Grolsch vs. Empty Swingtops

I'm finding that I could buy 12 bottles of Grolsch for $26.97 or 12 empty swingtop bottles for $28.50. Grolsch isn't the best beer I realize. Is it worth it to get the brown bottles vs. green or should I just buy the Grolsch and get me and my friends drunk from now on?

I actually like Grolsch so it was an easy decision for me. Green is OK if you store them properly. Don't let them sit under a flourecent lite for 15 hours a day and wonder why it tastes like skunk butt.

Is there really any decision to make? Why buy empty bottles when you can buy them full of beer??!!

I did it once so I've got 4 bottles but I can barely choke the stuff down. Combine that with the green bottles and potentially skunked beer. Surely you have a large beer store in a city near by that has decent beer in swing top bottles. A co-worker just gave me a 750ml Rogue Imperial IPA swing top. Here in Hotlanta Sweet Water makes Festive Ale and Happy Endings in 1 L swing tops for the same price as a 6 pack of 12 oz. It's a little pricey but at almost $4 a bottle after shipping for the 1L it's a pretty good deal. If you liked the Grolsch I'd say go for it but otherwise I'd keep on looking. Especially around the holiday now is a good time to find swing tops with good beer in them.

abracadabra said:

I did it once so I've got 4 bottles but I can barely choke the stuff down. Combine that with the green bottles and potentially skunked beer. Surely you have a large beer store in a city near by that has decent beer in swing top bottles. A co-worker just gave me a 750ml Rogue Imperial IPA swing top. Here in Hotlanta Sweet Water makes Festive Ale and Happy Endings in 1 L swing tops for the same price as a 6 pack of 12 oz. It's a little pricey but at almost $4 a bottle after shipping for the 1L it's a pretty good deal. If you liked the Grolsch I'd say go for it but otherwise I'd keep on looking. Especially around the holiday now is a good time to find swing tops with good beer in them.

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I've only seen the big Rouge bottles. Great beer but a bit steep for me when I'm trying to build up stock. I don't really like Grolsch but it seems like a good after-I've-had-enough-good-homebrew-party-beer.

Look for some Fischer amber ale with swingtops in Amber glass bottles. It's much better beer than Grolsch plus they hold over 23oz each and are very nice looking bottles with shoulders that are perfect for pouring homebrew from.

Beerbeque said:

Look for some Fischer amber ale with swingtops in Amber glass bottles. It's much better beer than Grolsch plus they hold over 23oz each and are very nice looking bottles with shoulders that are perfect for pouring homebrew from.

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I read that the Fischer bottles sometimes have glued on gaskets. Have you run into this problem?

Thanks

Mountainbeers said:

I'm finding that I could buy 12 bottles of Grolsch for $26.97 or 12 empty swingtop bottles for $28.50.

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That's what I did before I started kegging. It's an ok beer and certainly not the worst IMHO. If they don't come in a box when you purchase them ask the store for a couple of wine boxes. They've usually got plenty of these around and will work for keeping the light off of them.

snazzy said:

Green is OK if you store them properly. Don't let them sit under a flourecent lite for 15 hours a day and wonder why it tastes like skunk butt.

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Amen.

Beerbeque said:

Look for some Fischer amber ale with swingtops in Amber glass bottles. It's much better beer than Grolsch plus they hold over 23oz each and are very nice looking bottles with shoulders that are perfect for pouring homebrew from.

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Dude, I respectfully disagree. Fischer is one of the worst beers in the world that isn't BMC.

arturo7 said:

Dude, I respectfully disagree. Fischer is one of the worst beers in the world that isn't BMC.

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Never had it, nor seen it, but I usually like amber ales a whole lot better than whatever style lagers Grolsch is.

I have a friend that likes Grolsch beer, he buys it then I trade him some homebrew for empties.

Dr_Gordon_Freeman said:

I read that the Fischer bottles sometimes have glued on gaskets. Have you run into this problem?

Thanks

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I bought 4 bottles of Fischers to get the swingtop bottles. I am not a fan of the beer.

I also found that the new Fischer bottles have the glued on gaskets. After a few more uses, I will see if I can find a way to get the gaskets off of the plastic top without ruining them (the plastic top).

Worst case, I may have to find some replacement plastic tops (or replace the whole swing top).

If someone's found a good method of removing the glued on gaskets, let me know.

Maybe an oxyclean soak?

Sorry to revive ald thread, but I have just a few fischer bottles (my gaskets are not glued though... these are from 2003ish? I have a couple green fischer bottles too, don't remember what kind it was... maybe it was the dry one?). Bought them back in college for homebrew and I was not a big fan of the beer, but it was unique.. this was about 10 years ago, but from what I remember it was kinda dry/metallic and had an almost wine like character (or maybe I just made that up due to it being French...)... Anyway, it was tolerable and preferable to buying empties... but don't expect your average amber ale!

I would not have bothered to say all that, but I was washing bottles this weekend to bottle my first batch of mead and I dropped a fischer bottle onto granite from 3+ ft... it bounced off and I figured it was done for... picked up the bottle and looked for damage that I was unable to find, but when I looked back at the large granite rock I noticed that it had a chalky line/spot from the impact... at least they make a good bottle!

I'd rather drink a Grolsh than use my twin cap lever again (like tightening a taut guitar string). As others have said, green bottles are only an issue when it comes to UV exposure so keep them in a dark place and it's a non issue.

However, I do try to spoil myself now and again with a slow build up of some nice amber swingtops as they don't have the brand raised on the glass and all the other frills i'm not so crazy about on grolsh bottles.

But Grolsh are cheap so work away for now and you can slowly build up your amber swingtop stock.

The two favourite bottles this side of the pond are Flensburger and Hirschbrau - both amber pint bottles with fall away labels and no brand imprints or raised decorations on the glass. They're prob a tad expensive over your side though, especially with the exchange rate.

Subsidise your buddies at 50c a bottle if they drink from amber swingtops and you'll be harvesting a decent bottle collection in no time