Question regarding bottles

[someara]

I am new on here (also a newbie in the home brewing scenerio) i'm very excited to start brewing beer but I thought that instead of buying brand new bottles I would just buy some from the liquor store and just use the bottles after ive saved enough. Is there any downside to this?

Also, I haven't bought a bottled beer in the longest time, what are some beers that dont use a twist off cap? I will need to get to the store tonight!

Thanks!

 

[disaffected]

Welcome to the forum.

Saving and reusing bottles is a perfectly reasonable and very common practice. It is a good way to build up your bottle supply cheaply. Most of mine were collected that way.

Make sure you buy beer that comes with regular pry-off caps. You can't easily recap a screw-off bottle because the threads will keep you from getting a good seal.

There are some pry-off bottles that don't work as well as others. Any of them that have a top like the one found on Samuel Adams bottles works best. These are the type of bottles that most of the microbrewers use to bottle their beer.

The 500ml or 16.9 oz bottles that many German and English ales come in are also really good bottles. Some bottles like 12 oz Bass Ale have a slightly thinner ridge around the top and might not seal as easily with some bottle cappers.

 

[someara]

Thanks for the info! Much appreciated. Can you think of any other bottles that work well? I'll probably be looking for a variety of beers at the store tonight. The only beer that I can think of that uses pry off caps is Guinness.

Thanks You!

 

[Bernie Brewer]

Give this thread a look. Those Grolsch bottles are the Cat's A$$

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=1270

 

[disaffected]

Thanks for the info! Much appreciated. Can you think of any other bottles that work well? I'll probably be looking for a variety of beers at the store tonight. The only beer that I can think of that uses pry off caps is Guinness.

Thanks You!

The ones I buy that work are Hop Devil, anything from Breckenridge Breweries, anything from Samuel Adams, Stone Mill, Rogue Breweries (Dead Guy Ale, Shakespeare Stout, etc), Dogfish Head, Mendocino Brewing, ...

really, most microbrew bottles are good as long as they are not twist offs.

 

[disaffected]

Give this thread a look. Those Grolsch bottles are the Cat's A$$

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=1270

Wow! Two people just replied to that 18 month old dead thread. Bizarre.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

Wow! Two people just replied to that 18 month old dead thread. Bizarre.

LOL! I never even looked at the date on it! Oopsie...........

 

[Yuri_Rage]

Rogue, Stone, Samuel Smith, and New Belgium bottles have all worked well for me in addition to the ones mentioned already. I prefer kegs, but the next best thing are those Grolsch bottles if you can stand to drink the stuff (or score some bottles for a good price).

 

[someara]

Thanks for the help everyone, I went with a 6er of sam adams, bass, and guiness tonight. I'll let you know if I get any issuses with these once I save about 50 of them!
About the grolsch, ive only had it once out of the 1-2 gallon mini keg they sell. (and it was warm) So, needless to say, I didn't want to take another shot at it!!! lol

 

[disaffected]

Some people have reported problems with Bass Ale. Compare the top of a Bass Ale bottle with the Sam Adams and you'll see the difference. Whether it works or not may depend on the capper you use.

 

[Jim Karr]

I've been using recycled Corona bottles forever. Good cap fit, and you can often find them 12 at a time in the dumpster!

 

[Chris_K]

Do Guinness bottles still have the widget in the bottom? (not a big fan of it, at least in bottles, so I don't know) That would make them less than ideal for reuse.

Also, Corona bottles wouldn't be as desirable as brown bottles, but I don't think your typical homebrew will be as susceptible to UV skunking as commercials beers in a lit display case.

 

[homebrewer_99]

I've been using recycled Corona bottles forever. Good cap fit, and you can often find them 12 at a time in the dumpster!

...yeah, full too!!!

 

[disaffected]

Do Guinness bottles still have the widget in the bottom? (not a big fan of it, at least in bottles, so I don't know) That would make them less than ideal for reuse.

Guinness Extra Stout bottles do not have a widget, and they would probably work fine. I tend to prefer longneck bottles though, and those are short and squat.

The draught bottles may work, but those aren't even glass, are they? Not sure, as I don't care for the draught version with the nitro anyway and so I don't buy them.

I bet Yuri could design a nitro widget-ectomy tool of some kind if you want to reuse those draught bottles with the widget inside.

 

[disaffected]

...yeah, full too!!!

Ha! I just bought a six pack of canned Corona. I want to try some Beer Can Chicken on my grill, and I was having a hard time finding really good beer that comes in cans that size. So I settled on Corona as the best of the alternatives in that size can. I figured Corona beats BMC, Tecate, or Cerveza Nacional, at least.

I sometimes buy Young's Double Chocolate Stout in cans, but I think those tall cans will be too big for BCC. Maybe BCT (Beer Can Turkey!), though a 24 oz Foster's might be more appropriate for BCT.

 

[Hopfan]

Do Guinness bottles still have the widget in the bottom? (not a big fan of it, at least in bottles, so I don't know) That would make them less than ideal for reuse.

The bullet is easily removed with needle nose pliers. Just shake the bottle like you're trying to get the ketchup started, then reach in with the pliers and pull it out. It's plastic and pulls out easily.

 

[conboss]

I have 55 Grolsch bottles, I like them better than caps. The problem is getting them back from "friends" you'd be surprized how many you have when you start making beer. Started a new rule, don't give my bottles back and cleaned don't get anymore beer! Had to go round up a few, those guys are on my "no more beer list".

