Bottle cleaning question

[zack67360]

Will be bottling 15 gallons of fruit wine that has been bulk aging for 4 monthes now. I purchased 75 new bottles and have a few questions. I have read in posts that some people use the dishwasher to clean thier bottles prior to bottling. My dishwasher has an anit-bacterial wash button, a hi temp wash button, or just a sanitization rinse button. I have campden tablets, but not sure how many to use in the dishwasher. Since the bottles are new, I would imagine the sani-rinse would be enough with the campden tablets. So guess my questions are:
1. How many tablets to use in the washer.
2. How far ahead can I sanitize the bottles before bottling the wine.
3. Should I add more campden tablets to the wine right before bottling? I added campden tablets about 2 monthes ago. Also, will the campden tablets cause the bottles to pressure up?
Thanks for your time.
zack

 

[chachi44089]

I would only use the dishwasher as a pre-wash. I would not put campden "k-meta" in a dishwasher because it is pretty corrosive in higher "sanitizing" concentrations, being that it is a type of salt. It would collect on the heating coil and corrode the impeller.
Just get a good sanitizer, like potassium metabisulfite "powdered", sparklebrite, or one of the other no-rinse sanitizers. I run new bottles through the dishwasher with regular dish detergent as a pre-wash, then I submerge them in a bucket of sanitizer for a few minutes and let them drip dry. Adding more bottles to the bucket as I go. I use my primary for sanitizing. A bottle washer thing and drying tree is best system I think. I just havnt bought one yet.
#1..none, not a good idea
#2..Sanitize right before bottling, to prevent unknown contamination.
#3..Add campden about every 3-4 months during bulk ageing. If its been two months sinse last addition and you are bottleing today, you should be fine. And, no capden will not cause pressure to build.

 

[Runningwolf]

If you bought brand new bottles I would not be washing them in the dishwasher. Matter of fact I don't even wash them I just sanitize them with this.

 

[chachi44089]

Yea, what runningwolf said..I gotta get me one of those..

 

[Flem]

I would rinse out new bottles with B-Brite, Oxyclean, etc., and then sanitize them like Dan said.

 

[zack67360]

Thanks everyone for the answers. Yes, I definetly need to get me a bottle washer/rinser like that. But for now, I will not use the dishwasher, but my primary buckets. I have a no rinse 'O2 Power Cleanse' which I have believe is oxy-clean. Funny thing, the bag doesn't give the chemical compound inside the bag???? I thought that was a law??? Anyway, will use the O2 no rinse for the initial rinsing, then dip the bottles in a solution of water and campden tablets, just to make sure. That should have me fixed up so no surprises down the road when I pop a cork
zack

 

[ibglowin]

I rinse out my new 375ml splits with warm water (2X) and then hit them with the Vinator. They should be clean and good to go right out of the box but it never hurts to do a quick rinse.

 

[KeithTheSnake]

Uh, I hate to do this. I think you'll need more than 75 bottles for 15 gallons. But, you be the judge.

I've never owned a new bottle. All of my bottles are at least once-used.

I usually wash with bottle brush and dish soap, rinse, and then use a no-rinse sanitizer like One Step. Then, I bottle right away. I use the same sanitizer for my corks.

 

[Dufresne11]

I get about 24 - 25 750 ml bottles out of 6 gallons. So you should be okay unless your using the little bottles.

I use Starsan and my vinator. Look up Starsan and I think you will be happy. It is the easiest sanitizer I know of.

 

[zack67360]

Yes, the 750ml bottles. Will do a 5 gallon carboy and see how many it takes. I also have a few used bottles lying around I can scavange if I need to. OR, may have to just drink what's left over

 

[Javila]

Let me put my 2 cents....I believe u can use the dishwasher if it has a sanitize option however just make sure it doesn't use any of the "rinse aid" during the this cycle. I do have a sani-rinse cycle but I instead just use dishwasher to clean the bottles by themselves, then spray some fresh sanitizer then let them airdry in the dishwasher rack just before bottling. Hope this helps. Njoy the bottling !!

