Bottling my first batch

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Junior
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I have clean used bottles which I was going to steam before bottling rather than using any chemicals, this should be ok shouldn't it??

I also have natural corks and a hand corker but am unsure about adding chemicals to the soaking water. Is this absolutely necessary? I was just going to soak them in boiled, cool water and steam them too before doing the deed.

After reading other posts am now unsure and nervous :>

any help on this topic would be gratefully received.

cheers Dee
 
Good question! I also used recycled bottles. And clean them in advance so nothing has a chance to grow, dry and cover the tops. Just before bottling I rinse them with K Meta solution (just a basic rinse/ shake around and then funnel to the next bottle) + it's ok if a little is still left in the bottle as it just preserves the wine. It's really an easy step and gives me a little more security. I used to rinse the corks (these are new) in K meta, but no one else seems to do that, so no more.

Boiling water will probably work ok too, let's see what the others say....
 
I myself would feel safer using k-mtea solution. I dont use natural corks cause its a slim chance you get good quality natural corks and lesser quality leads to cork taint and bad wine.
 
How about washing / soaking in a bath of oxyclean and then sterilizing in a bath of iodine?
Rinsing well after of course...
 
Oxy would work to clean but rinse. Iodine does not sterilize. I would use k-meta to sanitize. Reason is you should have it already. You can make a strong solution and reuse.
 
Iodophor(Iodine) is a great sanitizer and what I use to sanitize my beer stuff when I dont have Star San on hand.
 
Iodophor. That Might be what its called. Its a sanitizing solution of some kind and it smells and looks like pure iodine. I sanitize all my fermentors and equipment with it.
 
thanks guys

ok so you all are saying I should sanitize with chemicals then! I'm more worried about the corks at this point as am using natural (hate plastic anything) after all its made with petroleum which reacts to warm and cold temps.

don't care to impart any chemical flavours into my lovely wines and the natural cork does absorb moisture.

but Thanks for all the info you guys very much appreciated. :h
 
Correct, Iodophor is mainly used for beer making and also very good for wine.
 
As for the corks i would use the k-meta solution and put all corks in a sieve and then put the sieve on top of a bucket. I then would pour the solution over the corks and let the sieve sit there for 5-10 minutes letting the gases from the k-meta solution escape up through the corks as the gases are really what does the sanitizing. I myself use a corkidor which is nothing but a sealed bucket with a sanitizer strength k-meta solution in an open bottle that expels its gas into there and keeps the corks from drying out and keeps them all sanitized at the same time. This solution will last many many months if you have a good seal on the bucket.
 
yep, use k-meta or star-san to sanitize. Steam can sanitize, but it takes something like 20 minutes to truly sanitize. star-san works in 30 seconds (and you can drink the sanitizing solution...its THAT safe)
 
yep, use k-meta or star-san to sanitize. Steam can sanitize, but it takes something like 20 minutes to truly sanitize. star-san works in 30 seconds (and you can drink the sanitizing solution...its THAT safe)
Man Malkore you will drink just about anything? lol. :)He is right though they say no need to rinse.
 

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