Good Bottle Brush? Update: Success

[John Sand]

I bottle in glass, I like it. Many of my bottles come clean with a quick rinse, then a flush with soapy water. But some have yeast or other sediment stains on the bottom, and/or a ring at the neck. I've bought two bottle brushes, but neither is very effective on the bottom. They are twisted wire core brushes with nylon bristles, but very few bristles point straight down. Sometimes after brushing and drying, I can see the streaks in the bottom where it failed to clean. I also use the bottle washer attachment on the sink, but it doesn't remove all the stains. Even soaking is not completely effective. Are there better bottle brushes out there?

[haerbob3]

Yep called a jet washer. I would have been lost without mine.

[BlackDuck]

I use the same type of brush you have.

However, I use one of these thingys first. It's a two bottle jet sprayer that hooks up to my utility tub in the basement.

jetsprayer.JPG (12.91 KiB) Viewed 1222 times

As soon as I pour a beer, I fill the bottle about 1/4 way with water. I allow it to soak for as long as it takes to get about 6 empty bottles, so I guess that's a few days. Then I run hot tap water through the jet sprayer for about 10-15 seconds for each bottle. It's hot enough that the bottles are almost too hot to handle. Then I fill the bottle to the top with hot tap water and use the brush on it. That jet spray that comes from this thing is quite powerful. Between soaking them with water, the jet, and what little the brush does on the bottom, I'm getting very clean bottles. I actually don't use dish soap or cleanser on them. Then, on bottling day, they all get a good dose of iodophor to sanitize them. Haven't had a problem in 30 some batches.

[John Sand]

Duck, the one I'm using is the small pipe elbow that screws onto the faucet, and it doesn't help this problem. Where did you get yours?

[BlackDuck]

I actually got it at a local hardware store that sells a few home brewing items. I'll see if I can track one down on the internet.

[haerbob3]

John most online shops have them. Mine is a single spray, made of brass. Even without rinsing a bottle out, rarely did I have to resort to a brush.

[Gymrat]

I am able to get the stuff out of the bottom by filling halfway with water, putting my thumb over the top, and shaking vigorously. Works every time and it is free.

[mtsoxfan]

I have the same set up as Gymrat.. pour a beer, fill with hot water, shake. I do it again, not because it needs it, but because it makes me happy. Never had anything stuck inside.

[BlackDuck]

Whether you use a water jet or not, I think the most important thing is to get water into the bottle immediately after pouring the beer, this will keep any of that crud on the bottom of the bottle from getting crusty.

[haerbob3]

Solve all of your bottling woes the easy way.........................................


Switch to kegging..................................
Ducking & runn'

[John Sand]

I knew someone would suggest it!
Thank you all. I've tried all of that, except the double washer. I do have a chrome one, but maybe it's not strong enough. My recent brews seem to come cleaner. I did have a series of infections, I wonder if they stick harder. I have read that some use sand or glass beads. Maybe stronger soap, like oxyclean or PBW. I use unscented dish soap now.

[Bluejaye]

Maybe stronger soap, like oxyclean or PBW. I use unscented dish soap now.

Northern Brewer sells that double-washer.

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/doub ... asher.html

I have/had the same issue with bottle brush. The bristles don't reach the bottom because of the loop of the metal at the end. I just changed my routine to use a pinch or smidgen (actual measurement "term," based on bottle size) of Oxyclean Free in my bottles, fill them with warm water, and let them sit for a few before rinsing them with a jet sprayer/bottle washer. I typically also rinse my bottles out right after a pour to help avoid gunk in the bottom drying in the first place.

http://www.amazon.com/Dash-Smidgen-Pinc ... ash+spoons

[BlackDuck]

Northern Brewer sells that double-washer.

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/doub ... asher.html

Whoop....Der it is!!!

[John Sand]

Thanks! I'm also thinking I might use salt or undissolved one step as an abrasive. Then I just dissolve and dump.

[RickBeer]

I think you'll find that soaking in Oxiclean removes most things. I use it on new bottles, then rinse them when I pour and then half full of hot water and a dot of dish soap, shake and rinse and that works for nearly everything. For the ones that have a trace left on the bottom, as you described, it hasn't been a problem. For others I've just tossed them.