Man, oh man, nobody ever wrote about this in the homebrewing books! :cross:
I've been saving my Sam Adams empties, which I don't think will be a problem when it comes to cleaning (except removing the labels, perhaps). I've saved up about 50 bottles over the last 5-6 weeks. I want to start another batch soon, but I didn't think I'd be able to collect the necessary bottles for another batch on my beer drinking alone. So, I decided to go to the liquor store and ask to buy any returnables they had. I got to go back where they store them, and there were three cases I found suitable. Two were Old Milwuakee, and one was Schlitz. I passed on two Miller High Life cases because the bottles are clear glass, and I think that's not desirable for homebrewing.
Anyway, I just paid the return rate on the cases ($1.20 each) for a grand total of $3.60 I was pretty pumped about this, because empty cases are $8.99 at LHBS. I kind of wish I would have just bought the prewashed bottles, now, however.
At first I didn't think they were that bad to clean. After letting the bottles soak in hot soapy water for about ten minutes, I'd peel off the labels as best I could, and then let them soak another ten to fifteen minutes, at which point the glue and remaining paper would wipe off relatively easily. I cleaned the insides with the bottle brush that came with my equipment kit, thoroughly rinsed, and hung on the bottle tree. All was good.
Then, I hit the gross stuff. I loaded another eight bottles in my sink (that's all that fit in there at a time), and it smelled like an ashtray in the kitchen. It was a very strong odor. Sure enough, one of the bottles had about four cigarette butts in it. I suppose it's not a huge deal, but it just kind of disgusts me, all the same. When I finally finished the case, about seven or eight bottles were full of butts.
I've since peeked at the other two cases, and sure enough, they all have several bottles filled with spent cigarettes in them, as well. I suppose it's a small price to pay in the end, though.
I've been saving my Sam Adams empties, which I don't think will be a problem when it comes to cleaning (except removing the labels, perhaps). I've saved up about 50 bottles over the last 5-6 weeks. I want to start another batch soon, but I didn't think I'd be able to collect the necessary bottles for another batch on my beer drinking alone. So, I decided to go to the liquor store and ask to buy any returnables they had. I got to go back where they store them, and there were three cases I found suitable. Two were Old Milwuakee, and one was Schlitz. I passed on two Miller High Life cases because the bottles are clear glass, and I think that's not desirable for homebrewing.
Anyway, I just paid the return rate on the cases ($1.20 each) for a grand total of $3.60 I was pretty pumped about this, because empty cases are $8.99 at LHBS. I kind of wish I would have just bought the prewashed bottles, now, however.
At first I didn't think they were that bad to clean. After letting the bottles soak in hot soapy water for about ten minutes, I'd peel off the labels as best I could, and then let them soak another ten to fifteen minutes, at which point the glue and remaining paper would wipe off relatively easily. I cleaned the insides with the bottle brush that came with my equipment kit, thoroughly rinsed, and hung on the bottle tree. All was good.
Then, I hit the gross stuff. I loaded another eight bottles in my sink (that's all that fit in there at a time), and it smelled like an ashtray in the kitchen. It was a very strong odor. Sure enough, one of the bottles had about four cigarette butts in it. I suppose it's not a huge deal, but it just kind of disgusts me, all the same. When I finally finished the case, about seven or eight bottles were full of butts.
I've since peeked at the other two cases, and sure enough, they all have several bottles filled with spent cigarettes in them, as well. I suppose it's a small price to pay in the end, though.