Sterilising bottles

[imark]

I thought it was 170C in the oven.

[Will_D]

Sterilising is not just about bacteria! What about viruses, fungii, and the other nastys.

Now wether we NEED to sterilise our things is another matter but most yeast slanters do sterilise their equipment/ingredients

[Greg2013]

Sterilising is not just about bacteria! What about viruses, fungii, and the other nastys.

Now wether we NEED to sterilise our things is another matter but most yeast slanters do sterilise their equipment/ingredients

If you have it sterilized against viruses then you have it sterilized against the rest IMHO. TBH we are not dealing with Ebola virus or MRSA  here, if your brewing area has anything that nasty you should not be brewing there at all. Also remember this fact not too many people pay attention to, sterilize against everything and you will have immunity against nothing 

[Covey]

Lads, let's not go through this all over again. Were only brewing let not get carried away. There are loads of options out there cheap and expensive all do the same job, keeping your brew tasty. Its generally accepted that Lidl W5(non perfumed) is the cheapest and effective cleaner/Sanitizer. I rinse out with cold water and have never ha a problem.

http://www.nationalhomebrewclub.com/forum/index.php/topic,3392.msg41600.html#msg41600

[Will_D]

+1 on the W5 it is my weapon of choice.

Looking to find it in bulk, did so but its more exspensive for a 25 kg bag as buying it in Lidl!

This is what they say on the Sodium Percarbonate suppliers website:

What is Sodium Percarbonate?
In the UK Sodium percarbonate, also known as Sodium Carbonate Peroxyhydrate, or oxygen bleach powder is a free-flowing, white powder. It is an addition compound of sodium carbonate and hydrogen peroxide. Percarbonate has an active available oxygen content (13%) which is equivalent to 27.5% Hydrogen peroxide. It breaks down to oxygen, water and sodium carbonate upon decomposition. It is an environmentally safe bleaching agent. Sodium Percarbonate / oxygen bleach offers many of the same functional benefits as liquid hydrogen peroxide. It dissolves into water rapidly to release oxygen and provides powerful cleaning, bleaching, stain removal and deodorizing capabilities in addition to being highly effective at killing bacteria, fungus, viruses and algae. It has the added advantage of having no odour and being non toxic, and non polluting.

Uses for Sodium Percarbonate / Oxygen Bleach
Sodium percarbonate improves the performance of conventional detergents and shampoos on stubborn stains. It is a gentle stain remover for synthetic carpeting and upholstery fabrics. It saves time by allowing cleaning in one pass that would perhaps have taken two or three passes with a carpet cleaner that uses shampoo only. It improves personal safety by eliminating the need to use harsher cleaning or stain removal products. It also eliminates the need for expensive prespotters and stain removers. It prolongs carpet cleaner machine life by reducing the use of harsh and corrosive products. It is very effective as a laundry presoak for heavily stained articles. It is colour safe. It brightens colours and prevents fabric from become yellowed or darkened.

Sodium percarbonate is effective as a disinfectant on both bacteria and viruses.

On wood it is effective in removing mildew stains and weathering. The sodium carbonate acts as a built-in detergent, removing dirt and other deposits. Thus, sodium percarbonate-based cleaners are effective in removing dirt, mildew and weathered grey residues. Once treated the wood returns to its natural original appearance. Oxygen bleach is excellent for cleaning and removing organic stains (such as coffee, tea, wine, fruit juices, foods, sauces, grass, pet stains and blood) from fabrics, plastics, fiberglass, porcelain, ceramics, wood, carpets, asphalt, concrete, etc. Oxygen bleach containing products can be used in any place in or around the house that need to be destained and deodorized; they are efficient, safe and economical.

