How to Sterilize Wine Bottles

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When bottling wine it is important to make sure that no bacteria makes it into the bottle. Here is the best way to sanitize the bottles. This method works well for beer bottles and canning jars.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Empty Wine Bottles
Sterilizing solution
Bottle Tree (optional/recommended)
Bottle Brush (optional/recommended)

Step 1

Mix up the sanitizing solution. Iodophor Sanitizer works well. Mix the solution about one teaspoon to one gallon of hot water or as directed on the bottle. You can also purchase packets of buffered alkaline which comes pre-measured for 2-5 gallons.
Step 2

Scrub the bottles or jars. Specialty brushes can be purchased to get inside the wine bottles. Make sure all gum from labels are removed from the outside and any residue is removed from the interior.
Step 3

Rinse the bottles in the sanitizing solution, making sure all interior parts have been rinsed and set them upside down to dry. Bottle trees work great for this. Remember to sterilize the tree prior to use.
Step 4

Let the bottles dry completely and then bottle and cork your wine, beer, preserves etc. While it is important to let the bottles dry, it is also important to bottle as soon as possible otherwise, bacteria can be re-introduced to the bottles before they are put to use.

Comments

banffsprings said

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on 6/17/2008 Do you not need to rinse the wine bottles after using a sulphite solution? Typically I blast the sulphite into the bottle, let it stand a few minutes and then rinse with really hot water. I was always afraid of damaging my finished wine if I didn't rinse.

Imker said

on 1/6/2008 If you're strapped for cash you can use bleach, 2 tablespoons per gallon. Just make sure to rinse really well (rinsing is not necessary with the sanitizing solution mentioned in the article, but you must rinse with bleach). There are various bottle brushes you can buy, some with thick wire handles that you can insert into a 3/8" drill, which wipes out the crud in the bottle really well.