sterilize equipment and utensils ?.

Hi kenny, I don't using using the campden tablets they say to use as sometimes it gives the wine etc funny taste, so I use the cheap sterilising fluid they use for baby' bottles!

But another idea I had was bicarbonate of soda from the kitchen is supposed to be good for cleaning things, but I didn't rinse the demi johns out afterwards, just left them to drain!  3 gallons of elderberry wine tasted like the stuff you take for a bad stomach!!!!   

Hi kenny. I use a steam cleaner to sterilise stuff. Small hand held thing. Holds about half alitre of water. Has nice long spout to blast the inside of bottles. Got ours for about a yenner from Lidl but theyre fairly common these days.

I just used to fill the bowl with boiling water and put the utensils in it. Lay the d j on it's side in the bowl and roll it round so that all the inside surfaces have been washed with the boiling water......but be careful of your fingers.....I speak from experience..OUCH

If you're bottling beer a good way to sterilise bottles is to clean and drain dry. Cover the top with aluminium foil. When you've got enough put them in a cold oven and turn on to gas mark 4. leave to cook for 1 1/2 hours and then cool in the oven overnight. As long as you keep the foil in place the bottles should remain sterile until you need them.