Newbie bottle advice

[MarkBowie]

Hi,

I am looking to buy bottles and want to know;
A) what type to get
B) if I need any extra equipment e.g. Capper.

Even though I'm starting out I want something that is going to last and I won't have to replace as I get more adventurous.

Thanks in advance

 

[Dutto]

I recommend starting off with brown glass bottles (I got 45 of these) ...

http://www.homebrewcentregy.com/glass-amber-beer-bottles-500ml

... a bottle drainer (I got one of these) ...

http://www.homebrewcentregy.com/bottle-drainer-holds-45-bottles

... a bench capper ...

http://www.homebrewcentregy.com/bench-capper-for-crown-caps

... a variety of different coloured caps like these ...

http://www.homebrewcentregy.com/crown-caps-100-yellow

... a syphon kit like this ...

http://www.homebrewcentregy.com/1-meter-syphon-kit

... and something to sanitise the gear with such as this ...

http://www.homebrewcentregy.com/chemipro-oxi-1kg

The secret of bottling and capping is to make sure that:

o You have enough bottles to take the whole brew.

o ALL of the bottles are at same height and take the same size of cap.

After starting with these 45 bottles I then got a King Keg and another 45 x 500ml bottles to allow me to condition a brew for three weeks before drinking.

Hope this helps. :thumb:

 

[wfr42]

Very succinct list from dutto.

You will find what works for you but some advice to start...
http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=62200

 

[Cwrw666]

Hmmm... 15 500ml bottles for nine quid plus six quid delivery. So that's a quid a bottle. Why not pop into Tesco or somewhere and buy for example bottles of Bishops Finger for only 24p more per bottle. The beers not bad at all, the labels come off easy with a little soaking, and hey, they're full of BEER.:lol:
Just don't buy Hobgoblin as the bottles are really difficult to cap, or at least most people find them so.

 

[JRTurner1234]

Oakham ale bottle labels come off easiest....

 

[Dutto]

Hmmm... 15 500ml bottles for nine quid plus six quid delivery. So that's a quid a bottle. Why not pop into Tesco or somewhere and buy for example bottles of Bishops Finger for only 24p more per bottle. The beers not bad at all, the labels come off easy with a little soaking, and hey, they're full of BEER.:lol:
Just don't buy Hobgoblin as the bottles are really difficult to cap, or at least most people find them so.

It's free delivery on orders over £65 - i.e. 60p a bottle which ain't bad ... :thumb:

... especially if you are not keen on Bishops Finger (which sounds obscene in view of the history of our clergy)! :whistle:

 

[DoctorMick]

I'd second the idea of buying bottles that come pre-filled with beer. :thumb: All of my beers go in brown ale bottles (I store in boxes so don't need brown) and as my dad goes through a lot of the stuff I never have a short supply.

 

[Joeyriles]

I call foul on the Bishop's Finger (again, obscene.) I find any Shepherd's Neame beer labels hard to remove BUT this is just my personal experience.
I find Fuller's labels the easiest to remove, FYI.

 

[BeardySi]

Oakham ale bottle labels come off easiest....

Badger I've found

Bottle banks are great. Hang about a busy one for a bit on a Sunday afternoon and you can usually take your pick of the bottles you want.

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[MarkBowie]

Thank you everyone, looking forward to giving it all a go.

 

[IainM]

They are right, bottles with beer in are the best. Banks bitter is 89p per 500ml in Tesco, and the label comes off easy. If you have to buy bottles, as I've had to do a few times when building up stock, then the Ballihoo/Youngs ones are the best, with nice thick glass which help prevent bottle bombs. The wilko ones are also thick, but they are taller which makes storage a bit harder, and they are also harder to pour from without glugging, which can disturb the sediment.

 

[darkbright]

Honestly I have given up on glass bottles. Heavy, break, PITA to cap. Plastic PET from coopers are so much easier. Defo worth a try and see what you prefer.

 

[johnnyboy1965]

Hmmm... 15 500ml bottles for nine quid plus six quid delivery. So that's a quid a bottle. Why not pop into Tesco or somewhere and buy for example bottles of Bishops Finger for only 24p more per bottle. The beers not bad at all, the labels come off easy with a little soaking, and hey, they're full of BEER.:lol:
Just don't buy Hobgoblin as the bottles are really difficult to cap, or at least most people find them so.

Bishops Finger @ 24p per bottle?

 

[BeardySi]

Honestly I have given up on glass bottles. Heavy, break, PITA to cap. Plastic PET from coopers are so much easier. Defo worth a try and see what you prefer.

We'll see! just had a box of 40 pet bottles arrive (oh how much fun the wee girl had with it!) to make a batch to take to a festival. I may be converted, but I doubt it, I love the solidity of glass bottles.

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[Cwrw666]

Bishops Finger @ 24p per bottle?

1.24 from tescos - minus the £1 you'd pay for an empty bottle, so the beer itself is costing you 24p.

 

[Delmol]

Honestly I have given up on glass bottles. Heavy, break, PITA to cap. Plastic PET from coopers are so much easier. Defo worth a try and see what you prefer.

PET bottles are a godsend - couldn't be bothered with capping them all!

 

[GermLish]

PET bottles are nice but the problem is oxygen permeability. New PET bottles are normally treated but they are still not 100% proof. Don't know if these cheap empty bottles have the same quality as the brewery ones.

This is one of the main reasons breweries still deliver beer in glass bottles or cans. Only cheap beer with a fast turnaround and short shelf life is sold in PET.

Cleaning the bottles with a brush creates scratches. So would invest in new bottles after a few brews.

 

[darkbright]

PET bottles are nice but the problem is oxygen permeability. New PET bottles are normally treated but they are still not 100% proof. Don't know if these cheap empty bottles have the same quality as the brewery ones.

This is one of the main reasons breweries still deliver beer in glass bottles or cans. Only cheap beer with a fast turnaround and short shelf life is sold in PET.

Cleaning the bottles with a brush creates scratches. So would invest in new bottles after a few brews.

I love glass bottles, especially when sharing my beer with friends or other brewers. I would love to continue using them but for me, PET are right for me at this time. Maybe when I have space to Keg and SWMBO is more sympathetic to my brewing, I will move over to this. However, lugging them around in bulk is back breaking and I can really do without this. I have broken a few and cleaning up broken glass shards when half-cut is not a desirable activity. Combined with the fact that my beers very rarely last more than a few months (or weeks depending on how amazing brewer I was on the day :whistle:), it really does tip it in favour of PET bottles for me (personal choice obvs).

I had read somewhere that the oxygen barring is very good in the new PET bottles such as the coopers branded ones. Unless storing or raging beers for many months I really don't see an issue. I would not suggest using ones that use to have fizzy water in etc unless it's going to be consumed very quickly.

I find that cleaning is not really a problem. The habit you have to get into is rinsing the bottles well immediately after you have drunk the beer and then using a vinator or similar with starsan in soon afterwards. I have never needed to use a brush, but agree would still change bottles over after half a dozen brews. At approximately £10 per 24, it's quite reasonably priced to change every few brews.

Ultimately it's "each to their own" but would definitely recommend giving them a try.

 

[baz burger]

Go to your local pub there usually happy to get rid of them got over a hundred from mine

 

[BeardySi]

Go to your local pub there usually happy to get rid of them got over a hundred from mine

Particularly Grolsch swingtops (if they stock them) as they're non returnable.

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