So, just how many and what brands use suitable bottles?

I kind of favor the Dutch Grolsch beer bottle, but if I'm looking for 12oz bottles what brands should I look for?

Next question is how do yo drink the beer fast enough to brew at a rate to do frequent brew sessions?

Thanks for you help...

mojopt said:

I kind of favor the Dutch Grolsch beer bottle, but if I'm looking for 12oz bottles what brands should I look for?

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Better to ask which bottles to AVOID. Stay clear of Bass, Dos Equis, Amstel, and Warsteiner. Those don't take a cap very well. Of course, avoid the twist-off's, too.

I have the best luck with New Belgium and Samuel Adams bottles. Of course a lot of small production breweries use very similar bottles, which work well too. For me, I'm limited by the type of capper I have. I also try to avoid light colored or clear glass bottles, although I do like to bottle one per batch in a clear bottle just to see the color/clarity. Keep it out of the sunlight if you do used clear glass though. The "skunky" smell is no joke.

Magic Hat and Flying Dog are good non-twist off bottles....but of course Grolsch are much easier to cap

Flying Dog works well. Lakefront works equally. New Glarus does a fine job.

Speaking of Flying Dog, I just finished up a barley wine from them...Horn Dog. A few more and I could wear my ass for a hat!

As has already been mentioned, it’s best to ask what not to use. Some brands have already been mentioned, but there is more to it and as the subject has already been touched upon, allow me to expand. Matt is right, sunlight destroys hops. In the presence of sunlight there are certain chemicals in hops that will be converted into new chemicals. These new chemical compounds are molecularly similar to the same compounds that are responsible for giving skunk musk its legendary aroma. Clear bottles do not block any sunlight. Green bottles do not block much sunlight. Brown bottles block a lot of sunlight. Do yourself, and any one who might drink your beer a favor - only use brown bottles. Brown crown cap bottles are also the standard home brew competition bottle, if you ever get into that side of things. You can even get brown grolsh type bottles from the home brew store, but who buys bottles? Most micro breweries use the same bottles from the same suppliers. Almost all of these bottles work great. Sam Adams and some of the other craft brewers use similar bottles that I have also used with great success. I, like many others, use the cheap twin handle red capper, and am therefore limited to bottles that have the shoulder below the top because my capper needs that to grab onto.

As far as how to consume enough beer to gather the appropriate amount of bottles between batches: you could loiter around college town recycling bins (a frightening proposition) or do what I did and find a roommate who drinks too much. You can usually find them in the flower beds in the park next to the bars on Saturday mornings. Short of those things you’ll just have to develop a strict regimen of scheduled beer drinking to ensure that you have enough bottles.
Cheers
-Corbin

But honey, how else am I going to get enough bottles for my next batch? *burp*...*fart*

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A steady buzz after getting home from work and flat-out drunken ramble/bamble on your off-days/weekends is the best bet to come by enough bottles.

Booze on....it is, fortunately, the only way, hahaha...i love this hobby

Corbin said:

In the presence of sunlight there are certain chemicals in hops that will be converted into new chemicals. These new chemical compounds are molecularly similar to the same compounds that are responsible for giving skunk musk its legendary aroma.

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Not molecularly similar, but rather molecularly identical. It's tht exact same chemical.

Walker-san said:

Not molecularly similar, but rather molecularly identical. It's tht exact same chemical.

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“When an isohumulone is struck by light of a certain wave length, one branch of it will vibrate and, eventually, break off. The broken piece will then combine with a molecule of hydrogen sulfide (of which beer always contains a trace) to form a mercaptan (organic compound with an –SH group) that is exactly the same molecule that the skunk manufactures in that famous gland under its tail.”

Direct quote from Dave Miller’s Homebrewing Guide, pg 285, 286

Thanks for the correction. I should have re-read that section before spouting off. Between homebrewtalk and a few brewing books, who needs a chemistry degree?

Walker-San mentioned some to avoid - let me expand on that. In general, since you are in North America, it will simplify your life if you avoid any European bottles (and of course the reverse would also be true). The bottle mouths in Europe and North America are made to slighly different size standards. This can be compensated for, but if the bottles are similar in appearance and get mixed up together, it can be a nuisance to deal with it.

That said, as noted above, just about any micro-brew bottle will work fine. I've used Sam Adam's (like everyone) Troeg's, Stoudt's, a number of others with good results.

I have good luck with most US non-mega-brew, non-twistoff bottles. Brown is obviously better.

