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Dishwasher Bottling

Ask homebrewers about the number one consumer appliance on their wish lists, and you're likely to get some variation on a refrigerator or freezer (assuming professional brewhouses don’t count).

Dave Carpenter May 28, 2014 - 2 min read

Dishwasher Bottling Primary Image

But there’s another appliance you probably already have in your kitchen that’s sometimes overlooked. Dishwashers make bottling easy and painless. If you aren't using yours, you’re probably working too hard.

Sanitize your bottles

Tired of dipping all your bottles in sanitizer? You might be able to use your dishwasher instead. Many dishwashers feature a special sanitize cycle that is hotter and longer than the normal cycle and meets NSF/ANSI 184 standards for food safety. Running your bottles through this cycle is guaranteed to get you a 99.999 percent reduction in bacteria. Just make sure your bottles are clean to begin with, and don't use any detergent when you run them through!

Truth be told, my dishwasher doesn't have that specific sanitize setting, but it does create a great deal of steam. In my book, that’s sufficient, and I haven’t had an infected batch in five plus years of brewing and bottling. But your mileage may vary. Do this at your own risk.

Bottle your beer

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