Just found an interesting source for bottles. My Job!!

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elbajista

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Being that I'm fairly new to this hobby and to my job as a bartender, I never once considered using old liquor and wine bottles from the bar I work at for homebrewing.

We don't have any bottled beer (It's a country club bar at a golf course in a temporary modular building), but today I considered somehow using the typical bottles we use frequently for homebrew.

The only two types of bottles I come in contact with are your typical liquor bottles (Bar Liters of Jack, Jim Beam, Canadian Club, Absolut, Well Liquor, etc.) and Inglenook brand Wine Bottles.

From you more experienced brewers, do you think I could use these type of bottles for homebrewing? The liquor bottles have metal screwtops, so carbonated beer is out of the question, but could one potentially store an uncarbonated drink in the wine bottles? (I'm thinking uncarbonated Apfelwein)

Here's a bad cropping of the wine bottles from the official site:

Logo_and_bottles.jpg

Bottles.jpg


The bottles have corks similar to this, only they're plastic and not actual cork:
4661.jpg


The wine bottles are 1.5 Liters, and seem useful. We go through 4-6 a day, so it seems like such a waste of good, solid glass. I only see the lack of a real cork or ability to traditionally cap as a problem

FWIW....
 
From everything that I've read, wine bottles make poor containers for beer because they weren't made with the intent of being under pressure. You risk a very dangerous bottle bomb. Not too mention, that you'd have to decant the entire bottle of beer at once, otherwise the yeast would get really roused after each poor.
 
I understand that they can't really be used for carbonation, but could a fermented but uncarbonated beverage be stored in the effectively? (As in, straight Apfelwein?)
 
elbajista said:
I understand that they can't really be used for carbonation, but could a fermented but uncarbonated beverage be stored in the effectively? (As in, straight Apfelwein?)

Yes.

But you should consider talking whoever purchases for the club into carrying some really good micros. It might be a hit with the members and then you'd get the credit and the bottles!

And if you go that route and need suggestions, well, I'm sure we'd all pitch in our favs!
 
c.n.budz said:
Uh.... What was stored in them previously? You answered your own question....

Buy new corks though...

...........:drunk: (the worst part about my stupidity is that I haven't had a drop to drink tonight!:confused:

What corks would you guys recommend?
 
After two semi-slow nights at work, I've already aquired 7 1.5 liter bottles! At this rate, I'll have enough for a 5 Gallon batch by early next week at the latest. The other bartenders at work agreed to save whatever bottles they come across for me as well. After I get what I need, I'd be happy to supply anyone else with a few here and there as I acquire them.

Also, I just stopped in a relatively new wine+cheese place nearby, and found out that they also sell supplies for making your own wine. While I wish it was a brewery, it'll do for now! They have everything I would need with the exception of beer bottles and kettles/wort chillers/etc. :D

It's been a good coupla' days! :D
 
I've been doing the same thing, taking old bottles from work for apfelwien. If you are looking for a larger bottle that will hold carbonation, try used champagne bottles. I don't know if you guys serve any champagne at the golf course, but there should be no reason the bottle won't work since it has been designed with a carbonated beverage in mind. Also if anyone in the Central MA area is looking for wine bottles let me know. I can usually pick up a couple of empty cases a week, maybe more if I convince my co-workers to save them too.
 
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