Newbie bottles question

[reethi]

Hi,

I'm in the process of figuring stuff out before I brew my first batch, and I was wondering what kind of beer bottles I could clean and reuse for bottling? Can I use the twist-off kind? I read somewhere that these didn't work really well with the capper?

Thanks,
Reethi

[Fly Creek]

Twist off bottles won't work. They won't seal properly with the usual homebrewer's bottle capper.

Welcome to the boards.:)

[reethi]

Thanks for the reply!

Is there a kind of capper I can buy that works with twist offs? I guess the alternative, sorting through bottles, discarding twist-offs, and buying more beer to cover the gap - isn't really that terrible either...

:D

Reethi

[Wilson]

Yeah, drinking beer to get the bottles....life could be A LOT worse! :cool:

Stick with the non-twist offs. I think they'll serve you better.

[danno]

they're getting tougher to find nowadays, but look for returnable cases from your liquor store. they're not twist off, are heavy duty bottles, and you get a nice carrying case too, all for $1.20 deposit. (in MN anyways, it's a nickel a bottle...)

[Jughead]

What about using plastic pop bottles? There are many sizes available and as long as you keep them out of the light, the color shouldn't matter.

[gallowd7]

I've fermented in just about everything BUT twist off beer bottles. Plastic has worked for me 16,20oz, 2L you name it, just use teflon/pipe tape and don't leave them in there for more than 6 months or so. I doubt you'll have them around that long, but I've read that plastic is permeable and can oxidize the beer.

Have fun!

[Caffinehog]

The problem with twist-offs is this: In the brewery, they use a more expensive soft steel cap. The ones homebrewers can get are a harder steel. Twist-off bottle tops are much thinner than "standard" bottles. So you can't cap a twist-off bottle securely enough that it will hold without breaking the glass! Believe me, I tried... the ones that didn't break leaked.
Just go to a homebrew store and get a case of bottles. They're not that expensive, and they're reusable. And if you want to open bottles without an opener, get some grolsch bottles.
Plastic bottles work, but the beer's life is very short. (Mine spoiled in about 2 months.)

[davesarman]

I'll echo Danno's comments. If you are in need of empty bottles quickly, go to the liquor store and ask to pay the deposit on a case of returnables that are already empty. You get a sturdy case to store them in as well. If there are several cases you can pick from, try and pick the ones that look the cleanest. If time isn't a factor, than start buying full bottles that are not twisties and go to work!

[fretlessman71]

Originally posted by davesarman
I'll echo Danno's comments. If you are in need of empty bottles quickly, go to the liquor store and ask to pay the deposit on a case of returnables that are already empty. You get a sturdy case to store them in as well. If there are several cases you can pick from, try and pick the ones that look the cleanest. If time isn't a factor, than start buying full bottles that are not twisties and go to work! And when you're looking for bottles, also make sure that the collars aren't damaged or chipped. I know it's an obvious thing to say, but it's important for a good seal, not to mention the possibility of compromised strength...