Greg

 

[chillHayze]

I bet Yuri could design a nitro widget-ectomy tool of some kind if you want to reuse those draught bottles with the widget inside.

nitro widget-ectomy = Needle nose pliars.

I have about 12 guinness draught bottles and maybe 30 extra stouts. The draughts are perfect, and removing the widget takes about 5 seconds with the pliars. The labels are heat shrunk and just peel off, requiring only the aforementioned pliars to start the peeling. That means no soaking or scraping labels.

The extra stout ones are cute and all, but the glass is rather thin and the crowns are similar to bass ale's (read thinner) and more difficult to get a good seal.

Also look into swing top bottles of the 16 oz or 500ml (16.9oz) size. Also 22oz crown tops are nice - less work on bottling day! Your recycling center or any place that takes return bottles should let you "borrow" some bottles for a deposit (5-10 cents depending on the state).

 

[the_bird]

I sometimes buy Young's Double Chocolate Stout in cans, but I think those tall cans will be too big for BCC. Maybe BCT (Beer Can Turkey!), though a 24 oz Foster's might be more appropriate for BCT.

I've wanted to make beer-can turkey with a big can of Fosters, just so I could affect a bad Boston accent and call it "Oil Can Boyd".

 

[drrjr74]

how many times can you reuse them

 

[BrewBrain]

how many times can you reuse them

for evaaaaaa. Just keep washing, sanitizing, filling and emptying

By the way, did you start reading from post #1?

 

[944play]

Guinness Extra Stout bottles do not have a widget, and they would probably work fine.

Guinness Extra 22oz bottles have the short ridge like Bass. Also Anchor 22oz. Not a problem if you have a bench capper, I guess.

I like to have a plastic bottle or two in each batch. A&W Diet Root Beer 20oz bottles have worked well for me with no residual flavors, and they're brown. Cream Soda not so much.

 

[zachatola]

Ive bottled with Guinness, new belg, widmer, sam adams, corrona (muritic acid rocks for the labels), st. paulie grl, some misc bottles, red hook, sierra nev, Heineken, and all have bottled great. I am using a bench top caper though. I know that the shorter bottles Heineken especially dont work well with the hand caper, the grab ridge is not in the right spot for the hand capers.

edit: the green and clear bottles are used exclusively for Edworts apfelwein

 

[DJBod129]

I Asked the same question earlier, and I think this is the best list I've seen:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/brands-pry-off-bottles-80667/#post857847

Here's to hoping the URL works.

 

[msnewbee]

this is my first time brewing, bottles with twist off tops are not that good? i have alot of budlight 12pks wateing to be used.

 

[waterse]

Fortunately those twist off can't be used for recapping so you will not have to suffer the pain of drinking Bud light to get the bottles.

 

[TeleTwanger]

My favorite bottles are Chimay, Guiness, Anchor(before they started using twist offs), Youngs, and Paulaner. I also have a bunch of 1 liter sparkling lemonade bottles with swing tops.

If you use a bench capper you can cap almost any bottle including the big Heinekens which are a PITA with an Emily capper.

 

[c1377]

I've been using recycled Corona bottles forever. Good cap fit, and you can often find them 12 at a time in the dumpster!

I hope you are joking...
------------------------
Brown bottles only!
Rinse & store upside down (to prevent airborne bacteria or dust from getting in)
Don't bother trying to remove the labels.

Getting the right kind of bottle is a simple matter of finding a store that specializes in micro-brews.

Try to find a "Friar Tucks" or similar venue. They have beer from over 100 different micro-breweries.

 

[TeleTwanger]

I hope you are joking...
------------------------
Brown bottles only!
Rinse & store upside down (to prevent airborne bacteria or dust from getting in)
Don't bother trying to remove the labels.

Getting the right kind of bottle is a simple matter of finding a store that specializes in micro-brews.

Try to find a "Friar Tucks" or similar venue. They have beer from over 100 different micro-breweries.

I use corona bottles as well especially the small nips I use for sampling. There's absolutley nothing wrong with clear or green bottles if stored properly, out of light. I've never seen a brown carboy.

 

[Tripod]

Greetings All,

I like the Sam Adams bottles. The labels almost fall off after a short soak in oxy-clean with very little glue residue left behind to scrub. I also have one 6-pk of Newcastle bottles so that I can have a few clear bottles simply for observation. I like to check the progress as the beer conditions.

I know brown bottles are best because of the problems with light but a single 6-pk-worth of bottles won't ruin the batch and if I store them in the dark then there is no real issue. You pros please correct me if I'm wrong about that...I'm still learning every single day!

-Tripod

 

[hexmonkey]

Don't bother trying to remove the labels.

I hope you're joking.

Paper labels are just a place for bacteria to hide and multiply in between bottling. Even worse if you're using discarded bottles from a bar or the recycling center.

Usually you'll be cleaning and sanitizing the bottles in a in multiples in a bucket or tub. That means all the bad stuff that's accumulated in or on the label/glue is now in a soup getting into your other bottles. The high bacterial content can overwhelm the sanitizer - sooner or later you'll be pouring out 50 bottles of nasty, infected beer.

90% of all the bottles I've used have had labels that come off in an overnight soak of oxyclean.

If you're buying beer for the bottles, try to steer clear of:

• laminated labels, which are usually glued on with rubbery glue that is harder to remove
• metallic/foil labels, which tend to make a mess when the ink slides off the labels and starts floating around in the bucket/tub
• foil necks, which sometimes use the same glue as laminated labels(see above)

I've seen some nice, thicker-than-usual brown glass bottles used by Hacker-Pschorr's Oktoberfest beer lately.