The 22 ounce bomber

The only complaint that I get about my beer is that most folks don't like the bomber's large quantity. They find it odd and believe that beer should be served in a 12 oz bottle or can or in a 16 oz can. Most folks that I know don't drink malt liquor so we can forget about the 40 oz bottle, lol.

I can fit all but three fingers of one in my beers bottled in a 22 oz bomber into my favorite nonic glass. So I take a drink and add the rest within a few seconds to minutes of pouring. I may also drink out of a 10 oz tulip glass if sharing with another person.

The main conclusion that i come to about the hate for the 22 oz bomber is that the people I'm giving these to are not as inspired or nuts about beer as I. So I think that I'll bottle a case of bombers for me and whatever else left in 16 oz bottles to give away next time.

Have y'all run into this situation when giving beers out to folks?

Just split the bottle with them.

I like bombers specifically because I hate bottling. The guys I brew with use the 12oz bottles. To each his own, I guess.

However, the math I have to do when I'm trying to keep track of how many beers I drank gets a little daunting after several bombers. Hmm...Let's see. I had 3 bombers of (1-6%, 1-4%, 1-8%) beer, which roughly translates into 5.5 12oz. Then I need to try and convert that to Bud units to account for ABV. My head hurts.

Complainers are unappreciative, they don't get anymore beer.

I am with you.. i always bottle in bombers but yeah, some people think its a big bottle when i give it to them, but after its opened all i usually hear is them asking for more. I would say bottle for you and they can deal with it. if they want to brew they can bottle in 12oz. not to mention that bottle sux, and you can get away with half the 22oz bottles.

Tell them to save the cap, poor a glass of beer then put the rest back in teh fridge with a cap on. they can drink it the same night with no problems. I have even had the rest the next day and it was still good. Not as carbed, but not totally flat either.

People are going to be leery of homebrews and to set 22 oz in front of them is going to scare them even more.

flars said:

Complainers are unappreciative, they don't get anymore beer.

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My boss is the one who talks about it the most. He isn't necessarily complaining but sounds confused when asking about it. He also likes the beer enough to help buy a new kettle and ball valve without asking so......lol.

number40fan said:

People are going to be leery of homebrews and to set 22 oz in front of them is going to scare them even more.

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Luckily my area and friends have become more cosmopolitan in their ways of thought leading to more culture in our county but a bomber still throws them off.

Bottling 22 ouncers became too monotonous. I now bottle in 1 or 1.25 liter bottles.

As for sharing, there is plenty for two and maybe three.

b-boy said:

However, the math I have to do when I'm trying to keep track of how many beers I drank gets a little daunting after several bombers.

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What's the point? You know damned well that you ain't supposed to be driving on the same day as drinking several bombers!

I've yet to get a glass to hold the bomber's quantity and I don't like disturbing the sediment by pour-stop-pour required to split a bomber over 2 glasses. Having said that, I have to COMPLETELY agree with b-boy about the bottling effort making 22oz totally worth it. 16's too for that matter. But I always do a 6pack or two of 12s because I will always be giving some away.

I sometimes hate it when I have nothing but bombers in the fridge when I already have a ridiculous buzz. I'd be going overboard if I have a bomber of a home brew DIPA after 7-8 beers. For this reason, I tend to bottle in 12-ounce bottles and when I run out of 12-ouncers, I bottle the rest of my batch in bombers.

ReverbDude said:

The main conclusion that i come to about the hate for the 22 oz bomber is that the people I'm giving these to are not as inspired or nuts about beer as I.

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You it the nail on the head.

I understand wanting to please people with a gift of your beer. I also understand most people will treat your homebrew with little respect and even #gasp# throw the bottle away. It takes a little time to train your beer testers, but they will eventually come around. Invite them over on bottling day and have them do the majority of the work...they will quickly understand the benefit of the bomber.

The main PITA about bottling home brew into a 22-ounce bomber is having to carefully pour the bomber into two pint glasses without getting yeast sediment into the cups.

Most people will not appreciate your homebrew, so definitely don't give them 22 oz. bottles. They may like it, or even love it, but they won't really appreciate the time, effort, and love you put into brewing it (unless they also brew). They will appreciate the fact it's free, and may even critique it for you, "I found your IPA a bit bitter" or "Not bad". I brew for me, if I like it, I'm a happy brewer. If I love it, I make it last awhile. If I share it, I'm happy if they like it, could care less if they don't.

I've started to collect Dogfish 25 ozs bottles.

If I'm sharing, I'll split the bottle between a couple of 16 ozs Pilsner glasses.

If I'm pouring for myself I use 32 ozs Pinot glasses - no problem with a continuous pour.

I hate bottling, so I only use 22's when I'm not kegging. No complaints yet... although all my friend's livers are pretty sudsy.


OP: You could always charge your friends for 12 oz beers, and give 22's away for free. I bet you'll have a shipload of 12 oz beers left over...

ReverbDude said:

Most folks that I know don't drink malt liquor so we can forget about the 40 oz bottle, lol.

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nothing like a cold forty of colt 45 in a brown paper bag

I always bottle in bombers unless I specifically plan to give it away, then I use 12 oz. bottles that are usually reused commercial beer bottles that I don't mind not getting back.

FWIW, I've never heard anyone complain that I was giving them too big a portion of beer!

Calder said:

I've started to collect Dogfish 25 ozs bottles.

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I tried the DogFish bottles. The problem with them is that they don't fit into any of my bottle crates. I have a few European crates and some vintage Fallstaff crates that hold my 22ozers. The DogFish bottles are a little too wide.

Euro bottles are even better than bombers. Heavier duty glass, perfect size to pour in most glasses. I've got a collection going as does a friend of mine. I keg most of my beers, but when I bottle, the beers goes in those suckers. That Rebel Brewer thing is funny!

podz said:

What's the point? You know damned well that you ain't supposed to be driving on the same day as drinking several bombers!

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Nope. It's more about getting up and functioning the next day. If I'm drinking homebrew, I'm at home.

I bottle almost exclusively in 1 liter fliptops (750 ml for wine) Once in a while I'll bottle a few samplers in 12 oz crown caps. Anyone who can't handle a liter of homebrew should share it with a friend. Practice pouring makes for a fine, steady hand.
Regards, GF.