Free Bottle storage

[Newt Dundee]

If you want an honest answer to buying swing top bottles (and I'm sure most people will shoot me down for this one) I found that when Tesco's have Grolsch on offer at 3 for a fiver, take advantage. As far as I've seen the empty bottles retail on E-bay for around a quid a piece. In my opinion you may as well buy them full, drink the beer and re-use the bottle. If you only use the bottle once, you drink in the knowledge that the Grolsch you drank only cost you 67p and the bottle is there to be used over and over again.

It may not seem cost effective to buy in bulk, but if you gradually build your collection up you'll soon have enough for a full batch.

I would say though that it's worth having a look at the 'Swing top Vs Crown Caps' thread for other ideas.

Personally I'm using empty Ale bottles I've bought from the shop (full of course!) over a couple of months as I was planning on my first brew. Some are a pain to clean off the labels, but other than that they seem great. Once again, beer and a bottle for less than £1.50!

[aragar]

Cheers newt,

Having looked at online stores selling swingtops, I think I would prefer to buy and enjoy bottles full of beer at a more expensive price in relation to empty ones and gradually build up my collection as you,ve said, somehow it just seems the better option.
As a relative new brewer everything is a learning process and budget consideration but for me the crown caps look like a lot of messing about and not as cool looking as the swingtops! But I suppose each to is own (PET) bottles for the mo!

Once I do graduate to glass that's my original posts storage solution buggered!damm!

[floydmeddler]

Hi flood meddler,

Like I said I have only been brewing a few months but from everything I've read on this site I was under the impression that given time conditioning only helps to improve flavour and quality of the finished product not strength!

Although I do enjoy the odd Belgian beer I am all for flavour and taste not strength!

Thank you for your input no the less.

Some beers are better with age like Belgians. Hoppy beers, though, peak at around the 5-6 week mark. I'm drinking this one at the minute and I only brewed it 2.5 weeks ago: viewtopic.php?f=24&t=54113 I've never considered doing this until recently. I'm getting that fabulous biscuity flavour you get in pubs. Yeast flavour is fantastic too. In 12 weeks time, this beer will be bland I reckon because those flavours will have settled. I'd say if you half your conditioning time, you might just be surprised.

[Newt Dundee]

Cheers newt,

Having looked at online stores selling swingtops, I think I would prefer to buy and enjoy bottles full of beer at a more expensive price in relation to empty ones and gradually build up my collection as you,ve said, somehow it just seems the better option.
As a relative new brewer everything is a learning process and budget consideration but for me the crown caps look like a lot of messing about and not as cool looking as the swingtops!

To be fair, crown caps are a piece of cake in my opinion. Yes, they can be a little fiddly to start with, but once you get in to a routine it's not that bad (I haven't bottled my brew yet, but I did have a practice with some of my bottles to see how easy it was).

A word to the wise.... If you're going to save your glass bottles up until you have enough to do a brew, be sure to wash the bottles out before putting them in to storage. Unfortunately I've fallen foul of every brewers worst nightmare and have some rather undesireable growths in the bottom of several of my bottles. However, all is not lost. Get a self sealing wine stopper, a good handful of Hama beads (small plastic pellets kids use for designing stuff), a reasonably wide funnel, but not so big it wont fit into the bottle.... and it's cocktail time! Add a small amount of water to the bottle along with the beads, bung the stopper in and give it a damn good shake. It's a variation on the 'Rice' solution I found whilst looking for a something else, but with the beads being plastic they are a little harsher and reusable.

I don't know how local you are to this guy, but I thought I'd bung the link your way as I found it earlier:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/45-Grolsch-Be ... 3a7a8754b6

[aragar]

Hi floydmeddeler,

Perhaps I should mention that I am a predominatly lager drinker so most of my brews are the likes of the betterbrew Czech pilsner, coopers continental pilsner, muntons etc all of which I thought benefit from at least 12 weeks conditioning time and some of that will be in cold storage 'Lagering' .

I am all for speeding up the process but I didnt think this was an option for lagers unfortunately, although my first brew coopers Aussie lager tasted ok after a couple of weeks bottled! Didn't have much choice, couldn't wait!lol.

