How many times do you re-use bottles??

[Vorsicht709]

I was just wondering on average many times would you re-use a bottle?

The reason I am asking is because I have had a bunch of bottles I used for three batches of beer, and today I had two break when I was capping them (wasting two beers ). Before this I had yet to break a bottle. I am just wondering if it was because the bottles were old, or some sort of bad technique on my part.

Thanks.

 

[Ragutis]

My wing capper started breaking bottles after two batches. I got a bench capper and have done several hundred now with no problem.

 

[jmo88]

I've had some bottles go through fifteen batches, probably. Though I've done many more batches, not one bottle gets used every batch. I've never broken a bottle. Maybe its possible that successive primings have compromised the integrity of the bottles, but I wouldn't think so. I'd say its probably technique, the capper, or both.

 

[Picobrew]

I've never broken a bottle with a bench capper. I've used some bottles 30 times over.

 

[Scut_Monkey]

I'll use a bottle till it breaks. I think I've broke 2 in the past but it was because I accidently smacked them with the capper.

 

[alcibiades]

I don't think bottles get "worn." they either break or they don't.

 

[humann_brewing]

I agree with the previous poster, bottles don't ware down, I have broken a couple by not getting the capper on properly before wrenching down on it. being the stingy b@stard that I am though, I get a funnel and paper towel and filter it into another bottle.

 

[mugglesport]

I never considered that bottles could only be used a certain number of times. Has anyone experienced this with 22oz bottles? I've got two doz. bombers that I inherited from my FIL that are at least 10 years old and have probably been used at least a dozen or so times.

I bottled on sunday with some 12oz commercial bottles (first time using anything other than 22oz). About a half dozen or so of them made a "click" when they were capped. None broke, though.

 

[Revvy]

I've been using my wing capper for years and have never had a problems. You keep using a bottle til it fails, there's really no way of knowing.

 

[ibbones]

I've broken a bottle before but I think I was squeezing the wing capper a bit too hard.

 

[DavidP]

I've never broken a 12oz bottle with my wing capper. Are you standing on the levers??

 

[Ragutis]

I've never broken a 12oz bottle with my wing capper. Are you standing on the levers??

My wing-capper malfunctioned and started breaking bottles. Didn't have anything to do with pressure.
I borrowed a bench capper to finish the job and bought one of my own as I like it better.
Nothing against the wing-capper crowd. I'm sure I got a bad capper.

 

[TipsyDragon]

how do you handle your bottles? heating and rapidly cooling the bottles will make them brittle.

 

[weirdboy]

I have never broken a bottle with my wing capper.

 

[conpewter]

Were they screw top bottles? I've only broken screw top bottles with my wing capper, I don't try them anymore.