Where to find bottles

I'm ready to bottle my first batch...just one problem, no bottles. Now the obvious answer to this question is "drink more beer", but i'm about 30 bottles short or so, am living alone where I don't know anyone for the summer, and have to do everyday things like go to work, and walk around without falling. So my question is this: are bars/restaurants friendly about giving you bottles? If not, where are other good sources?

I use pop/soda bottles..easy to find and easy to clean.
Try buying some really cheap 2L club soda for $.050....about 4 of those will
make a case of beer...and they are great for filling since its about 1/6th the work.

Make sure they are carbonated bottles (not fruit juice/water) as they will not hold the pressure.

Cheers.

My Garage A buddy from work just delivered 5 cases of empty Sam Adams bottles.. clearly he drinks too much

I bet he will want some of them back form you...filled.

Cheers

Hey Budbo, that's what I'm drinking right now too, if only I could keep up with your friend. I'm curious to hear how that Newcastle clone turns out. Is that an all grain or extract recipe?

It turned out great, started drinking it this weekend.. I did it AG from an extract recipie

Budbo, do you still have the extract recipe? I've been looking for a good Newcastle recipe, but everything I've found so far is all grain.

I like to get bottles from the LHBS. Eh.... I know.... back when I started it seemed that the thought was to not reuse bottles (other then new ones where you know the quality is good). So I guess old habbits are hard to break.

If you live in a bottle deposit state maybe find a small liquor store or someplace like that and offer to take the recappable bottles off their hands for more than what they'd get for deposit. My LHBS will sell me bottles back for 5 cents a piece since I buy other stuff there too.

I've done a combo of buying bottles and drinking as much as I reasonable can.

I've also bought a couple cases of 12oz bottles from my LHBS to ease the pain of drinking every night. Call around, I'm sure one of the LHBS's has a case or two of EZ Caps...which I like best. 30 bucks will buy you 12 1liter EZ Caps which will bottle 2/3 of a 5gal brew.

And when I get to a good liquor store I look specifically for the flip-tops like Grolsh, Schwelmer (sucking on an altbier now), etc. It's tough drinking the Grolsh due to skunky-ness but I manage to do it.

The places I've approached have been very friendly about saving bottles. I've gotten them from bars, brewfests, and the beer vendors at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee.
Also see if your area has a freecycle group online (usually they are Yahoo groups). These groups are specifically for giving away or requesting things that others might have but not need, and there is no selling allowed. I've gotten several cases of bottles and a few fliptop bottles that way.
Just be sure to specify dark and non-screw top, and I usually give some examples of popular non-screwtop bottles.
I use screw top bottles as well, but it's hit and miss. Some work great, others don't seal well. It's trial and error, but if you really are having trouble finding the right ones, you should be able to get plenty of screw top bottles from a bar in one bunch and use them until you can replace them.

I've seen several times on my local craigslist people giving bottles away... I've seen postings there under the wanted section as well... Offer to pay someone the redemption if your state has it... Still cheaper than buying new

heh... I went to a local bar/beer store looking for bottles and got shot down REAL bad. I was nice and even bought a 6 pack while I was there. The dude at the register said that they throw out TONS of bottles a day, and to ask the bartender. So i walk back and she was a complete B**CH to me! Acted like I was a homeless guy or something...

I guess its one way to find out where you should be a patron!! I'll never go back to that dump...

My fraternity brothers sister gets them for me now... she uses ammonia to delabel and disenfect them all. I pay her 5 bucks a case....

Reusing bottles is always nice, especially if you get them free...however, brewing with all 12 oz bottles can be a REAL pain. I like to buy 22 and 24 oz bottles from my LHBS. Yes, I have to pay $9.95 for a case of empties, but it's less bottles to fill and cap. Who drinks just one 12 ouncer anyway?? If you get into this enough, you will see what I'm saying and start buying the bigger bottles, rather than finding free 12 oz bottles.

If you find a package store with a really good beer selection, try talking to the beer guy, he's possibly a home brewer himself. If the state is a deposit state he just might have a good selection of swing tops (16 &22oz)& 22oz pop topbottles cheaper than a case of 12oz bottles at the LHBS.
Or wait out side the redemption center and buy cases off people.

I got lucky my LHBS is selling cases of grolsch bottles with new rubbers for $8 bucks. I bought 2 cases...lol

I am glad he wasn't selling used rubbers.

Cheers.

Go to your local recycling center and pick some up there, and use the money you would have spent at your LHBS to make a donation.

Also, Tsingtao bottles appear to be really good bottles, though they are green. I held a Sam Adams and a Tsingtao side by side and the Tsingtao seems like its double the weight.

Ask your fellow workers to save theirs if they are not screw off.