Is this feasable?

[jimboeric]

I visited a site that reffered to bottling your finished brew in plastic screw top coke bottles. I could see a 1L bottle as feasable, but I think a 2L might be acceptable given that I might drink 2L in 2 nights. 3L....forget it!! what's your thinking?? I have already collected and sanitized about 4 cases worth of "non screw type" brown and green bottles, such brands as Bridgeport India Pale Ale, Guiness Extra Stout, Spaten, Harp, St. Pauli Girl, Sam Adams Black Lager etc. I dishwashered them, removed all labels etc. But when it comes down to it, if one is "home brewing" for the economics of it......tired of paying $8 a six-pack for Spaten or IPA, and given that my 5 gallons will be drunk up while the next batch is brewing, will plastic totally crap-out my flavor? If yes, I've got the bottles.
I want to thank you all for your writing to me. My starter kit is on its way. Understanding now that a Lager must be fermented with low temperatures, I ordered a darker ale and added extra malt extract to bring up the alc. content to 7%. I am eagerly anticipating the kit's arrival. I just wanted anyone with an oppinion to help me with, that I am homebrewing for economics. Not to be the best microbrewery in the USA. One kind writer mentioned Austin Home Brew. I've been there, live very close to it. My God, the kit I ordered online is less than $90. If you go there, AHB will sell you $500 worth of stuph just to get started! Why I came to the internet. But thank you so much for replying to me. I may go there to say, buy a yeast or something, but my goal is to brew an economical brown tasty malt beverage with 7% alcohol to stop paying 8+dollars a six pack for my fav. beers, say.....if I could make a dark ale with 7% alc.
Anyway, thanks to all. If you have any more pointers please give them. I'll let you know how my FIRST BATCH turned out in about 6 weeks!
Jim

 

[z987k]

Yes you can use plastic bottles, I think there are at least a handful of people on here that use 20oz plastic PET bottles. There's no reason you couldn't use a 2L bottle. Advantage of plastic is you won't get any bottle bombs. I use glass though. I just like it.

Now on you economics of homebrewing, well, lol as soon as you stop buying equipment you might be able to start saving money, but then again you need to go AG to really save money, and now you need to buy more equipment.

Lets see, I spent $80 on my started kit and roughly 25-35$ per extract beer I've done so far. I have also built a immersion chiller and am building my AG setup right now. Oh and yeah I have bought 2 carboys and a good thermometer. So yeah... I don't think it's for the economics of it but good luck to you if you can pull that off.

 

[CBBaron]

Yes you can use plastic bottles but remember to keep them out of the light and I don't think I would age the beers very long as they are more O2 permeable than glass. If you store in a basement and drink it all up in 1-2 months from the bottle date it should work well.

As for economics, it is cheaper to buy alcohol than it is to brew decent beer but if you are trying to brew something to replace buying good mirco brews, you may come out ahead.
Two things you can do to reduce your costs is buy in bulk, and all-grain. Buying in bulk requires that you use the ingredients in a reasonable time frame and you have a way to store the ingredients. All-grain requires considerably more equipment which pushes out your break even point but can save you considerably in per batch costs.

If you want to get drunk, buy cheap vodka or beer, if you want a good tasting beer don't just add sugar or malt extract to a recipe without thinking how it will affect the taste. If you want a larger beer look at some recipes for some larger beers and start from there.

Most people here are more interested in the taste of the beer than in the alcohol content. So consider that as you write your posts.

Also, while Austin Home Brew does have some very nice kits, they also have some good entry level kits. I think if you tell them what you are looking for they can point you in the right direction. Online they list a good starter kit for $100. They have nice prices on the stock pot upgrade for that kit also.

Craig