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DPChallenge Forums >> General Discussion >> Any homebrewers here?
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 03/16/2012 09:15:46 PM · #1
Hey all

Ok first off I don't want to make my own homebrew - tried it briefly but was underwhelmed by the results.

However I do make my own maple syrup from my tiny sugarbush, and would like to bottle some of it in clear glass beer bottles (Sleeman, if you're interested and/or Canadian :-). However, all glass beer bottles have that strange whitish ring of visible crud on the inside; I assume it's some form of fill level at the brewery, as it's quite consistent, approx 1 in below the shoulder of the bottle.

So far I've only been able to scrub out an already very weak crud ring with plain old dishwashing detergent, hot water and a bottle brush. But that's been the exception. All day long I've been experimenting with various solutions, ranging from Barkeeper's Friend to straight bleach and even heavy duty dissolved salt and straight vinegar.

But not a one of these solutions have worked, and I am getting frustrated. I am on a septic system too so don't want to use something that will kill it.

So does anyone know a) what that crud is and b) how the hell do you get rid of it?!
 03/16/2012 09:17:21 PM · #2
don't know what it is. but have you tried oven cleaner. that stuff seems to get anything off!
 03/16/2012 09:21:45 PM · #3
They sell a cleaner/sanitizer for cleaning beer bottles on bottling day of ahomebrew batch. With a bottle brush it will nuke any crud. Google beer bottling sanitizer.
03/16/2012 09:32:23 PM · #4
To answer your first question, yes, I am a homebrewer. And the beer is amazing so much better then anything out of a can or bottle or even the tap at a bar. Seriously, the beer is better homebrewed :-)

Message edited by author 2012-03-16 21:33:36.
 03/16/2012 09:37:23 PM · #5
Used to be a homebrewer. Number one product that would clean my kegs/carboys/bottles was Oxiclean. Nothing touched it in terms of cleaning things to a spit-shine!
 03/16/2012 09:43:27 PM · #6
Be careful with dish detergent. Not sure how it will affect syrup but it can really ruin the flavor of beer for homebrewing.
 03/16/2012 09:55:10 PM · #7
How about CLR....It sounds like a calcium buildup on the bottle
 03/16/2012 10:11:58 PM · #8
Wow, glad to see lots of homebrewers here! Of all the products mentioned, I know I have CLR on hand. OxiClean is available here in Canada and I might have some sort of oven cleaner kicking around.

And trust me, I will be rinsing out those bottles with hot water to within an inch of their lives, no matter what I use. There is no way I am going to ruin my wonderful maple syrup, esp as so far this year has been a very poor year.

I am also going to email Sleeman's and asking them what is responsible for that ring of crud. If it is calcium buildup, it sure as hell is stubborn!! Maybe they would be nice enough to send me some unused bottles?
 03/16/2012 11:46:03 PM · #9
Oxyclean!! And Starsan for sanitizing after.(I make wine) Both can be purchased online. :o)

Message edited by author 2012-03-16 23:47:11.
 03/16/2012 11:48:44 PM · #10
Homebrewer here, but when I did it, I had a laboratory glassware washer and an autoclave for sterilizing. Sigh. Those were the days.

I keep a bottle of CLR around because we have very limey well water... and no freakin way would I want to use that on something I'd eat or drink out of. It's gnasty-assty.

The white band you speak of, I see it on refillable bottles from neighboring PA. I always thought it was some mechanical etching of the glass from the multiple refills. My stepfather fills those bottles with homebrew with no detriment. However maple surple is something special, more important than beer. Eep. Did I just say that? Anyway if it were me I would buy nice new bottles. Also, champagne bottles are cappable. And Grolsch are great. Good luck!
 03/17/2012 12:00:07 AM · #11
I use an oxygen cleanser followed by a sanitizer for my bottles. Never had any stuff in the neck, just some cruddy yeast in the bottom if I didn't rinse after drinking.

I just cracked open a nice brown ale, homebrewed of course.
 03/17/2012 12:29:54 AM · #12
I make honey mead, Look up Campden tablets. It is what I use to sterilize, but you can even ferment while there is some solution left in the carboy.
 03/17/2012 09:04:10 AM · #13
Sounds like Oxi(y?)clean is the way to go. Didn't use CLR mostly cause I couldn't find it! :-)
 03/17/2012 10:04:36 AM · #14
Originally posted by Brielle:
Oxyclean!! And Starsan for sanitizing after.(I make wine) Both can be purchased online. :o)

Exactly what I did. Oxyclean to clean and Starsan (Don't fear the foam snake!!) for sanitizing.
 03/17/2012 11:33:39 AM · #15
Originally posted by gcoulson:
Originally posted by Brielle:
Oxyclean!! And Starsan for sanitizing after.(I make wine) Both can be purchased online. :o)

Exactly what I did. Oxyclean to clean and Starsan (Don't fear the foam snake!!) for sanitizing.


