Pilsner Urquell bottles

Andreas · 03-01-2009, 09:47 PM

I had a wrestling match with a Pilsner Urquell bottle while capping a batch of Vienna lager today. The final result was an explosion of green shards and 12 oz of wasted beer!!! Note to self: no more Pilsner Urquell bottles.
-Andy

mkling · 03-01-2009, 09:53 PM

Been there -- never again!

I'm a slow learner and it took the tops breaking off 3 bottles 3 separate batches before I threw out a handful of extra Urquell bottles.

(And just to be clear on the whole "green bottle skunking" thing, I had bottled mead & cider in them.)

**Denny's Evil Concoctions** · 03-01-2009, 10:27 PM

You could always swith to 500ml brown plastic screw tops.

melaniel · 03-02-2009, 12:28 AM

How often is it acceptable to reuse bottles. Are green bottles weaker than others. As you can tell, I'm new to brewing (two batches under my belt). Thanks for any information.

fratermus · 03-02-2009, 12:46 AM

PU bottles are beautifully shaped IMO. I use them for apfelwein or other things that are hopped but will not go outdoors.

They cap easily with a bench capper. IIRC the greenie below is a PU:

nibiyabi · 03-02-2009, 12:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by melaniel

How often is it acceptable to reuse bottles. Are green bottles weaker than others. As you can tell, I'm new to brewing (two batches under my belt). Thanks for any information.

Reusing bottles is perfectly fine. The problem with green and clear bottles is that they allow much more sunlight to penetrate and "skunk" the hops. If you are making something besides beer such as cider, mead, or soda, you needn't have qualms about the color of your bottle.

homebrewer_99 · 03-02-2009, 01:05 AM

Which capper are you using?

If you have a Red Baron with the reversable plates you can switch them around and you'll have no more problems.

Right now the bottle neck has a larger diameter and you're crushing the glass before the capper pushes down.

See how one cresent is larger than the other? Chances are you have it on the smaller one right now.

I have two cappers. The one on the left screws in and the one on the right pops out. But both are reversable. If you have the black one I'm pretty sure all of them are one size.

Andreas · 03-02-2009, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by homebrewer_99

Which capper are you using?

If you have a Red Baron with the reversable plates you can switch them around and you'll have no more problems.

Thanks, I'll check that out.
As for the questions of a previous poster, the problem had to do with the shape of the PU bottles' necks, not the green color! Green bottles only result in a problem with skunking if you expose your stored beer to light. Most of my bottles are brown and I still take care not to store my beer in areas where UV exposure will occur, i.e. they are kept in cases, with covers.
-Andy

-Dan- · 03-03-2009, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andreas

I had a wrestling match with a Pilsner Urquell bottle while capping a batch of Vienna lager today. The final result was an explosion of green shards and 12 oz of wasted beer!!! Note to self: no more Pilsner Urquell bottles.
-Andy

How in the world did you break the bottle with a capper? PU bottles are a beauty to refill and cap. They are green ... but still.

homebrewer_99 · 03-03-2009, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by -Dan-

How in the world did you break the bottle with a capper? PU bottles are a beauty to refill and cap. They are green ... but still.

As you press down on the handles the metal clamps press too hard on the glass and shatter them.