Longnecks or Stubbies

Okay, so here goes the question. Which bottles are better for what styles? I am an avid trier of new beers (betting most of us are) and have collected quite the collection of bottles. I am thinking of sending out gifts to my relatives and would like to use the best possible style for the beer(s) I'm sending out. Anybody have any resources matching bottle to style?

Specifically I am looking at what to package an IPA, Porter and Apfelwein in. Thanks!

Does it hold liquid? check.
Does it seal? check.
Can it hold pressure? check.

beninan said:

Does it hold liquid? check.
Does it seal? check.
Can it hold pressure? check.

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yeah, Im thinking it doesnt matter.

now, the serving vessel.... thats a horse of a different color.

HItransplant said:

yeah, Im thinking it doesnt matter.

now...on the other hand, the serving vessel.... thats a horse of a different color.

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Yes the serving vessel is one of the most important parts and it is relative to the beer style.

So I guess if you guys were to package it, what sort of bottle would you like it in?

I've got some stubbies, longnecks, bombers and swingtop. If the packaging doesn't matter, than the presentation I guess is what I'm after.

i just bottle in whatever i have. 90% of my bottles still have the original beer's label on them. My "friends" know not to go by what's on the label and to read what's written on the cap.

I bottle in 12 oz ISB long neck bottles or the bottles rochefort etc use that are a similar size and form factor.

Just pick something and try to use the same ones all the time because it is easier to store them that way. Plus if you take a six pack somewhere, it looks much better to have six of the same bottle. For most people ISB bottles will make the most sense because 90% of craft beer is in them and that's what homebrew shops sell.

If you are shipping, apparently the stubbies are less prone to breakage. From the wiki on 'Beer Bottle' (found it by searching ISB because I didn't know what that meant):

Stubbies are used extensively in Europe, and were used almost exclusively in Canada from 1962 to 1986 as part of a standardization effort intended to reduce breakage, and the cost of sorting bottles when they were returned by customers.

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Even the longneck bottles I have are not uniform though, very noticable height difference when stacking 6-packs on top of each other, but they still stack.

The only "special" bottles I can think of would be the 750ml corked and caged Belgian bottles. Those give a great presentation. As for bombers vs long necks vs stubbies, I don't think it matters. You could make them look nice by dipping them in wax though.

I have an easier time putting stubbies in my fridge. Not sure if this helps with your decision.

Only the glass thickness and color is important to beer. Lighter glass needs better protection from UV exposure to avoid bottle skunking. Beers to be carbonated at high volumes of CO2 (4 to 5 ) need thicker glass.

Squirrels said:

So I guess if you guys were to package it, what sort of bottle would you like it in?

I've got some stubbies, longnecks, bombers and swingtop. If the packaging doesn't matter, than the presentation I guess is what I'm after.

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the other thing to think about is your capper.

I started out with deschutes bottles and new belgium bottles. What I found was, the new belgium bottles are a touch shorter than the deschutes bottles, and they didnt fit under my capper-- the press was either just a little too high or a little too low.

If you have a capper that self adjusts, no worries, but if it has to be in one "notch" or another, you may find one height of bottles reduces your time to completion (and your headaches). something to think about.

I have mostly long necks, but I've gotten ~20 stubbies from my Dad drinking Sierra Nevada brews, and I love those bottles.

I've been bottling most of my beers in 22s recently. Lets me drink more without SWMBO realizing it. "I only had two bottles!"

For gifts I'd probably give bombers, with a nice label and the caps dipped in wax, but just generally handing out homebrews they get de-labeled bottles with a code on the cap.