Returnable bottles leave beer drinkers cold

[tieflyer]

Returnable bottles leave beer drinkers cold
Few breweries still use bottles; Yuengling also to end practice

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By Dan Kelly
Reading Eagle

D.G. Yuengling & Son Inc. is likely the last major brewer in the nation to bottle with returnables, but the president of the Pottsville company says there are plans to end that practice soon. Mike Garner, the owner of this distributor, Beer Mart along Morgantown Road, says returnables were once the standard.

The returnable beer bottle looks to be going the way of the dodo.

Already a vanishing vessel for beer - and soda for that matter - the returnable bottle is thought to still be used by only one major U.S. brewer: D.G. Yuengling & Son Inc., Pottsville.

"I think we may be the only regional brewer still using them," Dick L. Yuengling, president and owner, said Monday.

Yuengling said returnable bottles still make great sense ecologically. He said that at one point 60 percent of his business was in returnable bottles.

"Now, if you showed a 16-ounce returnable bottle to a 22-year-old, he wouldn't know what the heck it was," Yuengling joked. "I like the idea. I installed a bottle washer at our new (Pottsville) location. I was going to try to revive the returnables but the customer just doesn't want them anymore."

Yuengling said his 181-year-old brewery - recognized as the nation's oldest - is planning to phase out returnable bottles by the end of the summer, although he was not aware of an exact date.

"But the end of the summer is only few weeks away," he said.

Yuengling said he already has offered to sell some of his returnable bottles to smaller brewers who still use the 16-ounce returnable bottles, which are made of a heavy, brown glass.

Straub Brewery, a smaller 138-year-old family-owned brewery in St. Mary's, Elk County, also still uses returnable bottles but is considering phasing them out.

Dan Straub, great-grandson of the founder of the brewery about 100 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, said that people simply aren't returning the bottles and he is running out.

Home brewers may also be buying them up or hoarding the bottles for their own use.

Mike Garner, owner of the Beer Mart, 301 Morgantown Road, said he believes returnable bottles are like a lot of things that have vanished from American culture.

Yuengling is the only beer in his large distributorship that still offers the option.

"I always liked the returnable bottle; it created a kind of customer loyalty," Garner said. "I don't think people care anymore.

"The big guys are trying to dismantle small businesses and make everything a Bud or Miller or Coors or Sam's Club - it's all about big business."

Whatever is happening has been happening for years.

The Beer Institute, a trade association that represents 90 percent of all companies that brew or import beer in the U.S., reported that returnable bottles accounted for only 12 percent of all beer sold in the U.S. in 1981.

Today, the institute's annual report lists returnables bottles as 0 percent. Officials said it's actually more like 0.3 percent and falling.

A 2001 study by a Portuguese engineering school found that on average, a returnable bottle was cycled through the cleaning and refilling process six times a year.

The more the returnable bottle is used, the less it impacts the environment, compared with nonreturnable bottles.

For Garner it's the end of an era.

"For many years this was the place to come for returnables," Garner said. "Yuengling is the only one available anymore."

 

[neovox]

I take it the "returnable" bottles being referred to here are thicker glass intended to be returned to the brewery for reuse? Locally we refer to pretty much any bottle with a deposit, which is just about any soda or beer, as a returnable.

A buddy of mind recently brought me a case of Yuengling. Much to my disappointment they did come in green twist-off bottles.

 

[MetallHed]

he should donate them to the members of HBT.

 

[Revvy]

I take it the "returnable" bottles being referred to here are thicker glass intended to be returned to the brewery for reuse? Locally we refer to pretty much any bottle with a deposit, which is just about any soda or beer, as a returnable.

A buddy of mind recently brought me a case of Yuengling. Much to my disappointment they did come in green twist-off bottles.

Yeah, I live in Michigan, we have a returnable law, so EVERY beer or soda bottle is returnable, and EVERY beer bottle, even from the microbreweries like Rogue or Stone is stamped with the price of the refund. As is all the macroswill beers.

Methinks the author of the article doesn't know what the hell he's talking about, and probably never bothered to look at returnable laws of many states.

Whole lotta nothing to worry about. Until laws are in place changing that, then there will be bottles for us to use.

A bigger concern is a lack of crown cap bottles as opposed to twist offs, BUT many of the breweries have switched back to crown caps as opposed to twist offs.

