Where to buy used bottles?

[cyanide]

I called up some stores today that sell bottles, $10 for 24 12oz bottles. I can spend just a little more and get bottles filled with cheap beer for that price!

Where does everyone get their bottles? I'd like to have more around so I could age some while making other batches.

Does anyone here know of places in every city you can usually get bottles? What's the cost usually?

[paul84043]

I usually can find used bottles at my homebrew store.
The 12 oz brown bottles that you buy new are much better than the bottles that the beer comes in, for one, they are not twist offs. If you can find cheap beer in a non twist off bottle for a good price, I'd buy it.
I have been investing in Grolsch bottles and now have about 8 cases worth of them, I think they are the best bet for the die hard bottler.

[YamahaXS]

some people will tell you to make friends with a bartender or bar owner.

I prefer the method you alluded to. Namely, I would buy a case of cheap beer. Some cheap beers like Huber still use refundable bottles which are a bit sturdier than the average twist off. Plus their 'cases' are sturdier too. Well worth the 2 bucks deposit.

[rossmarp]

If ya need 'em NOW the easiest thing to do is to go to the local beer distributor (I'm in PA) or beer store, whatever, and simply ask if they have an empty case of returned bottles! Just offer to pay the deposit for them, that's all.

The advantage is you can get empty, solid, and cheap bottles quickly if needed. The disadvantage, however, is that they could have cig butts in them or other "debris."

However, 10 cents/bottle is a lot cheaper than buying a case of new bottles at the homebrew shop.

Let your fingers do the walking first so you don't waste time runnin around to different places. If none are available, request that they hold them for you if some come in. I have to believe that they're coming in almost all the time...

[b3s]

i never thought about buying a case of crap beer returnables and dumping it out! wow, not a bad idea, really...or the "buy a case of returned empties" idea.

gee, and here i've been buying good beer and struggling through drinking it ;) oh the sacrifices i make for this hobby!

[toneyc]

Guinness bottles are pretty good, too. I think about half my bottles are Guinness bottles. It doesn't have to be crap beer, you *can* buy something drinkable! I also have a lot of 22oz and pint bottles from trying other brews like Arrogant Bastard, Rogue Ales, 1845, and the like. Regular bottle caps fit just right! So, drink good beer and re-use the bottle.

<edit> I still uphold the idea of befriending your local bartenders, that's where the majority of my Grolsch bottles came from.

:) Toney.

[cyanide]

Does anyone know if a bottle capper will work on twist-off bottles?

[paul84043]

I have heard of people using them, but it's not unusual to ruin a few bottles in the process because the glass is very thin and has a hard time handling the strain of bottling.

[cyanide]

Yea, I got the same advice from a homebrew store here just a few minutes ago. He said they are usable, but I should expect to lose a few each batch.

I think this is what I'll go with. As I get better bottles, I'll stop using twist-offs.