Boerderij_Kabouter

Recipes 

So I have been answering the same question about finding bottles a lot and am now wondering how the rest of the homebrew nation gets their bottles.

I live in Wisconsin and get all my bottles from the liquor store. Returnable bottled beer is still fairly popular here so I can just stop by my local liquor store and pick up a few cases of empty returnables for $1.20 a case. They are super nice, the labels come off very easily, and they come in a very durable heavy gauge cardboard box. I prefer Point Special bottles.

I would like to hear if any other states have returnables and if you don't, where do you get cases and cases of bottles. If I had to drink a beer for every beer I bottled I would be in trouble

Maybe the top 10 sources for cheap, high quality bottles would be a good sticky...?

Cheers!

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2P-Twent-E Simple Brew DITCHES 1 DITCHES 2 Fermentolagertaporator side-by-side ferm Twelve Hopostles Labels

c.n.budz

Recipes 

my friends and I drink alot....

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Knucklehead Brewery, Est. 2007

Always do sober what you do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut. -Ernest Hemingway

Soulive

Recipes 

Same here, I never have and never will pay for empty bottles! I've dumpster dove for free bottles...

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Cheers!


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Green Lane Brewing
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Primary = Evan!'s Special Bitter
On Deck = EdWort's Porter / American Amber

EdWort's Haus Pale Ale Count

Beerthoven

Recipes 

I got my beer bottles by drinking the beer and saving the bottles. Is there a better way?

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Primary/Secondary:

Kegged: #77 Newcastle Brown, #79 California Common, #80 Old Bushy Tail Special Bitter

Planned: American IPA, Dusseldorf Alt, American Amber

I use secondaries!

bigjohnmilford

Recipes 

+1 that is the best way to get them.

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Think with your dipstick Jimmy.

Spyk'd

Recipes 

I run a bottling line at my brewery and get all the free bottles I want or need. They also come with beer in them...




I actually prefer the 16 oz bottles (you get to drink a pint +/- the sediment) and bought two cases when I first started brewing. I keg mostly now and bottle the keepers in 16 oz'ers and the give aways in the free, work bottles.

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Primary:
Bleach
Secondary:
American Red
Keg Conditioning:
Gruit
On Tap:
ESB
Bottled:
Nada...
On Deck:
Porter, Belgian Abbey Ale

cglkaptc

Recipes 

I am just starting to get bottles (new brewer). I was going to try bartenders, but I just called my LHBS yesterday out of curiousity and they sell 12 oz. cases for $5.00, so I might just do that and save the hassel.

jeff967

Recipes 

I did do some dumpster diving in my time, but now, I take out the trash at my local bar on saterday AM.

anderj

Recipes 

just spread the word to friends and co-workers and you will have bottles headed your way for weeks
(I had to tell them to lay off after a while)

Joker

Recipes 

(4) cases of 22oz bottles along with a bunch of Grolsch bottles came with the original equipment I bought from a guy on Craigslist.

(4) cases of 22 oz bottles came from another guy on craigslist.

I emptied the 12 oz collection on my own though.