Cheap way to build up bottle collection for newbies like me!

[eeverwine]

Getting labels off is super simple with an overnight soak in Oxyclean Free. Usually They're completely clean after that

 

[gmillerjr]

I love this forum, someone always answers quick. Thanks for the tip.

 

[MrManifesto]

not sure if someone already said this but i go to a beer distributor and they sell me cases of used bottles for $2 a pop. sucks cleaning labels but it's cheap and you only have to do the labels once.

 

[D_Nyholm]

I'm saving my Newcastle bottles right now while I wait for my beer to ferment. They are pop tops and the perfect size for the small fridge I have in my man cave. Only thing I need to work on are the labels though, anyone know an easy way to get them off?

Aren't newcastle bottles clear? I thought clear bottles were taboo?

 

[jiggs_casey]

I have a few dozen Kirkland bottles in my inventory! I don't think it's a bad beer at all. Actually, I like a lot of the Kirkland branded stuff...

 

[weirdboy]

If you want lots of unmarked bottles (NO LABELS) that are perfect for your homebrew, go help out at a homebrew competition. Steward, judge, whatever. Competitions typically get 3 bottles per entry, and some can have hundreds of entries. Most people at the competition already have cases and cases of bottles at home, so the bottles that are left over after a competition are basically up for grabs.

 

[gmillerjr]

That would blow, any particular reason why clear bottles would be taboo? I know that the brown ones don't let in as much light, which is why i plan on storing them in the basement. I'm new to this and have yet to bottle my first batch. if there's a reason i shouldn't use them please let me know. I mainly like them because they're exactly the right size for my mini-fridge in my cave. the regular size bottles don't fit.

 

[comer88888]

Clear and green bottles let in more light that is all. I have green bottles and use them they work fine. If i had clear bottles I would use them too. Your fine just don't leave them sitting out in the sun.

 

[unionrdr]

Clear or green bottles let a lot of UV part of the light spectrum skunk the beer in pretty short order. That's why we don't use them by & large. I keep my bottles in covered craft 12 pack boxes.

 

[gmillerjr]

Thanks guys, i figured that was the reason, just wasn't sure if there was something that was more like an etiquette thing. I have some brown ones i'm going to use for specialty beers that i let condition for longer periods. clear will be the drink right away ones.

 

[unionrdr]

As long as you keep them in covered boxes or the like,they should be ok for the drink sooner brews.

 

[rifraf]

I hate the labels on Kirkland bottles. They are hard to remove even with a soak in really hot water.

Weird, they fell off in minutes in a hot water/Oxyclean soak for me. Came back after 15 min and the labels were floating. The only bottles that were a problem were Two Brothers, a local craftbrew place. Considering they are also an LHBS I expected them to be easy but they were really really stuck on, and not made of paper. Got halfway through one and said to hell with it.

Thanks everyone for the extra tips, love this forum! And thanks Revvy about the Gordon Biersch info, that's actually pretty interesting to find out about "generic" brand beer.

 

[GallonJugs]

I'm new to brewing, but since I started I've been keeping my eyes open for Grolsh in any supermarkets I've been in, and they never seem to have it! Does anyone know of any other beers/soda that come in flip-top bottles?

 

[AnthonyCB]

I'm new to brewing, but since I started I've been keeping my eyes open for Grolsh in any supermarkets I've been in, and they never seem to have it! Does anyone know of any other beers/soda that come in flip-top bottles?

Fisher.

 

[jimmayhugh]

I'm new to brewing, but since I started I've been keeping my eyes open for Grolsh in any supermarkets I've been in, and they never seem to have it! Does anyone know of any other beers/soda that come in flip-top bottles?

Trader Joe's has two Nero's Imported Italian Ales that come in one-pint Grolsh-style bottles. I know the guy in charge of wine and beer at my local TJ's, and when he does beer and wine tasting on the weekends he saves me the bottles.

Another plus is that they are the dual-cap style that can use either a standard crown cap or the swing top.

As I recall the beer is about $2.49 each, which is about the case price for the empties from a LHBS.

 

[GallonJugs]

Trader Joe's has two Nero's Imported Italian Ales that come in one-pint Grolsh-style bottles. I know the guy in charge of wine and beer at my local TJ's, and when he does beer and wine tasting on the weekends he saves me the bottles.

Another plus is that they are the dual-cap style that can use either a standard crown cap or the swing top.

As I recall the beer is about $2.49 each, which is about the case price for the empties from a LHBS.

ohhh that would be perfect. They didn't have any swing tops of any kind in the TJ's nearest to me, but I might try a few others if I'm passing them. Thanks for the tip!

 

[Pilgarlic]

I'd been sort of force drinking lots of beer to get empties

Love the images this conjures.

 

[Revvy]

Trader Joe's has two Nero's Imported Italian Ales that come in one-pint Grolsh-style bottles. I know the guy in charge of wine and beer at my local TJ's, and when he does beer and wine tasting on the weekends he saves me the bottles.

Another plus is that they are the dual-cap style that can use either a standard crown cap or the swing top.

As I recall the beer is about $2.49 each, which is about the case price for the empties from a LHBS.

I haven't hit TJ's for beer in awhile, how is it?

 

[unionrdr]

People keep telling me there's a Trader Joe's near me. But never tell me where,& I can't find it. Must be on the Cleveland side of Westlake or something. Can't find it in our local phone book or on line. Been wanting to check it out.

 

[user 103238]

175 Market Street Westlake, Ohio. tel:440-250-1592

A few others in the surrounding areas if you go to the store locator on the Trader Joe's website.

People keep telling me there's a Trader Joe's near me. But never tell me where,& I can't find it. Must be on the Cleveland side of Westlake or something. Can't find it in our local phone book or on line. Been wanting to check it out.

 

[unionrdr]

175 Market Street Westlake, Ohio. tel:440-250-1592

A few others in the surrounding areas if you go to the store locator on the Trader Joe's website.

Boy is my face red. I guess my search engines suck or something. Thanks for the info. I also found another lil wine & beer shop in the new plaza across from Super Walmart. It's across from where you pull out of walmart on the north side,across the lil side street separating them. The wine store,somethin like that. They have a good selection of craft beers from around the world. Even had Cooper's sparkling ale. And build your own 6 pack too. Beer in cooler & on the shelf. Not very brightly lit,either.

 

[HopHeadGrady]

Just for the heck of it I hit up a local establishment here to see what they have. They gave me two 6.5 gal food grade pails that they wanted to get rid of (new), and 12 flip top bottles. Free. I spotted the pails in the same closet as the empties and they just said they had them for a catering event and never used em. Take em. Put an add in craigslist, ask some pubs, and drink your face off

 

[unionrdr]

Dang,that was a really good find! And brand new too. wow.

 

[GallonJugs]

Just for the heck of it I hit up a local establishment here to see what they have. They gave me two 6.5 gal food grade pails that they wanted to get rid of (new), and 12 flip top bottles. Free. I spotted the pails in the same closet as the empties and they just said they had them for a catering event and never used em. Take em. Put an add in craigslist, ask some pubs, and drink your face off

was this a bar, or a restaurant? Great find!

 

[NPK]

I bought two cases of new bottles for about 12 bucks each to start out and collected bottles as I consumed them from that point on.

Deschutes has awesome bottles, btw!

 

[jimmayhugh]

I haven't hit TJ's for beer in awhile, how is it?

Meh, the beers were nothing special, but the bottles were a find.