The 12 weeks conditioning time I am trying to achieve for my brews isnt written in stone its purely to make sure they are at there best and ready when I want to drink them, very frustrating buying from the shop when you've got green ones at home, I am aware that certain ales and especially stouts turn around quickly it's just unfortunate that my tastebuds aren't so keen.
I have just bottled an IPA though so am trying to broaden my tastes

If anyone can recommend a quick turn around lager I'd love to know?

[floydmeddler]

...very frustrating buying from the shop when you've got green ones at home...

Worst situation ever! I hate that too. You're right... lager's a different story. Patience is a virtue... probably explains why I'm not a lager drinker.

[cellone]

Sound advice on the bottle front Newt, collected enough for four brews that way so for.

Aragar, do you swop the yeast as only the coopers from the list you mention comes with lager yeast ( requiring cool fermentation and lagering)? The others don't improve greately after a month imho.

[aragar]

Hi cellone,

Not so far newbie and all but am thinking about investing in a stc 1000 to accurately brew and store my lagers!

Having read so much online about correct fermentation temps and proper conditioning that I would also love to experiment with different yeast strains (saflager s23 etc) and kit modifications but for the time being I think that would be trying to run before I can walk!

I am really greatfull for all the advice I have been given on this site and others like it and will be putting it into practice but for the mo i think it is sometimes easier to stick with the basics and see for yourself what works and what doesn't so you've got a sound platform to work from.

[aragar]

Hi floydmeddeler ,

I am not that patient myself but have never been that keen on ales although I wish I were as the range of styles and tastes seems far superior to that of lagers but Se la vie, I am however really enjoying brewing which has led me to being a little more adventurous in my drinking habits don't mind the odd pint of blonde and really enjoyed a few bottles of innis and gunn oak aged beer(v strong tho) so there's hope for me yet!

[cellone]

Hi cellone,

Not so far newbie and all but am thinking about investing in a stc 1000 to accurately brew and store my lagers!

Having read so much online about correct fermentation temps and proper conditioning that I would also love to experiment with different yeast strains (saflager s23 etc) and kit modifications but for the time being I think that would be trying to run before I can walk!

I am really greatfull for all the advice I have been given on this site and others like it and will be putting it into practice but for the mo i think it is sometimes easier to stick with the basics and see for yourself what works and what doesn't so you've got a sound platform to work from.

The stc and fridge were a revolution in my brewing. I would say do it ASAP. Coopers heritage lager is good with a reasonably quick turn around if you can't brew true lager yet. If you want an example of running before you can crawl check out my tonights brew thread .

[rootsbrew]

For glass bottles, have a look at jbconline. Crownies, swings and screw-tops. Best price I can find for 500ml crown bottles - hopefully, they'll be as good for swing tops.

[St. Ailbhe's Brewery]

The publicans that gave me my bottles were also kind enough to give me the crates they came in.

[Newt Dundee]

For glass bottles, have a look at jbconline. Crownies, swings and screw-tops. Best price I can find for 500ml crown bottles - hopefully, they'll be as good for swing tops.

Swing Tops aren't really their forte, but I can't fault the price of their standard ale crown caps. Worth ordering more than a few dozen when you take shipping in to account, but still a very good price compared to the 'regular' outlets.

[Newt Dundee]

The publicans that gave me my bottles were also kind enough to give me the crates they came in.

What brand of bottle are they? I can only guess at Newkie as I can't think of any other returnable bottles that come in crates these days. Years ago we had Pils, but even they went to disposable and cardboard (and they were a bit naff as they were only 275ml). To my knowledge even Britvic have gone over to throwaways.

I ask because it would be worth us knowing which ones are re-useable and crated so we may be able to snag some from our locals.

[St. Ailbhe's Brewery]

The publicans that gave me my bottles were also kind enough to give me the crates they came in.

What brand of bottle are they? I can only guess at Newkie as I can't think of any other returnable bottles that come in crates these days. Years ago we had Pils, but even they went to disposable and cardboard (and they were a bit naff as they were only 275ml). To my knowledge even Britvic have gone over to throwaways.

I ask because it would be worth us knowing which ones are re-useable and crated so we may be able to snag some from our locals.

I'm in Ireland Newt, pint bottles of Guinness, Bulmers (you'd call that Magners) and Smithwicks are all still popular here. The bottles are returnable so I was deeply indebted to a few local barmen who sorted me out.