Reusing bottles

Noob question I drink Newcastle brown ale can I reuse the empty bottles for my home brew nut brown ale?

 

Are they the clear bottles? If so, maybe consider recycling those and getting some brown bottles. You don't want your homebrew to get skunked.

 

Those aren't screw off, right? Normally you'd want amber bottles because they help keep the light out. If you use clear, just keep them out of the light. Bottles with pop off caps are ideal.

 

Most of mine are commercial ones I have drank already. I soak them hot water and use a plastic pot scraper to remove the old lable. Then use a green scrubby to get the remaining glue off. Rinse well and sanitize. I then put themvon my bottle tree until Im ready to use them. Dont use clear glass unless you like skunk flavor (some folks do) and no threaded tops. Be careful with the lip because any chips will result in a poor seal, aka flat beer.

Hope this helps, cheers

 

Screw tips aren't the worst, just drink those first.

Clear bottles won't necessarily skunk, just keep them in a dark place or your fridge.

That being said avoid bottles with small collars. I think dos equis has a really small collar, makes getting the cap on more difficult.

Also for labels, a nice soak in hot water and genetic scent free dye free oxi clean Errol make everything fall right off.

Sent from my VS980 4G using Home Brew mobile app

 

If you have a hand capper (batwing) then different bottle heights aren't bad, but a stand/table capper you have to constantly adjust. If you have it set short (for woodchuck bottles) it will break a long neck.

Also, brown color pop tops are the way to go. I tried screw tops by accident and didn't have the success others did, some broke.

 

+1 on brown glass bottles. I never use twist-offs. Why take the chance?

The wing cappers have problems with some of the bottles with narrow collars. The Agata super bench capper has handled every type of bottle, including the narrow collar ones, just fine. It's one of the better brew gear upgrades I've made.

 

I've been downing a few cases of Guiness.....hope these bottles work.....

 

I love my clear bottles, just keep them in the dark.

A shiny clean bottle, I can pick up, look into, hold up to the light, look at the colour and clarity, consider the sediment, be in absolute control when filling and pouring, show off with, give me clear any time !
And you can see that you have cleaned them, and how much star San is left in.
I have a mixture, and prefer clear.

 

I hadn't thought about that aspect of it. Good point.

 

Yes, they work with the standard 26mm cap. I left my labels on and refilled with dry irish stout.

 

My last batch I bottled I capped 6 of um in clears for just that reason. Each of the clear bottles were wrapped in a brown paper bag... ala street drunk look

But it was great to bring one of those out at status check time and have a look with a bright light in the background.

As well as serving / presentation time when I had company over.

 

I experimented with capping a twist off bottle once. Result: Broken bottle AND broken bottle capper. Stick with the pop offs, you can't go wrong.

 

Guinness bottles work very well. I've been bottling in them for about 10 years now.

I bought a 12 of New Castle Pale Ale (or whatever they call it.. it is a pale ale). Those bottles are brown. I've used them several times now.

 

I've put some serious effort (...drinking) into amassing a fairly large stockpile of Grolslch swingtop bottles. Between the slightly larger capacity (15.3 oz) and not having to worry about capping, I'm really happy with them. At least as happy as you can be if you're bottling and not kegging.

Would love to make the jump to kegging but the invelstment for the kegerator is keeping me from pulling the trigger on that right now... Maybe a goal for the New Year.