Bottles: Is Bigger Better?

I'm planning to buy some more bottles this weekend. Until now I have been bottling exclusively with 12oz. bottles. This has been fine, although I have to admit that it has been very seldom that I have cracked open a homebrew and had just one. I am wondering whether I should consider getting some larger bottles. Advantages seem to include fewer bottles to wash, sanitize and fill on bottling day.

Still, to me, it has always seemed that beer is "supposed" to come in 12oz. brown bottles. What do you all think about this?

i prefer the 16oz swing tops... no hassle with a bottle capper, and most of my glasses are 16 oz.

i like the 22oz bottles as well...

but i've noticed, the larger bottles promote more drunkeness in me than the 12ozers. even though it's 22 or 32 oz, i still find myself opening another.

bigger is better when you are pouring a few for some friends, but when it's just me i like to stick to the 12oz.

i also find when in 12 oz bottles, my batches last longer

mmditter said:

Still, to me, it has always seemed that beer is "supposed" to come in 12oz. brown bottles. What do you all think about this?

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Actually, beer is supposed to come in pints...the 12 oz bottle is just another sign of the rapid decline of western civilazation.

I feel beer should come in 0.5L (~16oz) bottles as a minimum. 12 oz usually leaves me wanting more, but not necessarily another 12 oz.

I have a lot of 12 oz bottles, and I use them often, but I really prefer the 16oz to 22oz sizes best. You can buy the 16 oz size at the LHBS with flip-tops. They will probably also sell 22 oz crown cap bottles. For sizes in between, you can buy and re-use the big bottles of beer from grocery stores (guinness, bass, sammy smith, etc). Those are often between 18 and 20 oz in size.

-walker

One factor to consider is mug size. I have only one that easily accomodates 16 ounces including a couple of fingers of head. This need not be a factor if you pour into a pitcher (but who can be bothered with that?).

mmditter said:

Advantages seem to include fewer bottles to wash, sanitize and fill on bottling day.

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You've answered your own question, grasshoppah.

El Pistolero said:

Actually, beer is supposed to come in pints...the 12 oz bottle is just another sign of the rapid decline of western civilazation.

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American pints or English?

I realize I'll be leaving myself open to flamery but, I use plastic (gasp) bottles. I usually do three or four 1l and the rest in 500ml. That way I always have a couple big ones to grab in case I'm going somewhere that might be serving swill, er, storebought.
I also agree that the pint is the perfect size. Most beers in Europe are still bottled in 500ml. I wonder if going to 12oz bottles in NA is the beginning of the planet of the apes?

Damn you! You blew it up!!!!

I think Ihave about a dozen cases of 12oz'ers myself and as soon as I can afford it I'll be moving over to pints, just for all the reasons you listed.

If God would have wanted you to drink beer 12oz's at a time he would have given that mesurment a name. I dont wanna piss off God, so give me a pint.



Wonder if I could use that argument at all the Church Festivles in the summer around here? Gotta love drinking for Jesus

I do 12 ,5L and 1L bottles. the 12s are great for when you just want a beer, or want to have different types in one session. The litres are good if you know that you are going to have a couple..my Glass gets 3 fills from a litre. the ,5L litres I think are the best, as they balance the "right amount of beer" and "less bottle washing" equation. If you just want one, then they are ok, as they are only ~1/3 bigger than the 12s, and yet it is enough to get out in 1 pour in most cases. My last batch, I made a mistake and filled 12 litre bottles. That is all I have left, and if I want just one, it'll spoil. Next time, only a couple of Each batch in litres.

What is this "Just want one." you speak of?

Cheyco said:

What is this "Just want one." you speak of?

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I agree that it is a rare and elusive beast, but as an example, I was up late the other night writing performance reviews for my staff and really could've gone for one of my ales. a 12oz would've been perfect, a 16oz good, but I am not going to drink a litre of beer and write someone's review. Alas, I had a Guiness, which was fine but not mine.

I have 3 sizes, 500ml, 750ml and 1lt. The 750s are for me and beer and the others are flip top Grolshy types that are used exculsively for the wifes Cider, cos they are "pretty bottles". (shes always more fun tho when shes been drinking the litre bottles . Hahaha)

I am totally for the 22 ozer's less santizing , less filling = more free time to enjoy the fruits of our labors and besides what lightweight only drinks one beer?

Shmohel said:

American pints or English?

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Canadian.



12oz'ers are good for giving beer away (gasp) as gifts. Nice puny bottle... doesn't dent your beer supply as much.

i bottle in half liter swing top and 2 liter swing top bottles. i have about 8 2 liter bottles and every batch i fill about 2 of them and finish the rest off in the half liter bottles. the 2 liters are great for sharing!!!

I still bottle in screw-off cap 40's. If I get through one, opening a second one is no problem, because I can RESEAL it ! Imagine that ! You'll never hear me whine because the remainder of a bottle wasn't fresh. The downside of the 40's was that I had to drink a lot of Miller to get the bottles. The upside was that a 40 of anything will give you a buzz. I just tell myself that it's for the bottles.

They still sell malt liquor in those 64oz bottles with the little glass handle? I remember seeing those years ago on a trip down to Washington state.

When I was in College I had a friend whose brother brought back a dozen of those (full). "Bender in a bottle", is what he called them.

I prefer 16 oz singles. I used grolsch bottles mostly, but I am starting to compete more and more, and they are not allowed there, so I will start to use cappable 16 oz. Now I mostly keg everything. If I need a few for cometition I use a beergun.

I also keg just about everything. I do, however, use 2 litre pet bottles with carbonator caps sometimes.

I like 22 oz b/c like everyone else said, 12 oz just aint enough!

On a more serious note, i always bottle around (3) 12 oz bottles that i use to check how the aging process is doing.

why waste a whole 22 oz bottle? (i guess you could still drink it, so technically it's not wasting).