 

[Homercidal]

I remember picking up a case of some beer bottles which were "returnable". The place I normally get my bottle snow, except at that time the owner would nto let me pick and choose. He just went back and grabbed a box of bottles. They were not just recycled, but actually shipped back to the brewery where they cleaned and refilled them.

You could tell which brands did that because the bottles were all scratched to hell where they bumped each other during shipping.

 

[Revvy]

I remember picking up a case of some beer bottles which were "returnable". The place I normally get my bottle snow, except at that time the owner would nto let me pick and choose. He just went back and grabbed a box of bottles. They were not just recycled, but actually shipped back to the brewery where they cleaned and refilled them.

You could tell which brands did that because the bottles were all scratched to hell where they bumped each other during shipping.

These are some awesome 1970's era pints that I picked up at cap n cork years ago for like 5 or 10 bucks for all three cases. The one in front is a newer pint I threw in to replace one that broke, but you can see the line marks on them. They have a lot of character going for them.

I tend to use them for special beers. Right now an oaked IIPA is in them.

 

[david_42]

Revvy - Returnable in this case means bottles that can be reused/refilled, not recycled. Big difference, because you have to return the bottles to the same facility that originated them. Bottling lines are tuned to specific designs and seemingly minor differences in bottle shapes will cause jambs.

Consumers don't buy soda or beer exclusively from one or two sources any more, so returnables are a pain. In grad school, there was a soda bottler that reused bottles, but only their specific, embossed bottles. I rarely buy more than a six pack of a commercial beer and even where I buy cases and return the case to the brewery; they are not reused.

 

[prosper]

Pretty much every bottled beer made in Canada is available in the same standard 12oz reusuable brown twist-top longneck bottle, even the microbrews. Most of them have the wear patterns of the pics that Revvy posted.

 

[Homercidal]

Yeah, those bottles have tons of character. I think I returned all of mine and got new ones....

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

You Michiganers are all mixed up. A returnable is a case of bottles you return, they go back the brewery, and they clean and refill the bottles. It is not a return to the dump for cash kind of thing.

Here, you get a buck back when you bring back your case. In the last three years I have gone from three breweries who did returnables to one. Point is the only brewer still rocking the returnables that I have access to.

 

[Revvy]

You Michiganers are all mixed up. A returnable is a case of bottles you return, they go back the brewery, and they clean and refill the bottles. It is not a return to the dump for cash kind of thing.

Here, you get a buck back when you bring back your case. In the last three years I have gone from three breweries who did returnables to one. Point is the only brewer still rocking the returnables that I have access to.

Yeah we know.

Honestly I didn't know any brewery was still "recycling" them straight back to the bottling line these days. I haven't seen any bottles with line skuffs on them in years...I just assumed these days every returned bottle was destroyed and made into bottles again.

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

The only guys that actually buy them are old dudes and bums. It is cheap beer in there... I buy them if I need macro swill just because I am a huge fan of the old school factor.

I bet if you go to a big store, they will have them tucked away in a dusty corner somewhere. Or maybe not...

 

[buffalobrewer]

I still use some 16oz pepsi bottles from the 80's to bottle. I wonder if Genny Cream still comes in the pounders?

 

[DromJohn]

At a tour of Williamsburg AleWerks, the brewmaster said they used new recycled bottles because it was cheaper and easier than using returnables.

 

[Elshauno]

I know its not Beer but in Kentucky Ale8 1 bottles are returnable just got some last time I went down to Red River Gorge.

 

[tieflyer]

thing I like about them is the box they come in is hard cardboard and the bottles are heavier. I am picking up empty cases for 1.50 for a local distributer so I can use them instead of paying 16 bucks for a case of empties in a thin cardboard box. I will miss them when they are gone.

 

[k47k]

I still use some 16oz pepsi bottles from the 80's to bottle. I wonder if Genny Cream still comes in the pounders?

Genesee did away with the returnables around 1999 time frame. I know becuase i bought many many cases from a distributor who bought up the remaining stock. $6.99 a case with the nice heavy cardboard box. Cant even buy empty bottles for twice that much. Unfortunately, i was in college at the time and most of the bottles ended up broken due to basement bowling or target practice.

 

[neovox]

You Michiganers are all mixed up. A returnable is a case of bottles you return, they go back the brewery, and they clean and refill the bottles.

Right, like the old Towne Club bottles. Dang, I miss Towne Club soda.

