Bottles: Size, color, and the functions they serve

Getting Started
1

In many of the NB videos, they state that brown glass is best. Is this due to UV influence?
I have a number of swing cap bottles, but they are clear. They are also much larger than your standard 12 oz. bottle. I have been thinking it would be nice to make use of them, but I don’t want to somehow ruin the beer. If it’s just a UV thing, which I suspect it is, it’s not being shipped and moved about, therefore not as much exposure to the elements. If it goes from fermenter, to closet, to fridge, to belly… not much exposure.

I would think that once it’s been opened, I would be racing the clock for how long it would stay good.

Also with the swing tops, if the rubber is soft and squishy, it is safe. Originally it had a carbonated drink in it, so I am assuming that it would hold the carbonation of the beer. I guess I am asking, how reusable are the swing tops?

2

Brown bottles will prevent skunking, which will occur in clear or green bottles in a matter of minutes exposed to sunlight or another strong UV source.

If you keep the beer away from UV, then yes, you can go ahead and use clear bottles. And swing tops are great for bottling beer. If it held soda, it will be fine for holding carbonation in beer.

3

I’ve reused grolsch bottles before with no problem. The rubber will eventually deteriorate, but I think you can get replacements. Just keep the bottles out of any light(green bottles included) if it’s a beer with any amount of hop utilization because the light will skunk the hop oils in the beer. I don’t use these often for beer as it’s a pain to worry about light. I have used them for mead also-absolutely no problems there.

Cheers,

Ron

4

Use the clear swing tops for ciders or Mead