dishwasher

[fuzzypennel]

I am going to try cleaning some bottles in the dishwasher, using VWP instead of a dishwasher tablet.
The bottles are from commercial ales (London Pride etc.). The bottles have been rinsed and the labels removed.
I can't see any problems with this approach. Has anybody tried it?

[EoinMag]

I've sampled beers from people who use the dishwasher and the head retention is never good on these beers, I think it's down to rinse aid in the bottles after the machine.

[Secue]

I never thought of using the dishwasher to clean out and sanitise the bottles...that would be loads easier than the way i was doing it..in the sink in batches. I don't use starsan or vwp anyway, i found a cheaper alternative that claims to kill 99.9% of bacteria. Tesco Easy care denture effervescent denture cleaning tablets....3 mins to clean, 30 in a tube... 51p. does the job..not had any problems since started using it, use it to do the FV as well as all other equipment.

Dishwasher will be getting used for my next bottling in about a week...i'll run the washer a few times and not refill the rinse aid, but to be honest, I'm not that bothered about head retention..its ABV I'm concerned with!

[simco999]

Dish washers are good for getting labels off - but this next thing you need to do is follow your usual cleaning process.

DW's don't clean properly.

[skydivedan]

I use a dishwasher every time now and have never had any problems. That said my bottles are already de-labeled and after each use they have been thoroughly rinsed.

Rinse Aid does indeed damage head retention and for that reason my dishwasher hasn't had any in it for a long time. I pop a tiny amount of sanitiser straight in the machine for good measure!

[thedeckking]

My dishwasher has a "baby" setting which is suitable for sterilising baby's bottles/etc. If it's sterile enough for that then it's good enough for my beer bottles.

+1 on no rinse aid

[greenxpaddy]

If you pour beer into a glass that has been dishwashed with rinse aid will your beer lose its head quickly?

[EoinMag]

Yes, it'll die pretty quickly if it builds at all.

[fuzzypennel]

Right then
I'll be using the dishwasher without rinse aid and VWP in the dispenser.The bottles are rinsed already.
The conventional sink carry on is far too painful.

I don't think there's any rinse aid in there anyway because we use those 3 in 1 tablets. There is a good deal of dishwasher salt in it though. Any ideas on how this will affect things?

I'll post again with results

[simco999]

Mmmm - could be persuaded - might have to do some experiments.

[skydivedan]

There is a good deal of dishwasher salt in it though. Any ideas on how this will affect things?

Not sure on that.. cant remember the last time I topped up the salt lol

[fxrs]

Is there any update on how effective using a dishwasher with 3-1 tablet is for cleaning/sterilising?

TIA

[oldbloke]

My wife reckons the dishwasher is good enough for baby stuff and her jam stuff, but I prefer to use it - without any cleaning agents, salt, etc- just to make sure the soda crystal solution I've soaked the bottles in is properly washed out, then I VWP them anyway.
It's a bit of a faff, but I don't have a decent drying&storage system, so they sometimes grow Things in the months before they get used. So I like to be sure.

[EoinMag]

It's not about the sanitation oldbloke it's about the anti-streaking agents that kill the head.

[simco999]

Well I tried a batch with the bottles washed in the dish washer (no chemicals used) - then rinsed with Starsan and left to dry on my bottling tree.

All glass bottles (mainly Erdinger or Weihenstaphen originally) - all crown capped.

Any bottles that appeared to have residue in them on inspection were rejected.

Result: No infections - no head whatsoever - not even fizzy. I primed as normal. Brew tasted fine - just flat.

I will try again!!!

PS - two Bulmers bottles burst on me when capping. Never again.