Any place to get free bottles?

KC10Chief · 03-10-2010, 05:12 AM

Where do you guys get your bottles from? I am currently brewing my first beer, a hefeweizen. I'm still about 9 or 10 days away from bottling, but am trying to collect enough bottles for it. I have about 25 now. The local brew shop wants $16 for 18 bottles. Wow. For that price, I just pay a few extra bucks and get some Sam Adams or something. All of my friends and co-workers drink from cans or drink Alaskan Amber (twist off). Just curious if anybody has any ideas on where I could get a lot of bottles for free or real cheap?

**ChshreCat** · 03-10-2010, 05:15 AM

Stop by a bar and ask if you can have their empties? Or dumpster dive outside their place on Sunday morning?

whatisitgoodfor · 03-10-2010, 05:17 AM

Personally I get all of my bottles for free. Whenever I pick up a sixer of Fat Tire it comes with 6 bottles that are perfect for homebrew.

Beyond that, I've heard of people having good luck getting free bottles from making friends with bar owners and scouring Craigslist. Dunno how effective those would be up in AK though.

kwaidonjin · 03-10-2010, 05:21 AM

2 liter bottles.

Corkster · 03-10-2010, 05:43 AM

I've also heard of people hitting up their local recycling centers

jklepees · 03-10-2010, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whatisitgoodfor

Personally I get all of my bottles for free. Whenever I pick up a sixer of Fat Tire it comes with 6 bottles that are perfect for homebrew.

this is true unless you live in Hawaii, California, Michigan or one of the other bottle deposit states. I happen to pay $0.06 for every bottle.

**sketerbuck** · 03-10-2010, 09:22 AM

I have an unlimited supply in the brown bottle dumpster at the landfill.

IceFisherChris · 03-10-2010, 02:14 PM

You look like a bum, and it may be illegal in some places, but look through recycling bins (especially at apartment complexes). Or you can go to a bar and ask the owner if you can go through their bottles. I bet one trip would supply you with enough bottles for a whole batch. Do wear gloves when you dig around though. Nothing worse than slicing your hand to the bone and getting a nasty infection from rotting beer.

BrewDocND · 03-10-2010, 02:17 PM

I got very lucky on Craigslist one day, but I don't expect that to happen again. Tell your friends to help a brother out for a week and drink something else.

bsteele · 03-10-2010, 02:33 PM

Also check out venues that host wedding receptions or other similar parties. A lot of places pour the beer into glasses-- so no worries with dirty, random lips all over the bottles

I'm a wedding photog and just picked up enough bottles last Friday at a reception for my IIPA (in primary right now)

I'll admit, I was a tad hesitant at first to ask but I figured, why not?! And it took a couple seconds to explain WHY I wanted the bottles, haha. But she was great, she double garbage bagged all of the bottles throughout the night for me. I probably looked pretty crazy walking out with a clanking garbage bag