Bottles

[chickabeelane]

The post about used corks got me thinking and I didn't want to thread jack, so here's my question:

I know that used corks is no good, but what about used bottles? Not ones that you have previously used, but, like the cork post, used bottles from goodwill or something. Thoughts?

 

[Yooper]

Used bottles are fine. Of course, for wine you won't be carbonating so any wine bottle would be fine. For carbonated beverages, you'd need champagne bottles or beer bottles and caps (not corks).

 

[Leadgolem]

Yup, glass is non-porous and practically non-reactive. Clean and sanitize, and you should be good.

 

[Koffie]

Used bottles are fine. Of course, for wine you won't be carbonating so any wine bottle would be fine. For carbonated beverages, you'd need champagne bottles or beer bottles and caps (not corks).

Agree.
Wine bottles are not build for pressure. Allthough tthey probably could take refermantation in the bottle, they would explode much earlier then bottles designed for pressure (Champagne/Prosecco bottles for instance).

 

[Taise]

If you're carbonating I prefer to use beer bottles. Empties are easy to come up with if you talk to the bartenders at your favorite pub. You end up with a strange collection of bottles but you get them for free.

 

[static]

I did a test on a bottle of Apfelwein and a screw top wine bottle. I force carbed in my keg to the desired level, used my Bowie bottle filler to fill it up and corked it with a fresh cork.

My concern was... 1: Will it push out the cork. 2: Can i cork a screwtop. 3: Will it hold carbonation 4: Will the bottle break or explode.

I let it sit for 3 weeks on the counter, no cork movement or leaks, no breakage and was still carbed.

I certainly would not try to naturally carb in a wine bottle but for bottling off the keg I don't loose a champagne or beer bottle when i bottle some up to give away.

 

[marc06]

Although if you want to carbonate AND cork, you could use large belgian beer bottles

 

[Koffie]

And a champagne cage
Don't know if it is available in USA, but here we can buy plastic champagne corks (not the same as the modern plastic wine corks) in the shape of a mushroom.
I have tried a batch with champagne bottles and champagne corks once, but I felt they were not complete air thight. Wasn't a succes for me.