What are the best types of bottles? Where do you get them from? Share your opinions...

[Gerryjo]

The mechanism is fine so I guess it is just the cap washers that need replacing (is that the gasket?). I know I can buy replacements here but in all honesty I dont mind just switching to all crown caps.

Happy to pass them on but not sure of the logistics between Prague and Detroit?

Just buy silicone mat and make them yourself as it's cheaper than buying caps

 

[johncrobinson]

Thanks MmmBeer,I wondered why all the fuss about beer and uv.You have explained it.

 

[Richie_asg1]

I have about 4 boxes of "make your own" flip top bottles, and all the rest are Wychwood brown glass crown cap. They have standardised on one bottle throughout their range so I don't mind drinking their beer first. Must be used with a bench capper though.
All are 500ml which fills a pint glass well. Don't see the point in the 330ml bottles for homebrew.
I think the secret is to find a beer that you like in a bottle you want to keep. Then drink a lot of it.
It is still good to have a few pet bottles just to check carbonation.

 

[DavidDetroit]

The mechanism is fine so I guess it is just the cap washers that need replacing (is that the gasket?). I know I can buy replacements here but in all honesty I dont mind just switching to all crown caps.
Happy to pass them on but not sure of the logistics between Prague and Detroit?

Yeah, gaskets.
Funny! Yes, I also think maybe a few too many hurdles to overcome in spite of being coveted items.

 

[DavidDetroit]

I could use clear bottles; it really wouldn't matter. My stored bottles are green but they're covered and in complete dark. That's how I keep my beer from start to finish. I understand one color being better than another certainly. For me though, the only time my beer sees daylight for more than a minute is when it's in the glass being drunk.

 

[Mavroz]

As has probably already been said, if you have a local pub, ask them if you can take empty bottles from their glass bin. It takes no time at all, other than a few pub visits, to gather hundreds if you need them.
It is what i did, I have many green, brown and clear bottles. Colour of bottle is of no consequence to me and hasn't caused and taste issues as all the bottles are stored in relative darkness.

 

[dad_of_jon]

Best 330ml are the stubby Belgian bottles, the Duvel and Chimay styles. Designed to hold more pressure than standard bottles, and the labels slide right off when wet so no fannying about trying to scrape paper and glue off. Plus you get to drink the Belgian beer inside them to build up your stock. It's a win-win situation.

+1 x 1000

 

[Grealish]

IDon't see the point in the 330ml bottles for homebrew.

I started doing 330mm bottles of high ABV beer when I kept bumping into things after drinking two bottles. Now I have to drink three.

 

[Linalmeemow]

I started doing 330mm bottles of high ABV beer when I kept bumping into things after drinking two bottles. Now I have to drink three.

Yeah, I tend to do stronger beers in smaller bottles of the same reason. The hangovers were killing me!

 

[the_quick]

Mix of normal bottles and flip top one (from The Range). My flip tops are not so good for highly carbonated beers (lagers - I think they don't hold gas that well) but fine for ales.
Most of the bottles are normal beer bottles, donated by friends for the promise of beer. I have now bank of around 200 bottles. But now more and more I'm thinking of using corny kegs.

 

[Cwrw666]

I do 4 gallon brews and bottle them in 20 500ml and 20 330ml bottles. The beauty of the 330ml bottles is that you can have 3 of them but it's only the same as 2 bottles really. Also I can tip them into my pint tankard and not have to worry if it'll all fit even if it's a bit frothy.

 

[GerritT]

About 200 brown fliptop 0.5, about 50 brown fliptop 0,3L, and equipment and caps for approx. 50 bottles (but I don't cap a lot).

Bought most of them, but Lidl had beer (double ale) in fliptops, Aptana(? or something) and saved 50 of them too.

 

[GhostShip]

I use Coopers brown PET bottles. They seem pretty well made and I've used them a number of times without any problems.

What I really like about PET bottles is that when secondary fermenting, you know immediately if the beer is carbonating because the plastic bottles tighten up. You can also squeeze any air out of the top of the bottle before screwing the cap on in order to reduce the chances of oxidation. It's amazing how quickly the bottles recover their original shape.

 

[cheeseyfeet]

I get 500ml bottles free from the local pub. Just got 50 Katy bottles recently and delabelled half of them.

Katy bottles?

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Cider

 

[CoreyG]

I’m using these 550ml swing top bottles. They are good quality and I didn’t seem to find much cheaper than this when I was looking.

https://brew2bottle.co.uk/collectio...rew2bottle-glass-amber-swing-top-beer-bottles

Just buy silicone mat and make them yourself as it's cheaper than buying caps

That’s a good idea. Would never have thought of this!

 

[alsch890]

Yeah, gaskets.
Funny! Yes, I also think maybe a few too many hurdles to overcome in spite of being coveted items.

Still, the sort of hurdles that I like to attempt in this foolish hobby. Let me see if I can find any information. Shame as I was just in Chicago a few weeks ago and a colleague headed from there to Detroit, could have passed them on, although 20 700ml bottles would put a dent in the luggage allowance, even if empty!

 

[lancon]

Everybody says this and I believe them, but one of my favourites: La Choulette Blonde comes in corked, green bottles, they hang around on the supermarket shelves under fluorescent lighting (not for very long if I see them, I usually clear the lot) and I've never had a bad one. When I first came to France I had to drink Heineken in 66 cl green bottle so as to get some bottles, quickly and cheaply. It wasn't great, but it hadn't gone off. I use them all the time, I just keep them in a dark place.

Apparently big brewers use hop oil or hop derivatives which aren't affected by sunlight

 

[Minimag1]

Wife loves Brothers Toffee Apple Cider from Tesco, I never complain as I end up with a constant supply of thick 500ml bottles. I preferred the flip tops, and have a few of them, but with free crown tops I now struggle to keep on top of supply.

 

[parpot]

Flip tops that were from B&M bargains last year managed to get around 250 of them at £5.99 for 12, happy days proper recycling!