Benefits:
    No environmental hazards - breaks down to oxygen, water and sodium carbonate (soda ash) in your wash water.
    Effectively kills wide range of bacteria, mould, algae, viruses, fungi
    Colour safe and fabric safe. It brightens colours and prevents fabrics from becoming yellowed or darkened
    Effective stain removal on a multitude of surfaces
    In the laundry Sodium Percarbonate is used to destain, deodorize, and whiten. It is very effective as a laundry presoak for heavily stained articles.

Where to use:
    Laundry cleaner & bleach
    Spot cleaning fabrics
    Carpet & Upholstery cleaning and prespotting
    Kitchen surfaces and utensils
    Destaining cups, Coffee Pots etc
    Fridges & freezers
    Chopping Boards
    Bathroom surfaces
    Mildew Removal tiles, grouting and walls
    Wood Decks and wooden garden furniture
    Plastic garden furniture
    Kills algae and moss on driveways, patios, brickwork and roofs.
    General household Cleaning
    Removes mildew from tents and other camping equipment
    Sterilizing bottles and equipment for wine and beer making
    Sterilizing utensils in hairdressers and barbers

And the don't even mention brewing!!

[irish_goat]

And the don't even mention brewing!!

    Sterilizing bottles and equipment for wine and beer making

[TheSumOfAllBeers]

+1 on the W5 it is my weapon of choice.

Can you share a link to the product so I know how to recognise it in store?

[Greg2013]

http://www.google.ie/imgres?imgurl=http://www.lidl.ie/static_content/lidl_ie/images/IE/IE_72934wk1513NI_01_b.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.lidl.ie/cps/rde/xchg/SID-48604C7D-247E1B8D/lidl_ni_ie/hs.xsl/4179_29380.htm&h=374&w=287&sz=83&tbnid=_jAjOlwk3ZdduM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=69&zoom=1&usg=__K6RAmxByOmkqFTtawNxVg5U8HQM=&docid=STHZ7ZHZX2pfbM&sa=X&ei=QXpuUqSCLcKthQfTp4DIBA&ved=0CFMQ9QEwBQ

It will be in the section for washing powder.

[TheSumOfAllBeers]

Great. Thanks.

[pk]

Just on the w5 stuff from lidl. I'm confused.
A stain remover to clean bottles? How do you use it?
Paul

[Eoin]

Add bottles to Bath of warm water, add powder, leave to soak, get bottle brush, clean and rinse.

Sent from my HTC One

[Will_D]

Just on the w5 stuff from lidl. I'm confused.
A stain remover to clean bottles? How do you use it?
Paul

See reply 19 - its the active atomic oxygen that is the sanitizer, the sodium carbonate is a mildly caustic crud remover.

Active oxygen kills bacteria and also bleaches a lot of dyes and stains

Simples

[Shanna]

Add bottles to Bath of warm water, add powder, leave to soak, get bottle brush, clean and rinse.

TT

Active oxygen in this stuff will fuck your skin from right up. Picture your nuckles after a bout of bare knuckle boxing and you will get an idea of what prolonged exposure does to the skin. Wear good quality household rubber gloves to b protect your hands and wash and spillage that comes in contact with your skin with cold water.

Shanna

[pk]

thanks all, I just got a delivery of extract stout and red ale with a bottle washer, bottle tree and starsan so this time I'll be using those and trying out batch priming instead of the carb drops.

One more question on the Starsan. Do you guys fill the secondary bucket (with the tap) with the starsan fluid the day of bottling?
I can sanitize the bucket, then spill some into the bottle washer then sanitize the syphon tube before emptying the bucket and putting the batch prime in before syphoning in the beer just before bottling?

Paul

[TheSumOfAllBeers]

I would tend to immerse the siphon tube, tap, and bottling wand in sanitising solution.

You have the right idea to use the bottle washer jet to force clean the siphon tube.

I would not use an awful lot of star san solution for the bottling bucket - some people just keep some in a kitchen spray bottle.

You are pretty much there with good technique.

I do something very similar with DIY bleach/vinegar sanitiser but I think residual bleach is killing the head in my beers, so I will be picking up some star san on my next purchase.