Bottle Storage

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BeerSlinger

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I have a simple question. All day I have been looking for crates to put my bottles in for the carbonation process and to store them while their not in use. Well, I really don’t want the old Soda crates off of EBay; I would prefer a simple plastic crate that is practical.

I can find the manufacturers of these crates but I can’t find someone to buy them from, any suggestions? Color and style doesn't matter but it would be nice if they came by the 24pk...
 
I have nearly resorted to making my own wooden crates! My normal bought beer comes in cardboard cartons which don't last long.

May have to investigate the possibility of using pipes for storage.
12 bottles per pipe (or the height of your ceiling!). Would be easy to grab one before going out to a BBQ for instance. Block off the bottom end of the pipe and cut out a hole in the pipe to get a bottle out. A door could be fashioned by either a larger diameter piece of pipe or a bit of the same pipe with a small section removed. Would keep them out the light and cut down on the amount of space required. Holes could be drilled so you could see the bottle level at a glance - or drop a plumb line down the top to see how far it goes before hitting a bottle top.
Very silly idea, but somebody has to do it ;)

now, i just have to befriend a plumber with a stack of pipes!


...must learn not to think out loud :D
 
dibby33 said:
I have nearly resorted to making my own wooden crates! My normal bought beer comes in cardboard cartons which don't last long.

May have to investigate the possibility of using pipes for storage.
12 bottles per pipe (or the height of your ceiling!). Would be easy to grab one before going out to a BBQ for instance. Block off the bottom end of the pipe and cut out a hole in the pipe to get a bottle out. A door could be fashioned by either a larger diameter piece of pipe or a bit of the same pipe with a small section removed. Would keep them out the light and cut down on the amount of space required. Holes could be drilled so you could see the bottle level at a glance - or drop a plumb line down the top to see how far it goes before hitting a bottle top.
Very silly idea, but somebody has to do it ;)

now, i just have to befriend a plumber with a stack of pipes!


...must learn not to think out loud :D
Click to expand...

Yeah, with the cartons I'm in the same boat.....Really what is happening is that I stored a bunch of threaded bottels and then a bunch of crown......Well, I'm getting rid of the threaded (not because they don't work, but because they just ketch in the capper and the crown is smother) and going to the crown....

The problem is that the crate that the threaded came in is shorter then the crowns so they just don't stack right.....

Honestly, I didn't want wood.....for a couple of reasons......First, I HATE EBAY.....Enough said on that. Second, I'm afraid if I ever made a crate of bombs that it would embed into the wood and stink....

Plus that there is a small problem otherwise.......I can program or fix most electronic but when it comes to hand crafting something, i'm a disaster....I can't work on motors or wood or anything to speak of.....I hate to say it but i'm a true urbanite....
 
Pipes mate!
Go the pipes!!!

...if a bottle did explode in the pipe it would be contained. ...or would it? Mythbusters could have a shot at this I am sure.

If you had a lot of spare crates you could chop an inch (or two) off the bottom and top and join them together like an extension. (i.e. remove the middle of the crate). sounds like too much work though. ...smash the bottom out of some of the crates. e.g. bottom crate has bottles, second crate no bottom and no bottles, third crate has bottles. Short term solution?

Shelves? store bottles singly on these?


it is a problem :confused:
 
dibby33 said:
Pipes mate!
Go the pipes!!!

...if a bottle did explode in the pipe it would be contained. ...or would it? Mythbusters could have a shot at this I am sure.

If you had a lot of spare crates you could chop an inch (or two) off the bottom and top and join them together like an extension. (i.e. remove the middle of the crate). sounds like too much work though. ...smash the bottom out of some of the crates. e.g. bottom crate has bottles, second crate no bottom and no bottles, third crate has bottles. Short term solution?

Shelves? store bottles singly on these?


it is a problem :confused:
Click to expand...

Well, that would be a fine idea but I was refuring to cardboard....I was talking about the box that the Molsen came in and the lid doesn't shut......if I had a firm crate then it wouldn't be an issue because I would just match up the size because there are only three brands so its not difficult.....

I've even thought about talking to a Married in realitive to see if anything comes in a crate anymore because he had a lot of time at anheiser bush in delivery and he now owns a bar.......He may know more then me but I'm hoping that someone has seen them on the open market......
 
The bar owner sounds like the perfect person to ask.


I am going to try the pipe method. Will post the results!
 
I have a recent thread here on this subject too.

I sent an email requesting contact to Rehrig Pacific Company a couple of weeks ago, but they haven't called me. I haven't had time to follow up since then. I need to call them during the day.

I'd really like crates that can hold a case (24) of 12 ounce bottles, and another size that would hold a case or more (12 to 16) of the 500ml bottles, with dividers.
 
I have started using plastic milk crates. They work great. They are lightweight but strong enough to handle full bottles. I have seen them on Ebay. When looking for them I've realized that business that take milk supplies tend to have a large quantity of these as they are good for lots of different things. There are regular square ones and then a bit bigger rectangle shapes... get the larger rectangle ones if you can.

And to respond to the person who mentioned making wood crates. Just a tip i learned after my first batch of wood crates. Make them a bit taller than the tallest bottle you use so that you can stack them up.
 
I've been purchasing old wooden soda and beer cases from a local antique store. It's neat because there's a bit of history behind each one, but it's also kind of expensive at $10 a pop.
 
beer4breakfast said:
I have a recent thread here on this subject too.

I sent an email requesting contact to Rehrig Pacific Company a couple of weeks ago, but they haven't called me. I haven't had time to follow up since then. I need to call them during the day.

