Growler for bottling

[kevinlassen]

Ok, so I am a little light on bottles, due to the fact I brewed two at the same time and haven't drank fast enough to have enough empty bottles. I have a few empty growlers (flip top with rubber gasket) would it be ok to bottle in them?

 

[Shaneoco1981]

No... Growlers are not meant to hold up to pressure of carbonating beer, they are meant to hold up to already carbonated beer. There is a difference, and they will explode. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

 

[dawgmatic]

I've read about other people bottling in flip top growlers on other forums, but that is not their intended purpose. Most growlers, not the flip top ones, cannot handle the pressure created via bottle conditioning. So I'm not giving you the go ahead, but it has been done before. Your safest best would be to go buy a case

 

[batty]

Growlers are the best imo.. I have done it plenty of times w/ no ill effects. You'll see some people actually collect the grolsch bottles (same type of swing top) to bottle in - saves caps and capping time.

 

[CatHead]

My question about bottling in growlers is how do you keep from ending up with the sediment all in your beer? I can do 2 beer pours from a 22-24 oz but it seems like you would have a hard time pouring 64 oz. at once or have very yeasty beer.

 

[batty]

I agree on sediment issue, i've had that be a problem problem before. Should also think this is probably going to happen again - in which case getting another box of bottles is a pretty good investment

 

[whiskeyjack]

Most growlers are not grolsch and they will not hold pressure. They're several threads on here that will show pics of them blowing up

 

[bobbrewedit]

I've bottled in a grolsch style growler with no problems. Never in a plain growler though so I cannot comment there.

 

[freisste]

I've seen this thread a hundred times. Some say its fine because they did it. Others say don't because they have had them break. I can't imagine either side lying, so obviously it CAN work. But obviously thugs CAN go wrong. I guess I am just risk averse, but I will NEVER do it.

 

[bobbrewedit]

I've seen this thread a hundred times. Some say its fine because they did it. Others say don't because they have had them break. I can't imagine either side lying, so obviously it CAN work. But obviously thugs CAN go wrong. I guess I am just risk averse, but I will NEVER do it.

A hundred times huh. Caps aside, my understanding of when bottles break, it's usually in a closet or wherever they are stored for fermentation. Hundreds of people have had glass carboys break on them as well, yet hundreds of thousands still use them. It's up to the OP to decide I guess.

 

[batty]

I've seen this thread a hundred times. Some say its fine because they did it. Others say don't because they have had them break. I can't imagine either side lying, so obviously it CAN work. But obviously thugs CAN go wrong. I guess I am just risk averse, but I will NEVER do it.

Fair enough, thanks for the insight.. fwiw the growlers I've bottled in are not the ubiquitous half-gal jug style.. instead they are more 'bottle' shaped and glass seems pretty thick, so that could be a significant difference.

On the other hand I've broken plenty of standard beer bottles as well - apparently mixing some sugar in is tougher than it would appear.. or else I'm just dumber than I appear

 

[RIC0]

Go buy some carbonated water 2 liters and your set. I do it all the time and it works like a charm, no explosions, reusable, cheap and effective.

I bottle at least 2.5 gallons in 1 and 2 liter plastic carbonated water bottles every batch. Currently have about 10 gallons worth aging for my 40th birthday party in 2 months. Git R Dun

 

[freisste]

A hundred times huh. Caps aside, my understanding of when bottles break, it's usually in a closet or wherever they are stored for fermentation. Hundreds of people have had glass carboys break on them as well, yet hundreds of thousands still use them. It's up to the OP to decide I guess.

Good point, however, those glass carboys break because they have been damaged or dropped, not because fermentation pressure caused them to explode without warning.

 

[Pinhead]

I'm new to brewing but have bottled 1/2 of the last 4 brews in growlers. My LBS has plastic screw caps with a poly seal inside. They have carbed up well and I have not had a problem as yet. I age my beer in a dark plastic storage container just in case any of the bottles explode. I leave a bit of beer in the bottom so sediment is not an issue, or if I've just drank the whole growler I don't really care.

 

[DrunkleJon]

It is not the flip top that is in question, it is the fact that growlers are much thinner glass than your standard bottles or even the grolsch bottles. They are rated to a much lower pressure and the carbonation stage does make a fair amount of pressure. Personally I would only use a growler for transport/short term storage.

 

[Ostomo517]

Easiest way to look at it, if you think its worth the risk of that glass blowing up in your face when you disturb it then go for it, but not a good idea

 

[Beergazzi]

It is not the flip top that is in question, it is the fact that growlers are much thinner glass than your standard bottles or even the grolsch bottles. They are rated to a much lower pressure and the carbonation stage does make a fair amount of pressure. Personally I would only use a growler for transport/short term storage.

I got the impression, from drinking (real) grolsch bottles that these things were absolute beasts (I have not bought 'empty grolsch style bottles' since my local beer place has grolsch 4 pack for $7.75), and thicker than regular bottles, no?? I only ask cause the way you stated the above, it sounds like you are saying they are thinner than regular bottles...or I may just be taking your words the wrong way.

 

[dawgmatic]

I got the impression, from drinking (real) grolsch bottles that these things were absolute beasts (I have not bought 'empty grolsch style bottles' since my local beer place has grolsch 4 pack for $7.75), and thicker than regular bottles, no?? I only ask cause the way you stated the above, it sounds like you areh saying they are thinner than regular bottles...or I may just be taking your words the wrong way.

He's saying that grolsch bottles are thicker than regular bottles, which are in turn thicker than growlers. I'm not sure if I agree with that, but whatever.

On a more on topic note, since the OP never asked about regular growlers. The glass on my 2l palla swing top growlers is very thick. Notably thicker than my regular growlers. Definitly thicker than my regular bottles. But I only use them for transport

 

[bobbrewedit]

I'm still not sure I buy it. Granted, people have had them break, glass breaks. But I usually fill one 12 oz cheapie plastic water bottle with each batch, the kind with the tiny white cap. I've never even had one of those fail.

 

[freisste]

For one thing, glass is a ceramic and is incapable of plastic deformation.

 

[noblebrew]

I saw this in my catalog yesterdayhttp://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/brewing/brewing-equipment/bottling/bottles/deluxe-party-ready-upgrade-kit.html NB says you can bottle in these growlers and then recommends 6 of their fizz drops.

 

[BigJack]

I think the reason why we have two wildly differing sets of opinions is because not all growlers are created equal. Check the glass thickness.

 

[batty]

I saw this in my catalog yesterdayhttp://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/brewing/brewing-equipment/bottling/bottles/deluxe-party-ready-upgrade-kit.html NB says you can bottle in these growlers and then recommends 6 of their fizz drops.

Yep, those are the type that I have bottled in - I never really thought about it until this thread, but they are beastly in comparison to the standard jug-type growler.

 

[DrunkleJon]

I got the impression, from drinking (real) grolsch bottles that these things were absolute beasts (I have not bought 'empty grolsch style bottles' since my local beer place has grolsch 4 pack for $7.75), and thicker than regular bottles, no?? I only ask cause the way you stated the above, it sounds like you are saying they are thinner than regular bottles...or I may just be taking your words the wrong way.

I was mentioning Grolsch bottles because they are flip as well. I was just attempting to state that the glass on growlers is thinner and as a result weaker than that of bottles, be they flip top or crown. I have broken a growler before just by opening it (the whole mouth stuck to the gasket and opened with it, not pretty).

Then of course there is also the sediment issue.