DevilDog2000
Member
Back in the day of returnable bottles, I could buy cases of empties from my local beer store for the price of the deposit: $2.00 per case!!! Since those bottles were meant to be reused by the brewery, they were sturdy -- a bit thicker than current bottles. I still have many of those bottles that I purchased in the '70s and '80s. Now, I supplement with non-screw top bottles my family and friends save for me since I rarely buy beer. As others have mentioned a day or two soaking in oxyclean and most labels just fall off. The oxyclean leaves a bit of a powdery residue that I don't care for, so I rinse the bottles, then soak in a vinegar and chlorine solution (1 oz. of each in 5 gal. water) for a day. That leaves the bottles sparkling and ready for use. I also check each bottle when sanitizing to make sure there are no chips or cracks. The modern bottles are noticeably thinner and more susceptible to damage.