# Bottling Question



## Lodi Wino (Mar 1, 2007)

From when I sanitzie my bottles to when I actually fill them, how long do I have? And if I am using a Sodium Meta bath to sanitize do I need to rinse them with anything esle before filling? Thanks


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## AAASTINKIE (Mar 2, 2007)

I don't rinse my bottles after sanitizing them, I'm not sure how long you have I normally make it my first step, I'm not sure if you can do them the night before or not, I've thought about it though, I'll be looking for others answers. Thanks for asking at 1am, I was bored!!


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## Waldo (Mar 2, 2007)

No rinsing is necessary Lodi but I would not wait much more than an hour after sanitizing before filling.


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## Wade E (Mar 2, 2007)

I ve heard 4 hours is the alotted time that k-meta will work. after
that its properties break down and the risk of bacteria increases! I do
not not rinse either unless Im making a sparkling wine.


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## Lodi Wino (Mar 2, 2007)

Ok, I've just heard people say you've got to work pretty quickly...Just wasn't sure what that meant.....so after I sanitze them, no rinse needed - just fill'er up......thanks again


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## kutya (Mar 2, 2007)

Lodi: I sanitize, and then put them on the bottle tree. rarely do they sit longer than an hour...


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## masta (Mar 2, 2007)

I have filled hundreds of bottles that were sanitized and placed on a bottle tree for ~24 hrs without issues...but do agree that limiting the time is best for the maximum protection.


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## ScubaDon (Mar 2, 2007)

With the batch that I bottled 2 weekends ago I was afraid that I didn't wait long enough. The bottles were still damp inside from the Na-meta. I heard they needed to dry but within an hour of starting to sanitize I was filling and corking. Those bottle trees work great and can see anyone trying to make wine with out one!


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## jsmahoney (Mar 3, 2007)

I usually wash, rinse, sanitze, place on bottle tree, and then get everything else ready and bottle.


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## smurfe (Mar 3, 2007)

I wish I could find the article I read a while back about sanitizing. It was referring to carboys but it said after you sanitize the carboy keep it upside down and you will be good. It talked about the airborne bacteria and stated that they fell "down". It also said that if you sanitize a carboy and it would be over an hour till use to place a sanitized cover over the opening until ready to use. 


When I sanitize my bottles I keep them on the bottle tree until ready for use. I normally use them in less than an hour though. I have left them overnight though if I had numerous batches to do though. I wouldn't worry about not waiting for the bottles to drain enough before use either. I have pulled them out of a sink full of sanitizer, drain the bottle, gave it a shake and filled it up and corked it. Just a little extra sulfite to protect the wine. It won't hurt anything as kit wines have much less sulfite's than commercial wines do.


Smurfe


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## Wade E (Mar 3, 2007)

I agree, Im usually a last minute guy and the bottles are usually still dripping when I use them.


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## Lodi Wino (Mar 3, 2007)

Watched some friends and friends of friends doing some serious bottling today...now they were using new bottles just out of the box.....no sanitizing just shooting in gas to expell the oxygen and then went right to bottling....any thoughts on that?


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## Wade E (Mar 4, 2007)

I dont know about the not sanitizing them part even though they are new! I would definetely sanitize them !


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## ScubaDon (Mar 4, 2007)

Don't worry, If not sanitizing was a mistake you will only loose the entire batch. Nothing else will happen.


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## Lodi Wino (Mar 4, 2007)

The main guy in charge of this operation had an interesting theory. Bottles are shipped clean from the manufctr-upside down. Any airborne dust nastys would be at a minimum and of no consequence because of the acidity and ph of the wine - anything once bottled would shortly die....I personally being a little more anal in my approach to hygiene would probable santitize and then inject the argon and then bottle.......


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## Mharris335 (Mar 14, 2007)

Do you have to use Argon before you bottle your wine.


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## grapeman (Mar 14, 2007)

Simple answer MHarris - No. Argon isn't necessary. In fact I doubt if you will find a home winemaker using it! Sanitize with K-Meta or Na-Meta, let drain and bottle.


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## GrapeApe (Mar 14, 2007)

Not to put too fine of a point on it, but are you suppose to fill the bottles with K-Meta to sanitize? I have a spray bottle and after cleaning and rinsing, I just pumped a few squirts into the bottle and let them sit for 30 minutes or so. Is this enough protection or should I be filling each bottle with K-meta?


GrapeApe.


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## masta (Mar 14, 2007)

The fastest and easiest way to sanitize your bottles is to use a Bottle Rinser Vinator which squirts solution up into the bottle and coats the entire surface.


http://www.finevinewines.com/ProdDetA.asp?PartNumber=4818


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## Lodi Wino (Mar 14, 2007)

I am just now getting into it, and went to witness a local group here that has been doing it for a long time as a club on a LARGE scale. I will not use Argon for the small scale that I am doing or will do, rinse with the Na-Meta solution in a large bucket let drain and bottle is going to be my approach here in a few weeks


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## Wade E (Mar 15, 2007)

The sulfiter is an excellent easy to use tool which saves alot of time and you only need a little bit of solution.


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## Mike777 (Apr 5, 2007)

I just ordered the sulfiter and cheap bottle tree, as well as sulfite and cleaner, for our first bottle batch from George. I never asked or read much but felt like those were the things to have based on the descriptions and playing with them at the local. (With shipping George beat the local pricing 30% across the board.) 

Question. Used bottles. We rinse the wine out with tap water and let dry. We don't save any with residue on the inside, just clean ones.

Should they be fully imersed in a solution bath before filling?


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## masta (Apr 5, 2007)

I rinse my bottles with hot water (with faucet mounted bottle washer) and inspect to make sure they are visually clean then sanitize with Na-meta 










via a sulfiter.No need to fully immerse bottles.


If you follow the simple rule of "visually clean and then sanitize" with everything that touches your wine you should never have a contamination problem.


link to bottle washer which also works great to rinse carboys:
http://www.finevinewines.com/ProdDetA.asp?PartNumber=4796*Edited by: masta *


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## Wade E (Apr 5, 2007)

If you are buying commercial wines and rinsing well when done and
sulfiting bottles before bottling you should be fine. As for bottles
received at a recycle center I would definetly get a cleanser like B or
C-Brite or One Step. You dont know what was in these bottles and what
germs can lurk on or in them.


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## Mike777 (Apr 5, 2007)

These are full bottles purchased at the store, I was just concerned with the exterior being handled by who knows and then causing contamination that is tranfered to the other equipment and bottles during the process.


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## Wade E (Apr 5, 2007)

All utensils, equipment, bottles, and your hands should be sanitized
with k or N-meta using the 3 tble spoons per gallon method.


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## Mike777 (Apr 5, 2007)

Ok I guess in theory they should get a full bath the first time around to be sure. I would hate to sanitize everything and rinse the inside of a bottle nad transfer contamination from the outside to other things at the same time.


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## PeterZ (Apr 5, 2007)

Mike, after removing the labels (soaking in a sink full of hot water with a little automatic dishwasher soap works pretty well on most) I run them through the dishwasher on the bottom rack, standing upside-down in the little posts. I'm confident that after that treatment a quick blast of hot water, followed by the sulfiter, will be fine.

One thing to remember - if one bottle has nasties in it, you've only lost one bottle. I'm a lot more careful with the carboys, which are washed within 10 minutes of being emptied.


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## Wade E (Apr 5, 2007)

If removing labels, George sells a product called Straight A designed for stubborn label removal. I have not tried it as of *YET*
only because I just noticed it myself. Has anyone tried this product
against plain old soapy hot water or B-Brite and have a comparison?


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