I spent two years collecting German Hefeweizen bottles for bottling one I was 'all-growd-up', only to find that they don't use the same caps as our US bottles. Bummer. Moral: check any bottles for capping before you try to fill them.

Micro brews and Sam Adams here but I also buy bottles.
At $8.00 and change per case of new bottles I feel it's worth it. This way between me drinking my own and saving other bottles of store bought, plus buying a case or two extra I'm good to go.
Sometimes when I'm at my LHBS for other equipment or kits I just pick up another case of new bottles.

Tommy

To all respondents,

Thanks for your replies. I've learned quite a lot with this post.

I'm still "on the fence" about starting this hobby. I believe I'll locate and visit my LHBS.

I guess I tend to over research. But hey, why not benefit from your collective knowledge.

Another question. Would it be worth buying brown
"Grolsch" style bottles or invest in a capper and use the brown long neck 12oz bottles?

I do like the idea of a 16oz bottle such as the "over center" Grolsch type. Is this worth the investment? What do you think?

Thanks again.

If they are more likely to stay home then swingtops are nice.
If they are likely gifts or prone to travel, use the crowns.

I use a mix of brown and clear bottles. I can control the light conditions on the clear bottles so those are reserved for me. Besides, I like to see the beer in the bottle...so purty. I use the brown bottles for parties and gifts.

That said, I am fond of Sam Smith's pint bottles. Most of 'em are clear but the lager comes in a nice brown bottle.

I also keep an eye out on the clearance isles of Target and the drink isle of Big Lots. Sometimes you can find specialty drinks, usually lemonades, in 25oz swing top bottles. Really, I've been picking up any unusual soda bottles that can be re-capped just because some of them look cool. Jarritos and Boing are good fun.

It is definitely a rewarding hobby, as I've just discovered. It's kind of like getting into a cold pool...just close your eyes and JUMP. You'll never look back. *wink*

Clear bottles are much maligned but actually very useful for certain things, like seeing colors in fruit beers or watching clarity of ANY beers. As Fezz notes, as long as you keep them in the dark, they should be fine (most of us have clear glass carboys and these are manageable).

20oz plastic (PET) soda bottles are very usefull if you arent keeping your beer more than a few months. Really easy to use and great for small yeast starters too. They are also good for storing hydrometers in, in a no rinse sanitising solution (I use sodium metabisulphite).

Dont forget to keep them out of the light.

Has anyone tried the plastic bottles with reusable screw caps? A bit expensive.

DAAB said:

20oz plastic (PET) soda bottles are very usefull if you arent keeping your beer more than a few months. Really easy to use and great for small yeast starters too. They are also good for storing hydrometers in, in a no rinse sanitising solution (I use sodium metabisulphite).

Dont forget to keep them out of the light.

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What solution strength of sodium metabisulfite? I always have it around since I use it in my darkroom. I'm not sure I'd use it all the time, but it's nice to know it would work in a pinch. The stuff is about $5.00 per pound in small quantities and $2.00 per pound in bulk quantities (20 or more pounds) so it isin't exactly cheap.

For general purpose sanitizing, it's hard to beat the low cost of Iodophor. 4 ml per 5 liter bottle of mixed solution makes a quart of the stuff go a long way.

Bring a few beers to the recycling center. Last time I did that, the girls were diving into their own dumpsters- all I had to do was hold the box.

I use an antique bench capper, so I can stomp a cap onto anydamnthing. 14 5 gallon batchs and I've only crushed two bottles. I put a small plywood 'pad' in the bottom recess to cushion the glass, as well as make it short enough for squat Modelo bottles. Champagne bottles, and Martinellis cider too. I just keep them in the dark.

re: Those cheap red butterfly cappers- the metal jaw inserts are reversible for different diameter necks. Like pulling teeth, use pliers.

DAAB said:

20oz plastic (PET) soda bottles are very usefull if you arent keeping your beer more than a few months. Really easy to use and great for small yeast starters too. They are also good for storing hydrometers in, in a no rinse sanitising solution (I use sodium metabisulphite).

Dont forget to keep them out of the light.

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What a brilliant tip. I'm saving the next 20oz I get just for my hydromenter.

Flourescent lights cause the same damage as sunlight.

Talking to people at work, family, and friends about homebrewing leads to free bottles in the hopes of getting samples.
Waiting at the redemption center for people returning cases.

Oh, I mostly use Sam Adams, but I also use a bench capper, so pretty much anything works. Even screw tops, missed the Unibru bottles for a while. I've even capped wine bottles.