I'd really like crates that can hold a case (24) of 12 ounce bottles, and another size that would hold a case or more (12 to 16) of the 500ml bottles, with dividers.
Click to expand...

This is the same boggle that I was running into.....I didn't think to search this site beccause I was soooo frustrated from searching google because the word "Crate" is so common. But I found at least two other manufacturers like the one that you have listed.....

I donnonot wanting an antique and not being able to build myself has become a problem......
 
dibby33 said:
The bar owner sounds like the perfect person to ask.


I am going to try the pipe method. Will post the results!
Click to expand...

Might be......it depends on how much he deals probabily.......I would prefur someone that owned a convience store or grocery because then they handle alot of singles....and I've surmised that's the key to finding them.......
 
Any restruant supply store will have them. They are desinged for glasses going into industrial dish machines. They offer several different sizes, you could get one size for 12 ounce bottles and one for 22 ounces. Additionally they will fit in your home dishwasher too! Just take out the existing rack.

o2
 
o2phly said:
Any restruant supply store will have them. They are desinged for glasses going into industrial dish machines. They offer several different sizes, you could get one size for 12 ounce bottles and one for 22 ounces. Additionally they will fit in your home dishwasher too! Just take out the existing rack.

o2
Click to expand...
Good Deal........We have a GFS (Gordons Food Service) across town........Didn't even think of that.........
 
...as for the pipe storage it would not be practical. would need 100s of meters of pipes and for the cost of these may as well buy crates! bummer. i will think of some other storage method...
 
o2phly said:
Any restruant supply store will have them. They are desinged for glasses going into industrial dish machines. They offer several different sizes, you could get one size for 12 ounce bottles and one for 22 ounces. Additionally they will fit in your home dishwasher too! Just take out the existing rack.

o2
Click to expand...

I think you mean these Cambro Camrack racks? The 36 compartment size would work for 12 ounce and 16 ounce bottles, or any bottles up to 2 and 7/8th inches in diameter. The 25 compartment size would fit the 22 oz bottles.

Here's some information on the compartment sizes and maximum stemware (or bottle) diameters they fit: Cambro Camrack System.

The problem is that they are quite expensive even in a basic configuration, and they are not tall enough to completely enclose beer bottles without adding extenders to them. The one I first pictured above is less than 6 inches tall, so you'd have to buy at least a couple or maybe three 1 and 5/8th inch extenders to make it as tall as a 12 oz beer bottle. You'd need three extenders for sure for 16 oz bottles, and probably four extenders for a 22 ounce. That's going to get really expensive.

But they would do the trick nicely if you could get them cheaply.
 
beer4breakfast said:
I think you mean these Cambro Camrack racks? The 36 compartment size would work for 12 ounce and 16 ounce bottles, or any bottles up to 2 and 7/8th inches in diameter. The 25 compartment size would fit the 22 oz bottles.

Here's some information on the compartment sizes and maximum stemware (or bottle) diameters they fit: Cambro Camrack System.

The problem is that they are quite expensive even in a basic configuration, and they are not tall enough to completely enclose beer bottles without adding extenders to them. The one I first pictured above is less than 6 inches tall, so you'd have to buy at least a couple or maybe three 1 and 5/8th inch extenders to make it as tall as a 12 oz beer bottle. You'd need three extenders for sure for 16 oz bottles, and probably four extenders for a 22 ounce. That's going to get really expensive.

But they would do the trick nicely if you could get them cheaply.
Click to expand...

Just an FYI, I did a quick search on ebay for "Cambro Camrack" and there are 9 different sizes and configurations up for auction and closing in the next couple of days. Prices and shipping appear to be pretty reasonable.
 
Crazy Buzzard said:
Just an FYI, I did a quick search on ebay for "Cambro Camrack" and there are 9 different sizes and configurations up for auction and closing in the next couple of days. Prices and shipping appear to be pretty reasonable.
Click to expand...

Well, Ebay is what i've tried to avoid....
 
o2phly said:
Any restruant supply store will have them. They are desinged for glasses going into industrial dish machines. They offer several different sizes, you could get one size for 12 ounce bottles and one for 22 ounces. Additionally they will fit in your home dishwasher too! Just take out the existing rack.

o2
Click to expand...

Sorry I haven't been back in so long but I tried this theory out and o2phly is absoltly correct......for the glass crates they are available from $30-$75 depending on how high you wanted the crates to be from 4in-8.75in....

This is somthing to consider but I don't consider it the end of the road.....
 
Anyone use pinic coolers? thats what i use. I know you can get at least 30+ bottles in there neatly. Plus throw some ice in there wait a bit and your ready to go!
 
hwangnyc said:
Anyone use pinic coolers? thats what i use. I know you can get at least 30+ bottles in there neatly. Plus throw some ice in there wait a bit and your ready to go!
Click to expand...

Doesn't seem like that would be very space efficent?!?!
 
I cut up pallets from my work and whip together wooden crates. Its as cheap as a box of nails!

.....The pvc pipe sounds like a super good idea too!!! Wow you guys are thinking!!
 
I bought 6 banker boxes from Office Max for about $7.50, and used 1 of them to make the dividers to nestle the bottles in. I then adorned the outsides with 8 1/2" x 11" printed Photos of a line of beer bottles. I also used a large font, and printed signs that say " Bobs' Speakeasy" which I pasted on the sides, along with the photos. They work great and look neat, and are cheaply replaced when worn or soiled.
 

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