 

[REDBOATNY]

I also use the dishwasher most of the time for beer and wine bottles. Now and then I'll sanitize in a bucket and dry on a bottle rack when I can't get in the kitchen.

Sanitized is sanitized, there is more than one way to do it. I noticed residue dried on the bottles from one-step and haven't used it since. Really don't want white powder in my beverage.

 

[Runningwolf]

Just to clear up the bottle count. You should get (5) 750ml bottles per gallon.

 

[smyrnaquince]

I'm finding it hard to believe that enough water will make it up through the opening of a wine bottle to thoroughly wash one in the dishwasher. Dishwashers seem to depend on throwing a lot of water every which-way to get the dishes clean. At best, for an already-clean bottle I would think that a little water might make it inside and rinse the bottle a bit.

This is all just my opinion. I haven't actuall tried washing bottles in a dishwasher.

 

[chachi44089]

I'm finding it hard to believe that enough water will make it up through the opening of a wine bottle to thoroughly wash one in the dishwasher. Dishwashers seem to depend on throwing a lot of water every which-way to get the dishes clean. At best, for an already-clean bottle I would think that a little water might make it inside and rinse the bottle a bit.

This is all just my opinion. I haven't actuall tried washing bottles in a dishwasher.

Thats how I feel..I have used the dishwasher as a pre-wash, but was not convinced the bottles on the outside edge of the rack got much water blasted into them. I washed some used Carlo Rossi bottles that were dusty, the ones in the middle looked clean and the outer ones still were a bit dusty inside.

 

[djrockinsteve]

All of my bottles are de-labeled and cleaned (bottle brushed). Then stored in a box until needed.

When I go to bottle I fill a 6 gallon bucket 2/3rds filled with very warm almost hot water and potassium metabisulfite. All bottles are immersed into the liquid, brushed again and allowed to soak a few minutes.

Then removed and placed onto a bottle tree to drip off. I bottle while these bottles are still slightly moist.

I do not want risking any missed bacteria etc. that would ruin a good bottle of wine. Dish washing is okay (I Believe) to clean the outside but I doubt most d.w. would adequetely clean the insides completely. After all the work and time you put into this why risk it. Cleaning the way I do takes only a few minutes and is quick and efficient.

To each his own though.

 

[Runningwolf]

I'm finding it hard to believe that enough water will make it up through the opening of a wine bottle to thoroughly wash one in the dishwasher. Dishwashers seem to depend on throwing a lot of water every which-way to get the dishes clean. At best, for an already-clean bottle I would think that a little water might make it inside and rinse the bottle a bit.

This is all just my opinion. I haven't actuall tried washing bottles in a dishwasher.

+1 I agree with you also.

 

[ibglowin]

The only dish washer I would trust to wash the inside of wine bottles would be that one the guy modified on another wine forum. He made a special lower rack with PVC pipe and every bottle had its own 6" PVC pipe that was all connected together and then routed into the main water line. The outside was hit by the rotating arm from above and the inside was blasted continuously from each PVC pipe.

Perfectly engineered solution to the problem. All you need is an old dish washer to convert over permanently!

 

[reefman]

All of my bottles are de-labeled and cleaned (bottle brushed). Then stored in a box until needed.

Speaking of de-labeling, does anyone have a sure fire method for doing this? My experience is it's hit or miss, depending on what and how much adhesive the winery uses.

 

[Javila]

Speaking of de-labeling, does anyone have a sure fire method for doing this? My experience is it's hit or miss, depending on what and how much adhesive the winery uses.

Here is what works for me. No soaking involved. I get a straight razor handle like for scraping paint and scrap all labels off. (less of a soggy mess) It will leave very little sticky residue but the pieces of label is dry and just toss in trash. I then get wife's green scrub pad,wet it , sprinkle a little ajax , scrub with little effort and remaining residuel comes off with no problem. Rinse with warm/hot water. You can put in dishwasher just to wash any remainding residue if you wish. Then when ready to bottle use your preferred method to sanitize. Njoy !