Bottle Storage

So after bottling my first batch of Honey Wheat I got to thinkin there has got to be some kind of storage solution (other than old empty cardboard cases). Maybe like a milk crate type thing or something stackable?

Like I said I'm brand new to all this so its worth a shot right?

Thanks in advance.

Milk crates work fine. I always use the boxes my bottles came in (the cardboard kind with the dividers). And if you don't have those you could choke down a case of Coors or something that comes in a box with the dividers.

Once you have what to put them in figured out, then you'll have to figure out WHERE to put it all, especially as your hobby grows. Personally, I built an east wing onto my house to store everything.

Go to Walmart. In their stationary/school section, they have black, stackable, rectangle-shaped milk crates marketed to hold file folders/magazines/books for $5 (both Walmarts in my area put them on the top shelf).

They may appear thin, but they'll pack 29 12 oz beer bottles perfectly. I have 6 of these (3 rows double stacked) - full of beer on shelf on my prep table (http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/elitedeals_2133_66628912).

DY

I use milk crates excllusively. You can stack them as high as you want, and they each hold 1 case of beer in a footprint half the size of a standard beer case.

This. http://www.sterilite.com/SelectProduct.html?id=395&ProductCategory=193&section=7

Hold 30 bottles. Stack high. $3/piece at Gabe's. And if you flip it you can drain/dry bottles in the holes after cleaning.

Revvy said:

I use milk crates excllusively. You can stack them as high as you want, and they each hold 1 case of beer in a footprint half the size of a standard beer case.

Click to expand...

+1 to this. Been using scrap boxes from work that hold 4 6-packs side by side. But will definitely be switching over to milk crates.

Wow guys thanks! Looks like I have some options. I'll be on the hunt for milk crates (they're kinda tricky to find). In the meantime looks like sterilite crates.

Thanks for the quick responses. This site rocks.

Cheers!

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sterilite-File-Crates-Set-of-6/14138976?findingMethod=rr

Is this the kind of milk crate you use? If so I'm ordering right now. 6 for $24 sounds good to me.

I store empties in milk crates and conditioning bottles in a 4 drawer file cabinet.

damnyankee said:

They may appear thin, but they'll pack 29 12 oz beer bottles perfectly. I have 6 of these (3 rows double stacked) - full of beer on shelf on my prep table (http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/elitedeals_2133_66628912).

DY

Click to expand...

BTW, thats a mighty fine prep table. Doubt I could convince SWMBO to approve such a purchase...

I received a ton of bottles in bad cardboard (left outside). Printer/Copy paper boxes store 32- 12oz bottles nicely if you stager them. This is only a temporary solution until I collect enough milk crates. But 10gal's filled up 3 of those boxes. And if the bottles are a common height then you can put the top on and stack a few.

HopsNScotch said:

BTW, thats a mighty fine prep table. Doubt I could convince SWMBO to approve such a purchase...

Click to expand...

I bought it at Sam's or Costco a few years back. It wasn't that expensive (less than $100 as I recall). It's stainless, 4' wide, holds 6 crates of beer/beer bottles on the shelf and on top sits my 2 bottling buckets (stacked on each other), a fermenting bucket, a glass carboy, my Agata bench capper, and my tall box of other supplies (mash paddle, thermometers, caps, etc etc etc).

Wifey likes it because it doesn't take up too much room in our kitchen. I like it because I ferment, bottle, and store (bottle condition) on it.

That's actually a pretty good price. Costco.com has one that looks the same for $120. I think my truck is going to have to cough up its garage spot if I keep accumulating all these toys...

JebCkr has the best quote I have ever seen!!!!