Beer Bottles

[alefric]

I have seen where Stella & Budweiser bottles can be used, but as I don't drink lager, is it possible to reuse Summer Lightning where the beer is bottle conditioned or any other beer bottles?

[shepp]

You can use nearly all ale bottles.
Only problem i have is with capping some with odd shaped stems with my two lever capper.

[alefric]

Thanks Shepp, so pressure is no problem? :D

[shepp]

No they are at least as strong as the lager bottles.

[Rookie]

I have seen where Stella & Budweiser bottles can be used, but as I don't drink lager, is it possible to reuse Summer Lightning where the beer is bottle conditioned or any other beer bottles?

The brewers that bottle condition are doing exactly what you want to do only on a much larger scale. Summer Lightning bottles would be perfect.

[leigh1919]

speaking of bottles - im trying to get my head around how many bottles i need to bottle my first batch in a couple of weeks' time. what are the best options - brown or green glass (im assuming it makes no difference?) - or plastic (pet)?
They'll be stored in a drafty garage....

[Redbloke]

speaking of bottles - im trying to get my head around how many bottles i need to bottle my first batch in a couple of weeks' time. what are the best options - brown or green glass (im assuming it makes no difference?) - or plastic (pet)?
They'll be stored in a drafty garage....

My understanding is as long as you keep them out of the light it doesn't matter. If the bottles will be subjected to light then brown ones are best.
The latest Basic Brewing Radio podcast goes into this in some depth, - http://www.basicbrewing.com/index.php?page=radio

Cheers

[leigh1919]

cheers!

[booldawg]

Magners/Bulmers bottles are good also. They are brown, robust and 568ml which means you'll get a full pint whilst discarding the last yeasty inch of the bottle.

[Chris The Fish]

Steer clear of wychwood bottles, they have a rounded neck which doesnt allow a 2 lever capper to gain purchase.

also, when you bottle, include some smaller bottles for tasters during the first stage of conditioning, and a few clear bottles so you can see when its cleared.

good luck

CTF

[grumpysod]

Steer clear of wychwood bottles, they have a rounded neck which doesnt allow a 2 lever capper to gain purchase.

The Goliath bottles are ok, they're 660ml, so you need less of 'em

[Duncndisorderly]

I dont know if anyone else has been doing this already but when i went hunting for bottles i just put an add on my local freecycle network.

if anyone is unsure as to what that is, its basically where you place an ad for free on there list and if anyone has what you want they will email you, as long as you can collect you can have it for free
Just search in google for freecycle followed by your county and theirs usually one close by

i am now the proud owner of 23 750ml Magners bottle absolutely free

[grumpysod]

I dont know if anyone else has been doing this already but when i went hunting for bottles i just put an add on my local freecycle network.

if anyone is unsure as to what that is, its basically where you place an ad for free on there list and if anyone has what you want they will email you, as long as you can collect you can have it for free
Just search in google for freecycle followed by your county and theirs usually one close by

i am now the proud owner of 23 750ml Magners bottle absolutely free

I did the same and got offered all sorts of tat - the one offer that sounded promising was for 50 Bulmers bottles, turned out to be those horrible green Gaymers ones

[anomalous_result]

Also don't go for the new style weight saving thin glass ones like Adnam's Broadside, apparently nonreturnable and therefore nonreusable. They usually say on them if they're lightweight.

[PeteH]

I've got away with using a few Broadside bottle, but try to avoid if poss. As mentioned, Whychwood are hard to cap, as are Batemans I think, and Bombardier have got a really short capping area.
Grumpysod, do you pour into a jug from the big bottles, or have a bigger glass?