Bottling in plastic?!?!

[Bigbens6]

So miller light has 16 Oz plastic bottles uber cheap, the guy that always helps me bottle was asking, can we use those? I assume if they are rinsed immediately, and sanitized properly you COULD, but i am still a lil iffy honestly, I PREFER glass but I told him i would ask...

 

[goodbyebluesky82]

You sure could use 'em. Are they dark enough to keep your brew from skunking? I can't remember what those look like.

 

[ChshreCat]

The only problem is that you'd have to find something to do with all the Miller Lite inside.

 

[Bigbens6]

The only problem is that you'd have to find something to do with all the Miller Lite inside.

Agreed, but if someone else was buy, drinking, and rinsing them right after use i COULD use them... just thinking as give aways and i would not have ot worry about getting them back then...

 

[twig]

I started out with all plastic bottles that I picked up really cheap at a yard sale. I've now got a mix of 500ml and 1L ones, mostly brown, but some are green and have to be kept covered. I recently acquired a capper, so I'm switching to glass as I can accumulate bottles. The plastic worked fine, but I just prefer my beer to spend as little time as possible in contact with plastic. One thing I did like about the plastic is you can tell when the beer is carbonated by squeezing the bottle. I like your idea of giveaways, so maybe I'll hang on to a few plastic ones too.

 

[CarlsBrau]

Hi There,

I know what you mean about leaving beer in plastic bottles as this can give a sort of "tang" to the beer. I have posted on how I think it is best to use plastic bottles (see: Can you brew in your average plastic bottle?). Fortunately, being from England, the beer doesn't stay in the bottle that long.:cross:

Seriously though, beer just won't condition as well in a plastic bottle so glass is really the way to go for long term quality and freshness. Just make sure you keep the beer out of sunlight as "skunking" will dramatically affect the flavour and strength of your beer.

Great advice here, hope I can keep up!

Carl...

 

[jklotz]

I think I might just do 1 next time I bottle just to be able to check the progress of the carbonation. Might save a few bottles of "I'm just not patient and want to see even though I know it hasn't been long enough..." flat, green beers.

 

[WriterWriter]

Is there any difference in plastic bottles, strength-wise? I drink a lot of club soda and would like to use those. Sure they're clear, but I figure if I keep them in the dark then they'll be fine.

 

[Chriso]

Plastic bottles should be able to withstand *far* more pressure than the average glass bottle.

Plastic bottles are also fantastic for your first few batches of homebrew, as you get your methods worked out... Normally over-carbonating with priming sugar can lead to lots of glass grenades, whereas plastic is more forgiving - instead of breaking, you just get overcarbed beer that is fizzier than you wanted.

Sure, glass is best for long-term aging, e.g. 6+ months... But plastic is a positively fine alternative, especially if the beer will be drank in less than 6 months, e.g. most standard-gravity pale ales, hefe's, wheats, amber ales, etc etc etc.

 

[WriterWriter]

Hey thanks Chriso! I was expecting to get flamed for that one. I'm only in this location for another 5 months so there's no point in getting a glass setup. I'll be bottling soon enough with these 2L babies.

-WW

 

[Chriso]

I love using 1-Liter tonic water bottles to hold yeast slurry after I keg a batch of beer.

I just swirl what's left in the bottom of the bucket, use the spigot to fill up a 1L bottle, and then put it in the fridge. Instant yeast starter.

 

[toasted]

So,
If one was conditioning about a month in plastic, covered bottles, would that still lend a "tang" or any other kind of Off flavor to the beer?

 

[undallas]

I love using 1-Liter tonic water bottles to hold yeast slurry after I keg a batch of beer.

I just swirl what's left in the bottom of the bucket, use the spigot to fill up a 1L bottle, and then put it in the fridge. Instant yeast starter.

Good practice.... I was going to use my old 1.75L Tequila, Vodka glass bottles.... It seems that those are good to make starter, but it may create a glass bomb if I don't have an airlock on it to prevent overpressuring.

 

[Kauai_Kahuna]

I use 2 litre soda bottles for going to friends places, and 20oz soda bottles all the time for yeast washing, storage, warming up to pitching.
I have never notice a problem with any change in taste.
I bottle from kegs, and they hold the pressure great, I tend to over carb in the keg, so the final drink is just right. Someday I will get a good counter pressure filler, but not now.
In short I have never had a problem with using plastic bottles, but I also don't let them sit around for over 3 months, maybe I will do a few experiments.

 

[Eves]

I've used the 740ml PET bottles that came with my Coopers kit a couple times. So far I haven't noticed any off flavors. In fact, the best beer I've made happens to be bottled in those PET bottles. They work great.

Strangest thing though... I actually got a blister the last time I bottled using those bottles. Who'd have thought that twisting on 29 bottle caps nice and tight would cause a problem

 

[twig]

Strangest thing though... I actually got a blister the last time I bottled using those bottles. Who'd have thought that twisting on 29 bottle caps nice and tight would cause a problem

I thought I was the only one with this problem. I started out with mostly 500ml plastic bottles, so that's 40-45 bottles from a Coopers 23L kit. Pretty much guaranteed a blister every time I bottled. It's one of the reasons I'm switching to glass (and hopefully kegs one we move into a bigger place).

 

[nealf]

I bought a 6 pack of those 16 oz. Miller bottles and have been using them for quite a few months. I like them because I know how the carbonation is coming along, I haven't experienced any "twang" and I've left them in there for a few months before.