The foam is the one thing I don't like about Starsan.
03/17/2012 11:42:24 AM · #16
Just so long as it gets rid of that frickin ring of crud, will rinse out cleanly, doesn't alter the taste of the syrup, etch the glass or kill my septic. I can put up with a little foam.

Oh and a little p.o.'d to see that the bottle brush I got to try and scrub out said crud ring doesn't even reach that area of the bottle!!! I had to use my travel toothbrush to apply my various mixes to the area and scrub as best I could with it. Didn't think there would be such a problem with longnecks. *sigh*
 03/17/2012 01:04:43 PM · #17
Originally posted by slickchik:
To answer your first question, yes, I am a homebrewer. And the beer is amazing so much better then anything out of a can or bottle or even the tap at a bar. Seriously, the beer is better homebrewed :-)


having lived in munich for 2 years and 1 year of it in Erding i'd take the pepsi challenge on that haha, ohh how i miss the bavarian nectar of life
 03/17/2012 03:59:54 PM · #18
Originally posted by Giles_uk:
Originally posted by slickchik:
To answer your first question, yes, I am a homebrewer. And the beer is amazing so much better then anything out of a can or bottle or even the tap at a bar. Seriously, the beer is better homebrewed :-)


having lived in munich for 2 years and 1 year of it in Erding i'd take the pepsi challenge on that haha, ohh how i miss the bavarian nectar of life


That's German beer. Good stuff most of it. Come to the states and try drinking the swill from the major breweries and you'll understand why so many prefer to make their own.
 03/17/2012 10:40:36 PM · #19


Message edited by author 2012-07-24 21:40:57.
 03/17/2012 11:18:24 PM · #20
Well, the good news...OxiClean is a little $$ but easily available at the local grocery store, and it definitely seems to be giving the crud rings a run for their money. And it's fun to watch! All that nice frothy foam!! :-0 However, it still has yet to totally defeat the most marginal crud ring. So strengthened the solution and will leave it overnight. And I do still have some sterilizer kicking around, not Starsan, a generic brand but should work once I get rid of the crud ring.

ETA: deeby, have you tried Beau's Lugtread Lager Ale out of Vankleek Hill? Great stuff and from an Ontario microbrewery...like Sleeman's used to be before it got big and bought out by Sapporo a few years ago.

Message edited by author 2012-03-17 23:19:59.
 03/17/2012 11:24:11 PM · #21
Google methods to remove Beer Stone. It's some pretty tenacious stuff. But it sounds like what you are looking at.

Here is one link
 03/18/2012 12:56:50 AM · #22
Hmmm, interesting. We used to brew our own beer, but I have NEVER had any problems with "crud". Perhaps because we carefully rinsed out each bottle before you put it away again, ready for the next batch?
 03/18/2012 08:55:22 AM · #23


Message edited by author 2012-07-24 21:41:04.
 03/18/2012 09:45:24 AM · #24
fullers london pride is well loved in london, but up north here we are more about our local brewed real ales, there are some big national brewers doing good bitters and stouts to rival guiness and we have the usual swill from the likes of bass and interbrew, its horses for courses i love the local brewed pale ales theres a particularily good one at mo from asheffield brewery farmers blonde £1.60 a pint and can drink it all night think its only 3.8%, but beer for beer my time in munich saw the best and most consistent beers, favourites being agustina, hackerpshoc, andechs, erding, friesing, paulana....
 03/18/2012 10:35:55 AM · #25
Originally posted by snaffles:
Well, the good news...OxiClean is a little $$ but easily available at the local grocery store, and it definitely seems to be giving the crud rings a run for their money. And it's fun to watch! All that nice frothy foam!! :-0 However, it still has yet to totally defeat the most marginal crud ring. So strengthened the solution and will leave it overnight. And I do still have some sterilizer kicking around, not Starsan, a generic brand but should work once I get rid of the crud ring.

ETA: deeby, have you tried Beau's Lugtread Lager Ale out of Vankleek Hill? Great stuff and from an Ontario microbrewery...like Sleeman's used to be before it got big and bought out by Sapporo a few years ago.

Oxyclean is a little pricey, but you use so little of it that it lasts a long time. I'd be using one scoop or so in a 6gallon carboy and it cleaned it thoroughly. Not sure if it was mentioned above, but make sure you get the fragrant-free kind. Overnight wash is what I did, and nothing stood up to it.
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