Difference between revisions of "Bottles"

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

m (New)
(Bottle Caps)
Line 9: Line 9:
 
== Bottle Caps ==
 
== Bottle Caps ==
  
Crown Caps
+
Crown Caps are the most commonly used on glass beer and soda bottles.  They are installed using a capper, which forces the sides of the cap down to grip the top of the bottle.  Crown caps may be used on both twist-top and non-twist-top bottles, though there is some debate about whether the seal on twist-top bottles is as good as on plain bottles.
  
Swing Caps
+
Swing Caps, or "Grolsch-style" caps, are ceramic or plastic caps attached to the bottle through a wire mechanism.  A rubber or plastic washer provides the seal between the bottle neck and the cap.  Swing caps require no special equipment to use; they may be sealed by hand.  Swing caps may also be repeatedly unsealed and resealed, making them particularly useful for larger bottles; part of the bottle may be poured and the bottle resealed, reducing gas loss between pours.
  
 
== Obtaining Bottles ==
 
== Obtaining Bottles ==

Revision as of 16:35, 28 December 2008

Bottle Colour and Suitability

Bottles are available in several colors, the most common being clear, green, brown and blue.

The most common color is brown because it blocks some of the harmful light and UV rays from spoiling your beer.

Bottle Caps

Crown Caps are the most commonly used on glass beer and soda bottles. They are installed using a capper, which forces the sides of the cap down to grip the top of the bottle. Crown caps may be used on both twist-top and non-twist-top bottles, though there is some debate about whether the seal on twist-top bottles is as good as on plain bottles.

Swing Caps, or "Grolsch-style" caps, are ceramic or plastic caps attached to the bottle through a wire mechanism. A rubber or plastic washer provides the seal between the bottle neck and the cap. Swing caps require no special equipment to use; they may be sealed by hand. Swing caps may also be repeatedly unsealed and resealed, making them particularly useful for larger bottles; part of the bottle may be poured and the bottle resealed, reducing gas loss between pours.

Obtaining Bottles

New

Can be purchased by the case or individually at your local homebrew supply store or online from various homebrewing retailers. These bottles are unused, all in a consistent size, clean, dry, and ready to be sanitized.

They are available in various sizes in the normal pop-top style cap, PET plastic, or the EZ-Cap swing-top caps.

Recycled

Can be rescued from your local recycling center, some places may charge you a few cents per bottle while others don't seem to mind, usually they only mind if they are paying customers that bring in their bottles.

Bars that sell bottled beer may also be excellent sources for bottles. Talk with the bartender or manager for permission to rummage through their empty bottles.

Other Types of Bottle

Various Bottle Styles
Top