Using aluminum beer bottles

scubabrew · July 5, 2012, 2:04am

Any thoughts on using aluminum beer bottles to bottle? I just purchased a four pack of beer in aluminum bottles that are pry off.

stormybrew · July 5, 2012, 3:28am

Why not? They can be cleaned and if you can recap them theirs no reason to believe anything bad will happen.

What kind of beer comes in alum with pry-off tops?

cheers.

scubabrew · July 5, 2012, 3:32am

Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat? I am not sure where it comes from. I am visiting Nebraska right now so I am assuming from the midwest somewhere? It came in 4-16 oz bottles.

I was thinking that the aluminum might leave some off flavors if the beer was in the bottle for too long.

nighthawk · July 5, 2012, 5:24am

They will work.

You may also be able to find BMC in aluminum bottles.

baratone_brewer · July 5, 2012, 9:22am

[quote=“ScubaBrew”]Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat? I am not sure where it comes from. I am visiting Nebraska right now so I am assuming from the midwest somewhere? It came in 4-16 oz bottles.

I was thinking that the aluminum might leave some off flavors if the beer was in the bottle for too long.[/quote]
Boulevard Brewing Co. is out of Kansas City.

I imagine the bottles are lined.

loopie_beer · July 5, 2012, 5:16pm

Be careful cleaning them as the aluminum is lined. If you scratch or damage this lining, the aluminum will leach into the beer.

brew_on · July 5, 2012, 5:37pm

IIRCC the large capped aluminum Miller Light I looked at last summer didn’t reseal properly. Can’t recall specifically why, just remember concluding a “no-go”. Memory is going quick.

brick1083 · July 5, 2012, 8:13pm

I see two possible problems.

Based on internet photos, the bottles don’t have the ridge around their neck that my capper uses for leverage.
What keeps the mouth of the aluminum bottle from deforming when the cap is squeezed on?

nighthawk · July 6, 2012, 12:12am

[quote=“Brick1083”]I see two possible problems.

Based on internet photos, the bottles don’t have the ridge around their neck that my capper uses for leverage.
What keeps the mouth of the aluminum bottle from deforming when the cap is squeezed on?[/quote]

yes, you will need a bench capper.
the top of the aluminum bottle is rolled. It strong.

brew_on · July 7, 2012, 3:25pm

I see now that you’re talking about pry-offs, haven’t seen those, I was referring to the the large mouth screw-off type.
The interior lining comment is a serious consideration. Would be good to know how many hot water cleansing they can take before the lining starts to delaminate around the opening. Scraping off some liner on a bottle rinser is plausible.
The other thing is when I have rinsed glass bottles I am using water as hot as I can stand. The aluminum is going to feel hot almost instantly.

can’t hurt to try though.