sanitizing small batch bottles

[dirt55]

Hi everyone!
I'm usually bottling about a 6 pack, or less, at a time with my BMBF from my kegs when giving out bottles to family. I have been sanitizing this small amt of bottles using a small funnel and starsan. I pour the starsan from bottle to bottle and let them dry/de-foam then bottle. Just curious what the rest of the community does? Iodophor, bleach, plain soap? Always looking for new/better ways to do things!

 

[Yooper]

I don't use a funnel, I just pour in the star-san solution, shake up the bottle and then pour into the next bottle. I don't let it dry or anything. I just tip out the remainder and go ahead and fill them up.

 

[SupraSPL]

Hi Dirt55. I use a simlar method to what you described but your method is interesting as well, I hadn't thought of that.

I rinse my bottles right after they are used, but sometimes lil bits of yeast remain on the inside of the glass from bottle conditioning process (you might not have this problem since you are kegging). In my case, more often than not the bottle needs a scrubbing with a bottle brush and plain water or PBW if you prefer. I have tried to soak the yeasties off with PBW but the bottle brush is a faster and more economical option.

Next I dump about a cm of Star San into each bottle, place a cap on loosely and shake it so it foams up. I'll let them settle for a few minutes then pour/shake most of the liquid/foam out of it. Then I put the cap back on loosely and start filling them up.

On a side note regarding Start San. I noticed that it turns milky almost immediately when using tap water (suggesting its PH has risen too high to be effective). Although the instructions specifically say to use tap water, I use R/O and that way I can hang on to the left over Star San between batches (it does not turn milky). I think I recall a Basic Brewing interview where either Jon or Charlie from 5 Star Chemicals suggested R/O for reason.

 

[Ohio-Ed]

A few squirts of starsan from a spray bottle, swirl it, tip it, fill it.
I usually drop the caps in a small container of starsan and pull em out as I use em.
I spray every thing that might get close to the beer with starsan... hands, capper, hoses, cat, countertop, etc...

 

[dirt55]

Well it sounds like we're all part of the " in love with starsan" club

Ohio I too have a spray bottle fixation with starsan!

Supra I have heard that some water will turn it milky, so it sounds like you're making the right call in using something other then your tap water. I use my well water and I does really good. I reuse my batch atleast five times and it stays crystal clear and still has that rough/odd acidic feel to it. Also when I used to bottle condition if you just hit it with hot water and shake just after pouring your beer, you should never have to scrub later...well most times at least.

I don't recall the basic brewing show, but I do recall Charlie from 5 star on the Sunday Session podcast from brewing network. It starts about 55mins in and lasts for about an hour and its AMAZING how much I learned from it.