BOTTLES, BOTTLES, BOTTLES

[Clean Brewer]

Hello again,

Well it has been a mission the last 3 weeks since I started brewing, I have so far bottled a Coopers Lager???(came in kit), a Norwest Pale Ale(little creatures style) from a wort from ND Brewing and have fermenting now a James Boags Style and Coopers Pale Ale, while it is getting cooler I have the brews at about 22 C. this should get lower though, I will be brewing hard during winter and beyond to get the stocks plenished.

BOTTLES: So far I have managed to aqquire 125 crown top long necks from the local dump recycling centre(they retrieve everything) for $19(15cents each) in my past two visits, since im a chef and work in a commercial kitchen, i have access to a large s.s sink, commercial dishwasher and steamer oven, so once i pick them up from the dump, i wash them out in the sink(some ive had to empty though as theyve been full, that was fun actually, beer spewing out like lava), soak them in hot water overnight to remove the old crusty labels, then run them through the dishwasher twice(on long cycle) then steam them in the oven. I then soak about 12 a day in bleach solution and scrub them with bottle brush at home as there is some nastys in a few of the bottles still, I then rinse and store.(probably the cleanest bottles around now).

Also as I work in a Restaurant(not licensed) we sell quite a few Bundaberg Ginger Beer bottles(the 375ml glass crown top ones), they are a perfect stubbie just like the old VB bottles. So they are great for the TESTING BEERS.

While I also wait patiently for my beers to age(3 months), I have been drinking some nice imported beers(DAN MURPHYS Bottleshop has just opened) which also are about 330ml crown tops aswell.

So to come to close, it has been alot easier collecting bottles than I thought, other than some of the scungy ones from the dump. So every tues, thurs and sat i'll be at the recycling centre after those long neck crown tops, i reckon they are like money in the bank, always hold there value.......

[Old Gil]

i reckon they are like money in the bank, always hold there value.......

And they go up in value when you fill them

[warra48]

Recently I've taken to bottling in the Bundaberg 750 ml ginger beer bottles (my wife is a fan).
Seems to be a success. I don't re-use the metal caps, but use plastic caps from Coke Zero or Pepsi Max bottles instead. Makes bottling day a quicker exercise than before.

And before anyone asks, and with the greatest of respect, I have no interest in brewing ginger beer. My wife consumes virtually no alcohol at all, other than ½ glass of wine from my cellar if I open a bottle. I can't see the point in brewing a non-alcoholic ginger beer, when my brewing days can be better utilised brewing what I want to brew for my own consumption.

[Kevnlis]

Sorry warra, I know you did not ask for it, but my tastes tell me that the GB's I make from the Buderim and Bundaberg cordial are better than that which are bottled by them... Just an observation that may interest you.

[Clean Brewer]

My partner ripped me off when I met her, we went to the pub and she was drinking Boags and Vodka's and I thought this is great, maybe I have a drinking partner here, but NO... She will buy a botle of riccadonna and have 1 glass and thats about it, I drink the rest. And it's about $15 a bottle, that will get you a cheap brew(few cartons)..

Anyhow, at least she doesnt mind me drinking, she smokes more than I drink so i've back-up when she even thinks to winge about me drinking, gees, I dont get up and have a beer at 8am like she'll have a smoke, disgusting I think............

Im only new to brewing but it has been 2 weeks since I bottled my first beers(Coopers Lager??? in brew kit), I had one tonight and it was pretty good, cant wait till they age and I can get into some better ones on the go......

As they say Home Brew is very unique and I can feel I will never feel the same about commercial beer again once i'm sinking my brews every night..

[Tipsy]

gees, I dont get up and have a beer at 8am like she'll have a smoke, disgusting I think............
..

I think you may be on to something.......maybe you could start drinking at 8am

[James L]

I pour my G/F half a glass of wine and she wont even finish it (and its only 5%).

As for bottles... I kept collecting bottles, now i have so many, i dont know what to do with them all... I have about 15 cartons of longnecks, and about 5 cartons or 500ml german beer bottles and about the same in 330ml bottles. and they are the empty ones... i have about the same amount in full beer bottles. Heaven forbid, i might have to start throwing some out....

the 500ml and the LC pints bottles are the best. longnecks are good, but you cant fill up two pint glasses, and the second glass always is a little cloudier than the frist... 330ml are good.. but never seem enough..