Time to bottle, now what? Sanitizing bottles?

[MRM]

Hi,
Time to bottle first kit. Now what to do. I am using recycled bottles that have been washed in b-brite rinsed and dry. I have bottle tree with bottle rinser that goes on top that is used to sanitize the bottle before bottling.
The question is what is the precess for sanitizing and bottling. I have read conflicting methods. One said to put B-brite in the bottle rinser and rinse bottles with this solution and the rinse with water. Another says to use K-meta but no mention of rinsing.
So?
Which method. If I use k-meta and do not rinse what solution of k-meta do I use. Do I allow bottles to dry.

 

[myakkagldwngr]

Give the pros a little while and they will give you an answer. I think just about all around here use K-meta but their exact mix I can't say.
My bottle says two ounces per gallon of water for sanitation, but I cut that to one once per gallon and let it dry after rinsing.

 

[Tom]

Use meta.
I use 3 tbls to a gallon, mix well. Use this to sanitize the bottling bucket, wand, and anything in contact with wine. Add this to your rinser. Remember to sanitize the corks as well.
Once finished you can store the left over in a gal jug for the "next" time. You can also add some to a spray bottle for quick sanitizing.

 

[cpfan]

As Tom has said, use the standard K-meta sanitizing solution for sanitizing your bottles. It is not necessary to rinse, although some people do. Drain on your sanitized tree (a use for the spray bottle that Tom mentioned). It is not necessary to let the bottleds dry. I usually shake the bottle to get rid of any excess solution before filling.

Steve

 

[MRM]

Ok Thanks
Look like 3 of 3 say use the k-meta and do not rinse.
Does this add much k-meta to the wine?

I guess I could do the math but why not take advantage of being a beginner as long as possible.

 

[cpfan]

Depends on how well drained the bottle is. But there won't be much extra K-meta from a decently drained bottle. Don't forget K-meta is an anti-oxidant and adds shelf life to your wine.

Despite that I still use iodophor. K-meta STINKS.

Steve

 

[bstnh1]

I've done it both ways - let the K-meta drain on the bottle tree with no rinsing and I've also rinsed a bit with boiled and cooled bottled water. I haven't noticed any difference in the finished product. Not all bottles drain to the same extent while on the bottle tree. Because the concentration of K-meta is so high in the sanitizing solution, I prefer to rinse the bottles lightly to avoid over sulfiting.

 

[jswordy]

I'll be the odd man out. I wash my bottles with Easy Clean and hang on a rack, then bottle. If I wash ahead of time, I shake a bit of Easy Clean solution inside them, draining to the next bottle, and hang. Never a problem.

 

[GreginND]

I usually just clean well, rinse my bottles with hot water and drain. Or, if I know my bottles are already very clean, I'll just use the clean dry bottles. I figure that I'm putting in 750 mL of a properly sulfited wine. The wine is a sanitizing solution!

 

[Polarhug]

I use Star San, it's a no rinse sanitizer. Keep a 5-Gal fresh bucket of it to dip bottles in, then let drain before filling.

 

[TonyP]

I usually just clean well, rinse my bottles with hot water and drain. Or, if I know my bottles are already very clean, I'll just use the clean dry bottles. I figure that I'm putting in 750 mL of a properly sulfited wine. The wine is a sanitizing solution!

Interesting comment. You may be on to something. Or maybe not.

 

[GreginND]

Interesting comment. You may be on to something. Or maybe not.

I did say they should be very clean to start with.

Most commercial wineries simply purge the bottles with air or inert gas to blow out the dust and fill them.

 

[TonyP]

I did say they should be very clean to start with.

Most commercial wineries simply purge the bottles with air or inert gas to blow out the dust and fill them.

My understanding is that several states (including California) provide guidelines for sanitizing that includes bottles. I believe the "inert gas" you're referring to is ozone, a sanitizer. I'm hoping some of the commercial wine makers here will comment.

 

[GreginND]

No, ozone is not an inert gas. It's a powerful oxidant. You don't want ozone touching your wine. It is used in an aqueous solution to sanitize equipment, pumps, filters and hoses. Inert gas means argon or nitrogen.

I have been searching for bottling sanitation regulations. I see lots of information about sanitizing the tanks, hoses, pumps and filters but I can't find anything about the bottles. Anyone already on the commercial side care to weigh in on this?

 

[ColdClimateWines]

Ca is a different world with regs. For instance meta bisulfite has a 300 ppm per TTB regs. Ca has a 200 ppm limit, last time I checked. Most winemakers do not exceed 100 ppm and will dose per Ph ratio to free sulfur. I know some winemakers in Ca use Idophor. Some beer makers also use it as a final rinse after a caustic wash, and then an acid rinse.

For bottle wash we use NaMbs then rinse with wine and let drain. The wine itself should be in a 70 ppm range ( based on Ph) of meta and is not strong enough to be a sanitizing solution by itself. The wine itself is stabilized with Kmbs. This is a manual based system. A machine system will rinse with a meta solution, sparge with an inert and bottle, and top with nitrogen just prior to corking.

 

[GreginND]

Thanks for the clarification. What ppm is your NaMBS rinse solution? And do you throw away the wine you used to rinse the bottle?

 

[Runningwolf]

I did say they should be very clean to start with.

Most commercial wineries simply purge the bottles with air or inert gas to blow out the dust and fill them.

Greg you're correct. New bottles are sanitized enough that all we do is purge the bottles to blow out cardboard dust and purge the air. We use nitro.

 

[mtbryda203]

I use Star San, it's a no rinse sanitizer. Keep a 5-Gal fresh bucket of it to dip bottles in, then let drain before filling.

When you use star San do you let it completely drip dry? Or give it a quick rinse? Hot or cold?

 

[ColdClimateWines]

Gregin, I'd have to check notes on ppm of Nambs. we make up a solution, so many grams per gal. We throw the wine rinse away and typically change it once or twice during the process.

 

[saramc]

Greg you're correct. New bottles are sanitized enough that all we do is purge the bottles to blow out cardboard dust and purge the air. We use nitro.

Most commercial shops in my neck of the woods do the same.