Brew Bottles

[tyrtl]

I've been telling friends and family to save their beer bottles for me so that I don't have to buy brewing bottles. However my family saved twist off type bottles like bud light and bud. Just wanted to know if I will be able to cap these types of bottles with the caps that I get with my homebrew kit. Thanks in advance!

 

[bzwyatt]

You shouldn't.

You can crimp a cap onto a screw-top, but it may not seal completely. Some people maybe try it and maybe they work, but if you want to know as well as you can that your bottle are capped correctly, you should use bottles that don't have threads.

 

[KepowOb]

I've heard that if you have a bench capper you can use them without too much risk.

Almost all beer where I am comes with twist tops, save imports (for the 12ozers), so I did try a couple of twist caps for fun with my cheap capper and they worked fine, though I was actually a bit surprised because I didn't think I had a good deal on them.

You can give them a go, but I would go another route if possible.

 

[brewprint]

I think that there are something called sediment collectors that I believe use twist off bottles. They screw onto the bottle and then you age them upside down and they collect the sediment. You can drink it straight out of the bottle like the cheap stuff. Although those wouldn't be in your kit.

 

[pablosbrewing]

If I recall correctly, I think this was in one of Charlie P's books:

• twist off caps are a softer grade of steel to conform to the threads
• threaded bottles are thinner glass and not intended for re-use

 

[tyrtl]

I appreciate all the input guys. I guess I'll throw out all the twist offs and save the 22's. Then again maybe I'll do a couple just4fun.

 

[JohnSand]

When I started gathering bottles, I went right to the beer distributor. I am a regular customer there, they sold me pry off bottles for the 5c deposit. I later brought in some home-brew. Try going when it's not busy.

 

[YeastFeast]

I accidentally filled and capped a couple on my last batch. It actually worked but the caps went on really hard and I broke one (that's how I figured out I mixed threaded ones into the bunch). I wouldn't use them.

 

[Calypso]

I also accidentally used a twist-off in my last batch. I didn't realize it until my friend opened it and broke the lip of the bottle right off. The glass in the lip of the twist-offs is a lot thinner than a traditional bottle, so I can see this being a consistent problem.

 

[Heavywalker]

Tell your family to drink better beer!

 

[pricelessbrewing]

I pick up a few cases when needed from a local restaurant that serves good beer

 

[harebearva]

I have friends at work, Bringing me a steady supply.
One thought, if you ever plan to enter any brewing competitions, best not to get any bottles with raised letters. Some comps are OK with these, but some aren't. If you're not planning to compete, then all are fair game. Sam Adams bottles are a particular favorite of mine. Labels come off EASY!

 

[Flboy]

I make runs the night before recycling pickup. Have two houses that net me a minimum a case a week. Ya a lot is green glass, but great price. Have also tried twist off bottles, mixed results..fYI, quick and dirty- use soda bottles! Just putzy when handing someone a brew. But since I am only allowed 1 beer a night, the 3 liter bottles keep me honest.

 

[tyrtl]

Tell your family to drink better beer!

HAHA!! I try but they love the some bud and corona.

 

[Maylar]

Guiness, Smithwicks and Sam Adams. Water soluable lable glue. Gotta love em.

 

[casey012293]

I live in a fraternity in Montana. Beer-drinking frat boys + Montana Craft Beer = plenty of bottles to reuse.
I never bought bottles once until I decided on some larger 22 oz for a cider-beer and champagne bottles for a sparkling cider.

 

[pricelessbrewing]

Dude, necro post. this is over a year old.