Strange Brew

[cormi3r]

I am completely new to home brewing. I helped one of my neighbors bottle his last batch of beer and he had a lot of information to share. I'm excited to get started, but I thought I would read and get informed before I set up my home brewery.

I would love to get some thoughts on what type of bottles to use. I was planning on using champagne bottles instead of 12 oz. bottles. Any thoughts?

- Cormi3r

 

[cormi3r]

Well alright, thank you for the quick response. I went to a brewery in Nantucket (Cisco Brewery) and they used a champagne like bottle that I assume after your email must have been a 22 oz. bottle and I just thought it was much cooler than the regular old 12 oz. bottle.

I am getting really excited about this. I have been wanting to do this for many many years.

- Cormi3r

 

[magno]

Welcome to the board.

Some but not all champagne bottles will take a standard cap. Unless you have a ready supply of these bottles though, I would go with something more standard (12, 16, 22 oz).

- magno

 

[TheJadedDog]

Sounds to me like you should go with the 22oz bottle; my friends uses them and likes them a lot.

 

[neckbone]

It is my understanding that American champagne bottles will accept a regular bottle cap. If you have a stand capper, then you're already set up, but if you have a manual capper, like mine, the metal jaws that hold the bottle need to be flipped around so that the bigger side holds the bottle. The Champagne bottle necks are a little thicker than a regular 12oz bottle.

 

[cormi3r]

Cool, thank you all for the advice. I will keep people informed of my experiences with my bottles in the equipment forum and hopefully will have some advice to pass along to another fellow home brewer in these forums someday.

I'm not opposed to 22 oz. bottles over champagne bottles, I just want to use something as opposed to the 12 ounce bottles. Something more distinct to pass along to friends and other brewers.

I have been looking at other labels and ideas for packaging. I know I do need to concentrate on making good beer first and worry about presentation later.

I'll keep looking for advice thanks again, great forum.

- Cormi3r

 

[david_42]

American champagne bottles will accept a regular bottle cap

Unfortunately not always the case. Mark at Golden Valley does some bottle-conditioned ales in champagne bottles & they don't use a standard cap. I have a whole case of them. Good thing the VS IPA Brut and Black Panther stout are both worth buying just to drink.:cross: