I use PET lightweight blow moulded brown plastic bottles, 750 ml capacity, & pretty much the standard brewers bottle in this part of the world (Australia). They have a screw down plastic cap which has an elastic sealable internal membrane which makes the caps reusable almost forever.
They are so light they are a PITA to use, but I guess infinitely safer than the old glass bottles.
Anyway I have always used "good clean kitchen practice" as a guideline as to how much effort to put into cleaning & sanitation of the bottles.
So:
1) I always ensure tops are refitted promptly to bottles as they are emptied to prevent drying out of the lees.
2) I always rinse out several times with cold water within 12 hours of the bottles becoming empty.
3) I always rinse out with hot water (typically 70 Deg C min temp) a couple of times after the cold rinse & then set to drain.
4) After a brief preliminary drain I set the bottles (on a home made drainer rack with spikes) & put outside to dry in the sun (Australia !!!).
5) Inspect when dry (just to be sure), refit washed & dried screw caps, but do not screw to seal so air pressure can normalise, the idea is to keep insects out, notably ants.
6) When required I use without further attention.
This process has served me quite well, but I have noticed one or more ringmarks, about where the beer surface would be, becoming more noticeable
I have attacked these marks with full strength swimming pool liquid chlorine (IE bleach), & separately with dishwash detergent & a bottle brush.
Neither seems a complete solution, & I am becoming concerned that these marks have somehow become etched in the bottle surface.
Certainly I am spending too much time on this. I can't remember seeing this with the old glass bottles, but I may simply not have noticed.
Does anyone have some insights on this subject & how critical might these marks be?
Thanks
Peter O
They are so light they are a PITA to use, but I guess infinitely safer than the old glass bottles.
Anyway I have always used "good clean kitchen practice" as a guideline as to how much effort to put into cleaning & sanitation of the bottles.
So:
1) I always ensure tops are refitted promptly to bottles as they are emptied to prevent drying out of the lees.
2) I always rinse out several times with cold water within 12 hours of the bottles becoming empty.
3) I always rinse out with hot water (typically 70 Deg C min temp) a couple of times after the cold rinse & then set to drain.
4) After a brief preliminary drain I set the bottles (on a home made drainer rack with spikes) & put outside to dry in the sun (Australia !!!).
5) Inspect when dry (just to be sure), refit washed & dried screw caps, but do not screw to seal so air pressure can normalise, the idea is to keep insects out, notably ants.
6) When required I use without further attention.
This process has served me quite well, but I have noticed one or more ringmarks, about where the beer surface would be, becoming more noticeable
I have attacked these marks with full strength swimming pool liquid chlorine (IE bleach), & separately with dishwash detergent & a bottle brush.
Neither seems a complete solution, & I am becoming concerned that these marks have somehow become etched in the bottle surface.
Certainly I am spending too much time on this. I can't remember seeing this with the old glass bottles, but I may simply not have noticed.
Does anyone have some insights on this subject & how critical might these marks be?
Thanks
Peter O