Question on bottles

Northern Brewer General
21

+1 to Deschutes label comes right off and they have a nice hop ring around the neck. Plus I frequently get to visit Bend…

22

A bonus with shorties (at least for me) is that they fit easily in the top rack of my dishwasher for sanitization. Not all longnecks fit there for me.

23

I mostly use New Belgium 12 oz bottles. I like their beer, and the labels are the easiest to remove. I’ve had good luck with Seirra Nevada also.

24

I use mostly self emptied Sam Adams bottles. The only downer with them is they have their name in raised lettering around the lower part of the bottle neck. Not a probelm for me now but I have heard that if I ever decide to compete a beer that it is a problem then. I have a number of Majic hat and flying dog bottles saved back if I need a unmarked bottle. I am intrigued by the amber plastic screw offs (reusable) sold at NB. Anybody have any experience with them?

Barry

25

[quote=“Vulkin’”]…but I have heard that if I ever decide to compete a beer that it is a problem then…I am intrigued by the amber plastic screw offs (reusable) sold at NB…[/quote]Check the rules for the specific comp, but most will now accept bottles with raised lettering or designs. And I haven’t used the amber PET bottles, but I always bottle at least some portion of the beer in PET, usually 1L or 2L - there are times when a 12-oz just won’t do.

26

It’s like asking any normal person, “Can you do anything with this goose that lays golden eggs?”

27

If anyone’s interested and you’re in the NW Indiana region, I have about 12 green Groelsch bottles I’d be willing to part with. I also have a gallon jug (clear and clean) that is good for making starters (not using a stir plate).

PM me.

28

I’m a newbi as well and it took a few months to sort out the bottle thing. I started out by crawling around in the city glass recycling bins for capable bottles. It took several weeks to learn the best bottles; some brands have labels almost impossible to get off. What I have settled on is using nothing but Sam Adams bottles. They are strong, good looking and the labels are very easy to remove. The crawling around in the bins was a bummer. What I did next was put a box by the bin and taped a sign on the bin “Sam Adams Drinkers - Please place bottles in box” I checked with the city recycle guy first and it wasn’t a problem. I had more bottles than I could use before long and have taken the sign down.
Good luck with your brewing; I’m sure you will have a ball as I am.

Don

29

[quote=“Vulkin’”]I use mostly self emptied Sam Adams bottles. The only downer with them is they have their name in raised lettering around the lower part of the bottle neck. Not a probelm for me now but I have heard that if I ever decide to compete a beer that it is a problem then. I have a number of Majic hat and flying dog bottles saved back if I need a unmarked bottle. I am intrigued by the amber plastic screw offs (reusable) sold at NB. Anybody have any experience with them?

Barry[/quote]

The last 3 batches i’ve done entering the summer, I’ve bottled off 1-3 gallons into these pet bottles for use at parties or softball games. I don’t have any experience with extended storage, but everything seems fine with a 2-4 week conditioning period.

30

Since I started using OxyClean or PBW, I have yet to encounter a label that wasn’t easy to get off–domestic or imports. Just off the top of my head: Boulevard, Free State, New Belgium, Boulder, Odell, Breckenridge, New Glarus, Summit, Weston Brewing, Founders, Bells, Firestone, Green Flash, Troegs, Great Lakes, Alaskan, Dogfish Head, Deschutes, Victory, Schlafly, Sierra Nevada, Bass, Newcastle, Guinness, Lagunitas…

The only bottle that’s a no-go are the etched ones like Stone.

Giant box of OxyClean is super cheap at Costco.

31

I just scored two cases of well rinsed, mixed brand empties from a coworker. Time to break out the OxyClean and a cooler!

I can’t wait until I can start kegging, though. Hunting for a cheapish 15 cu. ft. chest freezer on Craigslist.

32

Costco reportedly has good blank bottles with easily removable labels. Plus, when you buy a case you get a variety of four different six-packs. I still have a few cases of returnable bottles… those were the days!

33

Yeah, if you live in my backwards state, you have to go to go across the state line (to MO in my case) to get decent beer at Costco. Can still only buy 3.2 beer in the same establishment that sells food.

We just got Sunday liquor sales a few years ago, and now this:

http://www.kctv5.com/story/18930136/liq ... businesses

Breaking news…the earth is round!

34

Yeah, if you live in my backwards state, you have to go to go across the state line (to MO in my case) to get decent beer at Costco. Can still only buy 3.2 beer in the same establishment that sells food.

We just got Sunday liquor sales a few years ago, and now this:

http://www.kctv5.com/story/18930136/liq ... businesses

Breaking news…the earth is round![/quote]
Liquor stores closed on Sunday and no alcohol sales allowed from 1am till noon on Sunday. Had to start going to communion to get my Sunday morning buzz :slight_smile: