Reusable bottles?

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TomA

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Can't seem to find where I'd read you should only use return-deposit bottles so now I'm wondering if I was snookered by someone and any old beer bottles will do. I started wondering since I have a bunch of empty Stewart's Root Beer bottles and they are sturdy and brown and I figured, hey, these might be good. As I have a couple hundred swing tops that always come back to me (people that don't return them don't get more homebrew) I have for over a year now been a complete capper virgin. Kind of embarrassing, but, there it is.

TL:DR; can I use Stewart's Root Beer bottles and not get bottle bombs? Thanks.
 
Returnable bottles (for deposit) are rare these days. I used to be able to find them pretty easily, but no longer. That being said, regular beer bottles (as long as they are NOT twist off) will work.

The sturdier the better. Some bottles have thinner walls than others.

Will you be naturally carbonating them in the bottle or counter-pressure filling them from a keg? I wouldnt worry about bottle bombs too much if you are doing the later - provided your beer was fully fermented of course :)
 
probably. wash them real good, as rootbeer odor/flavor really lingers...like bad.

soda pop is higher carb'd that most all beer styles...main thing is capping it.
deposit bottles are nice and thick..and usually not twist-offs.
mass produced US beer like budweiser is really thin walled glass.

I've bottled in heinekin, new belgium, guinness draught, and lots of other common craft brew bottles.
 
These are twist offs but have the 5cent deposit return. I use carbonation tabs in the bottle (I know, but it means my kids can help me) so they are bottle-fermented, which is why I occasionally get nervous about it. I bleach the bottles and rinse them out almost religiously before using so I'm not too worried about the soda flavoring.

Thanks for the advice. I'll give a couple of these a shot when I go to bottle the bock and see how it turns out. :)
 
These are twist offs but have the 5cent deposit return. I use carbonation tabs in the bottle (I know, but it means my kids can help me) so they are bottle-fermented, which is why I occasionally get nervous about it.

I would be nervous about the twist-off bottles, not the carb tabs. The 5 cent deposit return on the label does not mean anyting. I would strongly encourage you to NOT use those. You may get away with it for a while, but they generally do not seal as well. Use non twist off's.

If you are having trouble collecting enough, you could buy them from your LHBS. Midwest sells bottles for as little as $6.95 a case.

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/homebrewing-equipment/bottling/bottles.html

Since you will be re-using them over and over, its not too bad of an investment IMO.
 
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