How do you store your empties?

[brumbrew]

I brew beer and wine and I'm often gifted empties.

Currently I just put them in black bags in the corner of the outhouse.

Trouble is you only use the top lot as they get drank and replaced to be used again.

I often have to tip the bag up and purge the bottom lot because I find they still grow mold. Get roughed up and chipped and generally don't look like they are worthy of receiving my well worked for product.

So question, how does everyone store their empties?

I have a home built wine bottle rack for full bottles (standing upright) but my potentially full ones linger on in darkness.

While I'm building this weekend's project, and while I have the tools out (SWMBO is at work) i May try to build something for this purpose.

Any suggestions?

 

[GHW]

In the same plastic crate as my fulls. Just put em back where they came from. They've got lids.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

we had an empty lower cupboard in the kitchen (once we threw all those electric kitchen items you use twice then never again) its now full of bottles.

 

[Dads_Ale]

I use a series of cardboard boxes.
After use I wash and drain the bottles (on my bottling rack).
Once I am sure they are dry they are packed into boxes, sheet of blue paper roll layed over the to so they can breath (prevents condensation) but stop bugs getting in. Boxes stored in loft or shed.

Generally I find with this method they only need a quick rinse with StarSan before filling as they are already clean.

 

[brumbrew]

Thanks guys, keep your suggestions and methods coming.

We also have a cupboard full of non descript electrical items.

Hmmmm 👿

 

[Leon103]

I have shelving in the garage which can hold a few hundred bottles and all my kit. I also have old kitchen cupboards in the garage if needed

 

[DanST]

The metal shelving you bang together with a mallet is good cause they hold lots of weight. I got some on offer in B&Q for 20 quid, think you can pick it up for 30 lots of places.

I find a bottle tree really handy too. They are expensive for what they are mind. I don't think they are expensive to make so you see them in deals now and again online. Makes it easy to see if you've got enough for bottling day or if you need to get drinking.

 

[brumbrew]

The metal shelving you bang together with a mallet is good cause they hold lots of weight. I got some on offer in B&Q for 20 quid, think you can pick it up for 30 lots of places.

I find a bottle tree really handy too. They are expensive for what they are mind. I don't think they are expensive to make so you see them in deals now and again online. Makes it easy to see if you've got enough for bottling day or if you need to get drinking.

This is something I could make at work quite easily out of scrap materials. Think I would try and refine the design to make it as tall and slim (but still be able to remove selected bottles) as possible.

I also like the cardboard box idea. These, I also have in abundance at work.

My weekend project (off topic) is to make a smoker. For meat, fish and cheese.

But I can also get another receiver for the smoke from work. Which I plan to mark as grain only. Then I can make some of that Oktoberfest smoked, oily, railway sleeper beer. If anyone knows what I mean?

I just really need to utalise my space better. Is why I ask how you guys do it.

 

[brumbrew]

The smoke receiver is the same thing I use a a boil kettle.

It's a liner from a paint sprayers pressure vessel.

-I boiled water in it repeatedly before I put beer in there, to make sure the welds held water.

I have 6 of them and counting ;-)

 

[Dads_Ale]

This is something I could make at work quite easily out of scrap materials. Think I would try and refine the design to make it as tall and slim (but still be able to remove selected bottles) as possible.

I also like the cardboard box idea. These, I also have in abundance at work.

My weekend project (off topic) is to make a smoker. For meat, fish and cheese.

But I can also get another receiver for the smoke from work. Which I plan to mark as grain only. Then I can make some of that Oktoberfest smoked, oily, railway sleeper beer. If anyone knows what I mean?

I just really need to utalise my space better. Is why I ask how you guys do it.

Good luck with the smoked food.

I did a smoked Rauchbier once. SWMBO said t was like licking an old chimney :lol:

 

[DanST]

Good luck with the smoked food.

I did a smoked Rauchbier once. SWMBO said t was like licking an old chimney :lol:

I've had "a pint of bbq" before too. Think it's a very fine line with the smoked malt.

 

[Dads_Ale]

I've had "a pint of bbq" before too. Think it's a very fine line with the smoked malt.

I actually won a homebrew competition with this beer in 1996. I only bottled it the night before so it shows how rubbish the other entries were :)

 

[dad_of_jon]

after a dishwash if no moisture left I put foil over the bottles then down the shed otherwise in the oven they go, gas mark 4 for 15 mins, then foil and down the shed. Just need a starsan rinse then on bottling day.

 

[brumbrew]

Good luck with the smoked food.

I did a smoked Rauchbier once. SWMBO said t was like licking an old chimney :lol:

Not just us then :-)

 

[Hops_and_Dreams]

I just rinse mine out after pouring, let them dry and store them in cardboard boxes in the spare room (not too popular). I don't bother covering them as the flaps of the box should stop anything getting in. Then just a quick rinse of starsan on bottling day and seems to work for me with no problems.

I try to time my brews so that I've got enough empties by the time the latest batch is ready to bottle, so they never stay empty for long!

 

[lagerlad]

I give them a good wash let them drip dry and put clingfilm over the top seems to work fine,sterilize before filling with the amber nectar.
On the smoked beer 🍺 I had a lovely pint of smoked porter last night at the nearest wetherspoons(not my usual haunt but was going to a gig and its nearby)£1.79,unbelievable they had a choice of 6 ales at this price,bargain. cheers lagerlad

 

[MyQul]

I rinse them after pouring a beer, then put them in my Fast Rack. When I've got 30 bottles I oven them to sterilise and put a little cling film cap on them. I have a long wall with a long sideboard against it with little legs that just about fits a 500ml bottle. The space underneath fits approx 200 bottles. Thats where I keep em till bottling day