until they're dry inside, then just store them in cardboard boxes uncapped in my shed. It's not a big deal if anything gets in them as they get a proper wash before bottling the next brew.

When bottling day comes I fill a bucket with VWP and water and fill and soak the bottles in there for about 10 minutes, rinse a couple times with fresh tap water, then dunk in another bucket full of starsan. Then just pour it out and hang on the sanitised bottle tree, ready for filling. It's pretty efficient for me. The VWP soak gets rid of any film and rarely is bottle brushing needed.

Moving to kegging with my next brew, though, as that sounds like a much easier way to go.

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vacant
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Re: Storing empty bottles

Post by vacant » Thu Apr 08, 2021 12:35 pm

PET bottles are great - I use whatever I can get from 2ltr down to 500ml.
  • bit of hot water to shake yeast out
  • repeat
  • drain for a bit then leave to dry overnight
  • bottling day - squirt and shake of starsan
I keep the dry bottles with caps off in a large plastic storage box with lid.

If I see yeast sticking to the sides I chuck the bottle, also these tend to have a date stamp so I cull oldest bottles when I acquire new ones.

I sold my cornies and gas stuff a couple of years ago and I don't find bottling into many 500ml PETs too much of a pain, filling with a "little bottler". I either add sugar solution to a bottling bucket or use a syringe in each bottle.

I do have a few old Grolsch bottles that need a clean, maybe I'll try finding some cistern chain or similar.

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MashBag
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Re: Storing empty bottles

Post by MashBag » Sat Apr 10, 2021 7:32 am

MashBag wrote:
Sun Mar 07, 2021 12:28 pm
TFR or truck wash gets them stunnningly clean. I then store with a tiny splash on vodka in them. Never seen a bottle of vodka go off!
Store wet.
When it comes to bottling, drain and fill.
TFR also gets that film off.

I would bet you have "clean" bottles that would horrify you if spritzed them with TFR.

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MashBag
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Re: Storing empty bottles

Post by MashBag » Sat Apr 10, 2021 7:36 am

There no need to EVER chuck bottles unless they are cracked or damaged.

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