# Best sanitizer for beer bottles?



## Gelu Liber (Jan 5, 2008)

Any suggestions on the best method for sanitizing beer bottles just prior to bottling?


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## grapeman (Jan 6, 2008)

Don't know about the best method, but you can soak them in a sink of water- about 2 tablespoons of unscented bleach in a few gallons of water. Let the bottles soak for about 30 minutes and give them a quick rinse with plain water.


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## Dean (Jan 6, 2008)

I use idophor for all my brewing sanitizing. The only problem with it, is that it is only effective for 24 hours, so you make what you need, when you need it. Dosage is 1ml per 1L of water, so it's not that expensive, but certainly not as cheap as bleach. Idophor works in about 30 seconds as opposed to 30 minutes.


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## smurfe (Jan 7, 2008)

I just got into beer recently and I am using Star-San. I don't believe George sells it though.It is tasteless, odorless and keeps for extended periods of time just as K-Meta does. It is very concentrated as well and only requires 2 oz. for 5 gallons of sanitizer.It foams a lot when mixing and the foam sanitizes as well on contact. It is non-toxic and you can actually drink the stuff. I just joined a local brew club and their was a talk on it at the last meeting. 


My buddy that I brew with had bought some for us to try. We prefer it over the Idophor as Dean has said, the Idophor breaks down pretty quick. He had an infection on one batch and I believe it was due to the Idophor he had in his carboy went inactive. He kept some stored in the carboy.


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## laneygirl (Jan 8, 2008)

I've always cleaned my beer bottles with bleach water and then rinsed thoroughly with jet rinser prior to bottling. I usually do a rinse with the jet rinser twice and then bottle. I've had really good results with this method.


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## Jim M (Feb 9, 2008)

Dean said:


> I use idophor for all my brewing sanitizing. The only problem with it, is that it is only effective for 24 hours, so you make what you need, when you need it. Dosage is 1ml per 1L of water, so it's not that expensive, but certainly not as cheap as bleach. Idophor works in about 30 seconds as opposed to 30 minutes.



Dean -

I also use and recommend B-T-F iodphor. However, I was under the impression that as long as the solution retained a brown iodine color it was active at a sufficiently high ppm.

Thanks for your input - Jim


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## uavwmn (Apr 14, 2008)

Smurfe, do you use star-san to clean and sanitize?


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## Wade E (Apr 14, 2008)

I wanted to get star-san but my LHBS was all out so I bought the Iodophor. i do want to get the Star-san if they have I next time as Ive heard the Iodophor will stain the buckets and hoses if left a little to long.


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## smurfe (Apr 15, 2008)

uavwmn said:


> Smurfe, do you use star-san to clean and sanitize?




I use Star San to sanitize. I use Oxy-Clean or One Step for cleaning. I have only ever bottled one batch of beer. I used Na-Meta and my Vinator to sanitize those bottles.


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## fratermus (Jun 28, 2008)

I have seen StarSan in the shop; I don't know if they ship it.

I prefer iodophor, as it is nonslippery so stoppers don't escape the carboys (and the carboys are easier to handle when wet).

I rinse all bottles after use, then blast them with a bottle washer jet the day of. Then fill a vinator with iodophor; works great and much easier than soaking. 

Iodophor does degrade over time; watch for the reddish tint to fade out and you know it's dead. I use a syringe to measure the small volumes needed for 1 and 2 gallons.


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