Buy glass bottles?

Hello,

I just starting out in this hobby and am in need of beer bottles actually. Was wondering if there was any local places that I could get the bottles instead of buying them online. I'm in Sioux Falls, SD so it's a pretty big town (175,000) with a lot of major retailers but unfortunately no beer brewing place that I know of.

Local bars work. Buy some beer & drink it, then rinse & save the bottle.

Do you have a local watering hole (local bar)? Ask them to save any pry offs for you. You should have a couple of cases in no time. Just wash them real good.

edit: Dang too slow, Edster beat me to it.

The package stores have hundreds of them. And they are already filled with beer.

I know, smart-ass response but this is the usual place to get them. Use it as an opportunity to "try-out" beers that you have never had and before you know it you'll have more bottles than you can store and a solid idea of which styles you prefer to brew.

Aside from that, try looking up hombrew supplies. They usually have cases of new longneck browns or fliptops for anywhere from $10 to $30.

I can only find one place in SD; http://www.heartofthevine.com/

I got my bottles by drinking...a lot! Actually, between my first brew day and the time it was ready to bottle (3 weeks later), I had 2 cases of beer. In that time, I had a poker night and a BBQ...which helped out a ton! Throw a BBQ, invite friends, and tell them to bring a sixer or 12er of pry-offs...and the food is free!

Is there really any more "cheap" beers that have pry offs anymore? Sam adams I know does, but a lot of companies are going to twist offs. I like the bar idea though. Might have to hit that idea up.

Also thanx for the heads up on heart of the vine. I had no idea they were even in Sioux Falls. That will be great.

I get mine from a recycling center. They don't care if I pick through it. I oxyclean the labels off, rinse and then I have bottles for free minus a little labor.

BrosBrew said:

Is there really any more "cheap" beers that have pry offs anymore? Sam adams I know does, but a lot of companies are going to twist offs. I like the bar idea though. Might have to hit that idea up.

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New Belgian does, if they are distributed in your area. There are lots of beers in pry off bottles.

I've been able to get old pop-top budweiser bottles from the local bottling/distributor. they charged double the deposit (10 centsa bottle), but they work!

BrosBrew said:

Is there really any more "cheap" beers that have pry offs anymore? Sam adams I know does, but a lot of companies are going to twist offs. I like the bar idea though. Might have to hit that idea up.

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you can still cap using twistoffs. they work in just the same way

malkore said:

I've been able to get old pop-top budweiser bottles from the local bottling/distributor. they charged double the deposit (10 centsa bottle), but they work!

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malkore, you beat me to it. In addition to the bottles that i save when i actually pay for beer, I go to the local liquor store/redemption center. The most itll cost you is 10c a bottle, and you just wash off the old labels, no biggie, right?

scinerd3000 said:

you can still cap using twistoffs. they work in just the same way

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Maybe.

If you're using a wing capper, they break easily and are known for poor sealing.

If you have a bench capper, the success rate is much higher.

I've heard of people going to the recycling places and asking there too.

Living in a college town it's not too hard to get bottles though.