I totally believe that more items should have deposits to encourage people to recycle them, like those stupid plastic grocery bags for starters.

 

[Zen_Brew]

I grew up and spent most of my life in SE Pennsylvania. You would go to the big beer distributors, which were just warehouses of beer in 24 oz cases. Many of the beers were sold with returnable bottles, including Yuengling, which made a fine lager, a pre-mixed black and tan, and an ale. You could just return the case to the beer distributor where you purchased them to get your refund. Assumedly they would route the bottles back to the owning brewery.

You could frequently get these beers in pounders as well (16 oz bottles). The great thing was the glass was substantially thicker than other bottles to survive the repeated wash/fill cycles I suppose. They'd be perfect for homebrewers, especially if you wanted to bottle something with an elevated carbonation level.

A friend and I from PA were just lamenting where all the returnables had gone several months ago.

 

[aopisa]

I have started brewing again after about a 20 year hiatus.

Yesterday I bottled an Amber Ale using some of the 4 cases of old returnable heavy glass "bar bottles" that I kept from the old days.

I decided I should pick up some more of these bottles. Then I realized that I had not seen any in a long time. A quick search here shows me that this species went extinct some time ago. I feel like a home brewing Rip Van Winkle.

Too bad. I used to pick these up at local bars for a buck a box. They were kind of gross to clean out filled with mold and cigarette butts, but the thick glass and nice heft made it worth it. I guess I will be hanging on to the few I have left to be consumed here at home.

 

[kombat]

A 4-year thread bump. Bold.

 

[Weezy]

in on the necro-train....


http://www.cbsnews.com/news/reusable-beer-bottles-facing-extinction/

I swear I saw Stoneys 16-oz returnables, in the waxed reusable cardboard box, a month ago.

It'd be an interesting model for a micro/nano-brewery. 12-packs of pints bottles, $5 deposit or something and $25 for the beer. These cases are individual bottles, not 6-packs, so people could mix and match as they see fit. Bring the empty case back for the $5 refund, or refill the case by picking whatever bottles you want out of coolers. heck, you could do it with flip tops.

 

[aopisa]

A 4-year thread bump. Bold.

Better than starting a new one.

Like I said, I have been out of brewing for 20 years. So, a four year old thread is nothing in the scheme of things.

 

[Zepth]

Ontario all beer and wine bottles have had a deposit since I can remember. All beer cans always have had a deposit as well. Within the last few years they added a deposit for liquor bottles. On the dark side of the river (Quebec) they have a deposit for all beer bottles and cans, all soda cans. Don't know about wine/liquor.

I can't see this system phasing out any time soon. That said it is still quite common to see abandoned bottles scattered along streets. Chatting with an old timer at work he remembered his younger days of scavenging Coke bottles. Said it was great because if you found 3 it was enough to earn you a full one! Now you'd need 20. The current system doesn't have nearly enough encouragement for everyone to warrant their time with it.

 

[berrywise]

I came into about 80 cases of them this past summer from an old roommate of mine. We used to drink all returnables and just never returned them. At the time we had planned to return them in mass one day and have a big party. It just never happened.

He decided to sell his house and they were all stored in the basement. I tried to give them away here and on craigslist but never had any takers and just started recycling a few cases a week. I kept a lot of the carboard boxes as they make for great storage.

 

[MollyHatchet]

I have five or six cases of returnable bottles ( Yuengling and Straub) both in 12 and 16 oz. I like to use them for speciality beers I like to age. I also like the old school look to them stacked up at the end of my bar.

 

[Weezy]

Ontario all beer and wine bottles have had a deposit since I can remember. All beer cans always have had a deposit as well. Within the last few years they added a deposit for liquor bottles. On the dark side of the river (Quebec) they have a deposit for all beer bottles and cans, all soda cans. Don't know about wine/liquor.

I can't see this system phasing out any time soon. That said it is still quite common to see abandoned bottles scattered along streets. Chatting with an old timer at work he remembered his younger days of scavenging Coke bottles. Said it was great because if you found 3 it was enough to earn you a full one! Now you'd need 20. The current system doesn't have nearly enough encouragement for everyone to warrant their time with it.

We're talking about really thick, durable glass bottles that are returned to the brewery (through distributors), washed and refilled... like kegs. the cardboard boxes are very durable as well. I think you're talking about the deposits on general bottles and cans intended to get people to recycle them.