Ever had bottle problems?

[Jobe5217]

I've read that most commercial bottles you get when you buy beer are cheaper and thinner, meant for single use. I have been using pop top bottles from beer I have bought but was wondering if they might eventually be a problem.

Has anyone had any difficulty reusing commercial bottles. By the way, I would like to use only new, high quality bottles but money is a big factor in my brewing decisions.

Thank you!

 

[krackin]

None except they are too small in general. I've been using them since the early '70's which would make some of the long necks 60's vintage no doubt. They have been dropped or lost for the most part now and all I have is mostly newer ones.

 

[DanH]

I've never had any problems either. I mostly keg but I bottle two or three batches a year and use only commercial bottles.

 

[duboman]

I have about 15 cases of various commercial bottles that have been reused over and over again for many years with no issues other than the occasional dropped bottle or the ones that don't get returned

 

[kh54s10]

For my first batch I hadn't collected enough commercial bottles so I bought a couple of cases. I have since collected about 400 commercial bottles and as far as I can tell there is no difference. Except for Sam Adams bottles have their logo molded in.

 

[songe]

i buy mine from the supermarket. (we recycle them here and each bottle refunds you 0,17 usd) they are thick and can take allot of carbing before breaking. So when im drinking my hombrews now... i just collect them and re-use them

 

[AlCophile]

Something to consider: Sam Adams 22oz bottles weigh 384 grams, 30 grams heavier than the 'good' 22oz commercial ones, and 50 grams more than the lighter 22oz. It is likely, not guaranteed, that they are stronger, less likely to burst in the event of over-carbing. I scrounge mine (free) from the local recycle bin; just don't make a PITA of yourself by climbing into the bin, as that's an insurance issue for the owner.

 

[kh54s10]

Something to consider: Sam Adams 22oz bottles weigh 384 grams, 30 grams heavier than the 'good' 22oz commercial ones, and 50 grams more than the lighter 22oz. It is likely, not guaranteed, that they are stronger, less likely to burst in the event of over-carbing. I scrounge mine (free) from the local recycle bin; just don't make a PITA of yourself by climbing into the bin, as that's an insurance issue for the owner.

The extra weight must be in the glass that makes up the raised logo!!

 

[songe]

Try an get belgian beer bottles.they can take a ****load of carbonation

 

[vNmd]

I like Carlsberg, when I can get it, so I have a few of them in my bottling rotation. I had a batch waaaaay over carb and the Carlsberg bottle (which is thinner than the normal brown ones) blew up. Fortunately I was able to dump the rest of the batch which would have eventually blown. I understand your question and I don't consider ever having any problems with commercial bottles even with my early warning system, but I stay with normal ale's & lagers with carbonation on the normal to low side.

 

[glenn514]

I do not keg. My entire experience as a homebrewer has been using bottles to carbonate and condition my brews. Other than the occasional broken neck due to my over-exuberance using my "red barron" capper, I have never had a problem with any of the bottles...and they are ALL "commercial" bottles that were purchased at a store, pre-filled with "commercial" beer.

glenn514

 

[ZenFitness]

I had a neck shear off one clean last night while bottling from a St. Arnold's bottle, but no complaints otherwise.

 

[DanH]

I had a neck shear off one clean last night while bottling from a St. Arnold's bottle, but no complaints otherwise.

I take back my "no problems" comment because I've had this happen. Otherwise, no problems.

 

[unionrdr]

I too broke 1 or 2 SN bottles with the red baron wing capper. I'm sure it was my gorilla-ing the bottle with that capper. Otherwise no problems till the bell wore out in it. Then I got the super agata bench capper & it's easier & faster.
I found one of my good Paulaner salvator bottles with a chipped lip,so I tossed it. Damn shame too,as it was one of the older ones with the bearded monks around the shoulder. Can't get those anymore. I got some more of the 330mL Wernesgruner Pils today. Cool bottles from Aldi's with their crest on the neck of a barrel with mash paddle sticking out of it,some buckets or other pouring into it. surrounded with barley sheives. Brown glass too. I liked the Michelobe dark pop tops that look like the old fused neck bottles. They've all held up for a few years now. Take care of them & they'll last a long time.
So I have quite a mixture of bottles from around the world I use regularly with no issues pertaining to the bottles themselves.

 

[Brewtah]

As others have said my only problems have been broken necks. All the broken bottles were the same brand, Uinta. So weeding those out.

 

[MaxStout]

Try an get belgian beer bottles.they can take a ****load of carbonation

Yeah, I'd love to get my hands on a couple hundred Belgian stubbies--I would ditch all the rest. I have a few, just from the occasional Trappist I buy. The 500ml European bottles are quite robust as well, and I have a few dozen. But most of my bottling is done with standard 12 oz. American longnecks, a few cases of SN-type shorties, and some bombers.

The only problems I've had were with the stubbies that have the narrow ring below the lip (I.e., Summit), which sometimes prevents the cap from crimping all the way. I now recycle those.

 

[songe]

Yeah, I'd love to get my hands on a couple hundred Belgian stubbies--I would ditch all the rest. I have a few, just from the occasional Trappist I buy. The 500ml European bottles are quite robust as well, and I have a few dozen. But most of my bottling is done with standard 12 oz. American longnecks, a few cases of SN-type shorties, and some bombers.

The only problems I've had were with the stubbies that have the narrow ring below the lip (I.e., Summit), which sometimes prevents the cap from crimping all the way. I now recycle those.

yeah them plastic capers are for long neck bottles and wont work with them damn bottles i can get a hand on... wanna know how i found out? i had filled 60 bottles of beer... and was gonna cap them.. but noooh that **** did not work.. and i had only 100 caps for that batch.... But i "stole" a capper from a firend... its made from metal and work superb.. until you put too much pressure on and break that damn bottle . if you like i can find out the name... its old.. but i bet you can find it on Ebay for 30 bucks ish or just buy a table caper

 

[feinbera]

I'm a n00b next to some of these guys, but, nine batches bottled in re-used commercial bottles, with only two busted, both due to "user error" – one over-exuberant cap-crimp broke the neck, and one bottle bomb. I did sanitize by baking my first couple batches, which I expect would take its toll on the bottles over time, but since then I switched over to an iodophor dunk, which should be easier on the glass and hasn't caused any problems with flavor or infection (knock on wood...).

Interesting about those Uinta bottles, Brewtah – I've got a couple sixers of theirs socked away, I may have to kick them out of the collection.

 

[HornetSparky]

I've done 14 batches and have oven-sterilized them every time. Though there has certainly been some refreshing of the glassware as some have been given away, but many have made the cycle a few times or more. Four of those batches were cider that I pasteurized in hot water, which tests the strength of the bottles. I've had bottle bombs due to improper pasteurization, but have had good success generally. The commercial bottles have held up well throughout.

 

[rocketsan]

I only use bottles from the U.K.

 

[Jobe5217]

Thanks for all the replies! I don't think I'll worry about re-using bottles.

 

[hlm123]

I had one 22 oz bottle (full of finished beer) burst in half as I was using a bench capper on it. It was a commercial bottle but not sure which once since I had cleaned off the label. That was disappointing but has only happened once and was probably a flimsier bottle.

 

[bleme]

I've had some 20oz Sapporo bottles bust the first week after bottling. I had the neck of one 12oz Anchor bottle snap off while I was capping.