Whats your glassware cleaning process?
Moderator: Brandon
Whats your glassware cleaning process?
I have a feeling partially clean (aka partially dirty) glassware may be to blame for a head retention issue I asked about in another post.
Typically after use, I will give a glass a really heavy rinse in hot water, shake, and dry upright. No probably not sanitary during cold and flu season, but in general, I am pretty brazen in the face of pathogenic microbes. Occasionally I will scrub with a Scotch Brite/sponge with detergent (Method or something similar), and sometimes (not often), I will stick even my good Spigeleaus in the dishwasher (no heat dry). I know this is verboten in all brewing circles, but it had never really impacted head retention for me, until now.
Not nearly often enough, I make a paste of baking soda and salt, and scrub the inside using a paper towel, then shake dry, then towel dry. I think this is the recommended method, but was curious as to everyone else's methods.
Typically after use, I will give a glass a really heavy rinse in hot water, shake, and dry upright. No probably not sanitary during cold and flu season, but in general, I am pretty brazen in the face of pathogenic microbes. Occasionally I will scrub with a Scotch Brite/sponge with detergent (Method or something similar), and sometimes (not often), I will stick even my good Spigeleaus in the dishwasher (no heat dry). I know this is verboten in all brewing circles, but it had never really impacted head retention for me, until now.
Not nearly often enough, I make a paste of baking soda and salt, and scrub the inside using a paper towel, then shake dry, then towel dry. I think this is the recommended method, but was curious as to everyone else's methods.
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- Braumeister
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Re: Whats your glassware cleaning process?
I am REALLY bad when it comes to this. Sometimes a rinse out with hot water, sometimes the dishwasher.
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- Roachbrau
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Re: Whats your glassware cleaning process?
I just wash with a bottle brush and regular dish detergent, but make sure to rinse very well and air dry. I store glasses upside down, and always rinse with cold water before pouring a beer. My water is pretty soft, so that may be why I don't have any issues with dish detergent/tap water.
- Weizenberg
- German Brewing
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Re: Whats your glassware cleaning process?
No DETERGENT! Mechanical cleaning with a bottle brush first. Then a rinse. Then it's sanitized with no-rinse cleaner (similar to star-san in the US). The bottles end up on the bottle tree for a bit then get filled.
Never had problems with this. Dishwasher and other detergents may leave a coating that is detrimental to the foam and eventually, taste. My main concerns are oxygen-free filtering and flushing the bottles correctly via the bleeding valve on my counter-pressure filler. Bottling is quite a tricky affair with lagers...
Never had problems with this. Dishwasher and other detergents may leave a coating that is detrimental to the foam and eventually, taste. My main concerns are oxygen-free filtering and flushing the bottles correctly via the bleeding valve on my counter-pressure filler. Bottling is quite a tricky affair with lagers...
The Quest for Edelstoff - http://edelstoffquest.wordpress.com
Re: Whats your glassware cleaning process?
...wait did I miss something? Is it too early in the morning?
It seems like the OP was about glassware (drinking container) and somehow morphed into bottle washing process.
It seems like the OP was about glassware (drinking container) and somehow morphed into bottle washing process.
- Roachbrau
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Re: Whats your glassware cleaning process?
I am on a well with very hard water. I do have a water softener and if I don't keep adding salt every month or so, I get little or no head on my beers. As soon as I see that, I know to add some salt. I wash with detergent and air dry. I never use a dishwasher as they start to fade the logos on my beer glasses.
Re: Whats your glassware cleaning process?
Thought I would post an update on this.
I took a really close look at my glasses, and it turned out they had barely-visible scratches in them. I think it was from the scotch-brite (yellow and green) sponges I would use for the occasional deep cleaning.
As an aside, I emailed Spigelau about this, and they sent me three replacements. As if they didn't already have a customer for life.
I took a really close look at my glasses, and it turned out they had barely-visible scratches in them. I think it was from the scotch-brite (yellow and green) sponges I would use for the occasional deep cleaning.
As an aside, I emailed Spigelau about this, and they sent me three replacements. As if they didn't already have a customer for life.
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