Bottling without a tree

[Ron_Blackhurst]

What's the best way to bottle without using a tree. I'm about to bottle my first batch and need to figure out how to sanitize and bottle without one.

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[GilSwillBasementBrews]

I usually sanitize the bottles then stick them in the rack of the dishwasher then when they're all clean and sanitized i'll bottle on the door of the dishwasher saves me from mopping the floor when I'm done.

 

[thadass]

I bottle up on the table or counter but I also use my dishwasher in place of a bottle tree. works great!
Alternatively you could use anything else that can be sanitized and hole bottles upside down (or even at a slight angle). Plastic milk crates come to mind as a possible alternative

 

[boat_eggs]

I used to just use empty 6, 12 or 24 packs with fresh paper towels in the bottom. never had a bad batch due to bottle nasties.

thadass mentioned milk crates: make sure they are really clean first. The ones we get returned to work can have some of the nastiest stuff in them (rotten meat, eggs, various bodily output from unknown species, etc) and the cleaning chemicals are about as nasty

 

[boat_eggs]

edit: double post

 

[MrFeltimo]

I use our old stair gates from when the kids were babies.
Why we still have them i dont know, maybe the wife has something in mind.

 

[Jayhem]

I rinse the bottles well (might have to soak them if you have deposits). Once they are rinsed, stick them upside down to drip dry on dishwasher racks . Once they are dripped off stick the bottles in the oven at 190F for 20 minutes to sanitize. Once they are cool enough to handle you can bottle away!

 

[Calichusetts]

I clean mine with hot water first (already clean from use but just to get the dust off) Then I fill my bottling bucket with sanitizer. Actually fill up the bottles with sanitizer from the bottling wand...rack in beer and just empty bottles out as I go.

 

[dyqik]

Just stand them up, and empty the sanitizer out just before you fill them. Or put sanitized foil over the tops when you empty them.

 

[amie]

I use a rubbermaid bin with two of these plastic dish racks from Ikea. I like that they're easy to sanitize before I start putting bottles on them.

 

[giraffeman]

Amie,
Love the Idea with the bin and was going to buy the parts to make this but started to think the cost is just about the same as a bottling tree. (currently using the the dishwasher method.)
What advantages do you see in this setup over getting a "Tree"
I was also thinking about the FastRack Bottling Storage System

 

[Jayhem]

I don't know why people don't oven sanitize instead of using slippery sanitizer. I have always oven sanitized and NEVER dropped a bottle or had one break in over 50 batches. Also, never had an infection.

 

[bowskibrew]

I am a drywall finisher by trade and have access to a lot of 5 gallon buckets which clean out beautifully. They are great for soaking bottles for label removal, put clean paper towels in the bottom to drain bottles, put the lids on for dust free storage, and they have handles! I'm sure if properly sanitized they could be used as fermenters, as no different from an ale pail (and the lids fit) but I have to much respect for the craft.

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[bowskibrew]

Another bonus is they're stack able and you can stand about 12-15 bottles in one without them tipping!

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[BeerLoverHere]

I clean in a dishwasher after each one I drink. Then when I am ready to bottle, I let them soak in my sink in PBW for sometime. Then I let them sit in sanitizer solution. From there they stand up right on my counter top for 10 minutes. I then dump them upside down to get out leftover liquid/sanitizer out. If there is some left in there, do not worry about it. From there I bottle. Works very well for me!! It does take sometime, but fortunately my new house has a huge kitchen sink that can hold 18-20 sixteen ounce bottles at once!!

 

[amie]

Amie,
Love the Idea with the bin and was going to buy the parts to make this but started to think the cost is just about the same as a bottling tree. (currently using the the dishwasher method.)
What advantages do you see in this setup over getting a "Tree"
I was also thinking about the FastRack Bottling Storage System

Around these parts a bottle tree costs $30+, and at the time we had no brick and mortar LHBS so I'd have to pay for shipping on top of that. The Ikea hack cost under $20 because I already had several Rubbermaid containers on hand and an Ikea store down the street. So it was marginally about cost savings, but mostly out of convenience that we went for this method.

If I were to start over, I'd probably buy a FastRack (which wasn't distributed in Canada at the time, so I would have had to pay int'l shipping rates to get one). But I like this method because it's easy to keep clean, takes up very little storage space, it's easy to move the bottles around, and I can use a larger Rubbermaid bin for covered storage for bottles that I've cleaned ahead of time.

 

[FastRackCrew]

Hi Amie!

FastRack crew here. We are thrilled to announce that FastRacks are now available in Canada as of 2014!! Make sure to check out our “Buy Now” section on our website to see how you can get your hands on some FastRacks.

Happy FastRacking!

 

[jdauria]

I just put the sanitized bottles on our kitchen island once sanitized and cover then with sanitized tinfoil. Then I bottle 6 at a time on the open door of my dishwasher.

 

[Hello]

I just line them up on a counter. Never needed or wanted a bulky tree.

 

[Jayhem]

I just line them up on a counter. Never needed or wanted a bulky tree.

The tree is not to hold them till you bottle, it's more for drip drying the bottles upside down. The dishwasher rack accomplishes the same thing.