Homemade Ceramic Bottles

[Miller4]

This is my first post but I have been reading the threads for a while and getting great information. I wanted to share these ceramic bottles I made and bottled a portion of my first batch of beer in them. Hopefully they work out and have a good enough seal to hold carbonation. Any thoughts or ideas? I will update after the bottles have time to carb and see if they work.

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[argyle]

All I can say is wow! Very nice work! I hope these work for you they look great! Great Job!

 

[Miller4]

Thanks a bunch, I hope they work out as well.

 

[501irishred]

Most excellent! If (when) they work out, these would be AWESOME to age and serve some barley wine out of.........Just say'n! Classy!

 

[Revvy]

Are you pressure testing them? I'd hate to have such cool handmade bottles act like growlers and not be able to contain the pressure of carbonation.

They're spectacular though.

 

[conneryis007]

Wow!
Not being a potter..how do you ensure the inside of the bottles get fully glazed, in order to be sanitized?

Do you just pour glaze in, swirl a bunch, hope for the best and inspect after the second firing?

Let us know how they work!

 

[F250]

Miller, those look great, I like em!

Rick

 

[Easily_Distracted]

I hope they work. They look great.

 

[mccumath]

I really like the first and third ones! Would be sweet to roll up to a party pouring your homebrew from one of them! Be afraid someone would break it tho...

 

[bottlebomber]

Really cool man, hopefully they hold. Did you slip the inside or something?

 

[Miller4]

@Revvy - I have not pressure tested them, I suppose this first bottling if they hold carbonation will be the test. I don't imagine them having a problem, however I don't have a lot of experience with brewing and carbonating.

@Connoryis - That is essentially exactly what I did, for these I normally use a transparent celadon glaze as a liner, pour into them, swirl, dump out. It should line completely but that was one of my concerns because if it doesn't that would be problematic as it is a stoneware bodied clay that would soak in liquid without glaze. I think my next flip top bottle project might be with a porcelain clay, then I wouldn't have to worry as the clay body would be non-vitreous after firing.

I will keep an update, and post better photos .

 

[mathin]

I do a little pottery too. Never thought about trying to do swung tips. Where did you get the hardware? Was it hard to get the distance right on the holes?

Dan.

 

[Polboy]

i like all of them, great job and i hope they work for carbed beer

 

[DanH]

Subscribing to find out if they hold pressure. Hoping so.

 

[Miller4]

@Mathin- The tops are Replacement EZ cap swing tops that I bought online. The holes were somewhat difficult, I used digital calipers to measure the dimensions on an existing glass swing top, I then recalculated the dimensions to account for shrinkage. The width of the neck isn't quite as important because you can bend the metal on the swing tops to fit. The distance from the rim to the holes is a little touchier to get enough pressure to really push down but not too much to where it doesn't fit. After doing the measurements I made a small wooden jig to quickly make measurements while the bottles are still on the wheel. I will definitely be making more, especially if they carb the beer. If you have any more questions let me know.

 

[adivito]

Those are really nice. Is that a hobby or your business?

 

[WesleyS]

Those look great! I hope they work out great and hold pressure.

 

[mathin]

Thanks for the info on the hardware and measuring. I might give it a try.

 

[Miller4]

Just adding some more photos

 

[Miller4]

 

[Miller4]

Also played around with some label ideas, might have to try some for the beer as well.

 

[chickypad]

Way cool. I hope they hold for you.

 

[Miller4]

One last one going a little more sculptural but still 100% functional.

 

[JollyIsTheRoger]

One last one going a little more sculptural but still 100% functional.

I have a sneaking suspicion that this one won't hold pressure.

Ok that was an awful joke, but someone had to say it.

 

[Miller4]

Agreed, won't hold pressure haha. But will hold liquid!

 

[Homercidal]

I've bought commercial beer in porcelain container like that. I wouldn't be surprised if they work just fine. I wish I could to stuff like that. Maybe I need to brew less and start putting time in on the pottery wheel!

 

[bottlebomber]

I've bought commercial beer in porcelain container like that. I wouldn't be surprised if they work just fine. I wish I could to stuff like that. Maybe I need to brew less and start putting time in on the pottery wheel!

Me too, there's one called Yeast Hoist that I've purchased that comes in a stoneware bottle, and the bottle is burly.

 

[JollyIsTheRoger]

Me too, there's one called Yeast Hoist that I've purchased that comes in a stoneware bottle, and the bottle is burly.

I have one from rogue, their xs series. I was an imperial stout, now its a nice growler to take with me to friends houses.

 

[JohnWilliamson062]

Great work. I spent a year at a vocational school in Yingko Taiwan and was lucky enough to receive some instruction from some very knowledgeable and skilled ceramics craftspeople. I haven't done anything in a decade, but will have to investigate firing up the kiln and giving this a try.

 

[Domminigan]

This makes me wish I wouldn't have passed up that kiln last week. Your bottles look great!