I wanted to bottle condition a series of begins beers I’m going to make later in the year and i figured I should get some real 375 ml Belgian bottles to do it. Anyone have a good source on these? It looks like they’re about twice as expensive as standard 12oz bottles where I saw them for sale. Or am I crazy for wanting to use these bottles? Definitely want to avoid bottle bombs if I’m bottle conditioning to ~3.3 volumes
Does anyone have a good source for Belgian bottles?
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BrewerofBeers
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I don't have a good source for belgian bottles, but I've had luck finding them posted used online. In my area there is craigslist for example. But I can tell you, I've had so many "bombs" but they've always occured upon opening, where the foam shoots through the mouth. I guess you could say they are more like geysers than bombs!! A little more exciting than broken glass. Anyway, I don't how high those 12 oz or the 22 oz bombers (pun intended) hold, but it is WAY above 3.3. You've had broken glass?
A couple strategies if worried. Raise fermentation temperature toward the end of the fermentation. As you might know, that can result in a lower FG (prior to sugar priming) and therefore more predictable carbonation (and less off flavors too). Another strategy is using a scale to measure priming sugar, now you might already do that, but the suggestion stands. I prefer DME, seems to be more predictable than cane sugar...might have to do with varying moisture if stored in the open.
A couple strategies if worried. Raise fermentation temperature toward the end of the fermentation. As you might know, that can result in a lower FG (prior to sugar priming) and therefore more predictable carbonation (and less off flavors too). Another strategy is using a scale to measure priming sugar, now you might already do that, but the suggestion stands. I prefer DME, seems to be more predictable than cane sugar...might have to do with varying moisture if stored in the open.
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Have you looked at the bottles sold by Northern Brewer? I believe they have 375ml bottles both in crown cap and cork versions.
I was looking around for bottles that I could use for Belgian beers. I have a small stash of reused commercial bottles, but sending off beers to a few competitions seriously depleted my supply. Every time I look at the price of new bottles with shipping costs, I think I would rather treat that $2+ per bottle cost as a $8 off coupon towards a commercial 4-pack. The local Total Wine has 4-packs of some Belgian beers in 0.33L bottles that are quite sturdy. Also some 4-packs of Ayinger in sturdy plain looking 0.33L bottles. Some of the Boulevard 6-packs come in fairly sturdy bottles for almost the same cost as purchasing new bottles.
I also have a bunch of thick 0.5L bottles, mostly from German beers, and also a number of sturdy 0.33L bottles from Paulaner.
The Cary Company list a few different Belgian beer bottles for a decent price. My understanding is they have a pretty high minimum order floor (maybe $200?). Beer Bottles
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Yea I saw them on northern brewer but since they’re about twice as expensive as normal bottles there I figured I’d check to see if anyone had a more cost effective hookup. Maybe getting Belgian beers and reusing the bottles is the best bet, which ones are your favorite Belgians for this? That Cary company does have the bottles I’d like for a much better unit price but it looks like you have to order them by the pallet!
It probably depends on what is available to you and what you enjoy drinking. Paulaner might be the best source I have for cheap-ish thick 0.33L bottles (though they don't look Belgian, and they have Paulaner embossed on the bottle). My local Total Wine has some 6 packs for $11 to $12 (Munich Lager, Hefe, Salvator, etc.) and some 12 packs for $20.
I feel like every month they shrink their selection of Belgian beers, and sometimes the selection of 4-packs is limited. Saison Dupont in 0.33L bottles is a nice beer but $16 per 4-pack when in stock. I don't tend to see commercial beers in the 375 ml bottles that I see sold as new bottles.
Like @BrewerofBeers, I wonder about standard 12 oz bottles. I have also seen some homebrewed beers that spew a geyser when opened, so they are clearly well above 3.5 volumes of CO2.
Maybe I’m overthinking it and should just stick with the standard bottles. I have never bottle conditioned, went straight to kegging, so I’m just trying to avoid catastrophe
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