what bottles?

[BIGTRACTOR]

I've got a harvest lager kit on the go, made with 1kg light dme 250g brewers sugar and some halletau hops. i also used some lager yeast. I've read that lager really needs to be bottled, so i'm busily collecting 500ml plastic coke or similar bottles. But i've come across the chance to get a load of the 1l plastic lucozade bottles (and some of the smaller ones).

Has anyone used these ? They look ideal, clear, with a wide neck, but i'm a bit concerned that the plastic looks a bit flimsier than coke ones. Although lucozade is fizzy so it should take some pressure.

also, what would be the next step once its finished fermenting? should i add some dry beer enzyme to try to get the fg down lower? also when is best to bottle - should i give it a few days longer than ale to clear somewhat?

[BarryNL]

Well, if you like witbier then I recommend looking out for Grolsch Weizen so you can use these bottles:



As for the dry beer enzyme - I'd avoid it if you can - it will give you more fermentable sugars but at the expense of body in your beer.

[BIGTRACTOR]

hi barry, yeah would love to hold of a load of grolsch bottles, wish i bought a few crates back when i worked over in holland a few years back. damn sight cheaper over there than they are here. !

which part do you hail from, ?i worked on a leek and asparagus farm for a year and a half in limburg (grubbenvorst near venlo)

cheers for the tip on the beer enzyme.

[BarryNL]

I'm in Amersfoort near Utrecht.

Yeah - the beer here is definitely better priced than in the UK. The Grolsch Weizen pictured above is only €1.12 a bottle in the supermarkets - about the same price as buying the same bottle empty at the brew shop. A no brainer decision if ever there was one!

[bitter_dave]

But i've come across the chance to get a load of the 1l plastic lucozade bottles (and some of the smaller ones).

Has anyone used these ? They look ideal, clear, with a wide neck, but i'm a bit concerned that the plastic looks a bit flimsier than coke ones.

BT clear bottles are not ideal. Exposing light to beer for extended periods can lead to off flavours, so it is commonly said (I avoid bottling), despite the fact that some commercial brewers use non-coloured glass bottles. This is not to say you shouldn't use transparent bottles, just store them in dark conditions

[chopperswookie]

as an experiment i have done a couple of litre of my large-r in 1lt san miguel bottles. they have screw on tops so it was easy as. i am looking forward to see what the results will be.