# what type of bottles are ok to use?



## suprasteve (Apr 5, 2009)

ok stupid question time, can you use the screw off top type bottles and crimp them or only the pry off type of bottles? Thinking of trying beer for the first time and collecting up bottles, just wondering if both kinds will work or just the pry off type of bottles
Thanks


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## Tom (Apr 5, 2009)

Screw caps should NOT be capped. They should not be rescrewed either. The necks are to weak for the capper. Get some "long necks".


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## suprasteve (Apr 5, 2009)

alrighty, kinda figured that but wanted to make sure. Well nowI have an excuse to buy better beer, you know, since they have the pry off tops


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## IQwine (Apr 5, 2009)

what specific bottles work?


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## vcasey (Apr 5, 2009)

Sam Adams Brand
VPC


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## IQwine (Apr 5, 2009)

well.... now we are getting somewhere.....

thank you...thank you


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## WhineMaker (Apr 5, 2009)

I use only Sam Adams, and Sierra Nevada bottles.. I tried Amstel and Heineken bottles and can say for sure they are no good.. I prefer the Sierra Nevada bottles because they fit on the bottom shelf of the fridge better, and they make one heck of a beer!! BTW, my LHBS wants13.99 for a case of 12 oz bottles empty, and I can get a case of SN for 22.99 full.. That makes the case of beer only 9.00!!


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## gaudet (Apr 5, 2009)

WhineMaker said:


> I use only Sam Adams, and Sierra Nevada bottles.. I tried Amstel and Heineken bottles and can say for sure they are no good.. I prefer the Sierra Nevada bottles because they fit on the bottom shelf of the fridge better, and they make one heck of a beer!! BTW, my LHBS wants13.99 for a case of 12 oz bottles empty, and I can get a case of SN for 22.99 full.. That makes the case of beer only 9.00!!



If only our government was as smart as that....................


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## WhineMaker (Apr 6, 2009)

gaudet said:


> If only our government was as smart as that....................






LOL!!



That is good!!! My co-workers gave me a wierd look when I burst out laughing at my desk.. Problem is we should probably be crying!!


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## IQwine (Apr 6, 2009)

apparently the government needs to buy more beer...


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## jcnoren (Apr 6, 2009)

What problems did you run into using Heinkein beer bottles?


Currently IHeinkein beer bottlesfor bottling my wine and I have not experienced any problems. I use crown caps on them (not corks).


I have tried using twist off bottles and putting crown caps on them. Here I ran into problems.IF I was not careful I snapped the top of the bottles right off. I attribute this to ; thinner glass and pushing down too hard with my crown capper. Those that I did cap without snapping the necks off, held their seal. However since I did not want to snap anymore bottle necks off I switched to Heinkein beer bottles, with no problems at all.


I am Canadian, not familiar with Sam Adams, Sierra Nevada or Amstel


JC


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## vcasey (Apr 6, 2009)

The key is not to use the twist off caps and use dark bottles. Those mentioned are just brands regularly purchased or simply what we can get from others. 
VPC


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## suprasteve (Apr 6, 2009)

WhineMaker said:


> my LHBS wants13.99 for a case of 12 oz bottles empty, and I can get a case of SN for 22.99 full.. That makes the case of beer only 9.00!!


that sounds like my reasoning behind the wal-mart $2.97 bottles of 'Oak Leaf' wine, never fails to make methink 'hey my wine is pretty darn good in comparison to this stuff', but then again after factoring in the bottle and potentially shipping, the wine is less thna a dollar


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## WhineMaker (Apr 7, 2009)

jcnoren said:


> What problems did you run into using Heinkein beer bottles?




I can get the Heinekin/Amstel bottles to seal, its just very difficult..Since the "crown" on the top of the bottle isn't as tall, the caps seem to want to go on sideways when using a double wing hand capper. You need to use excessive downward force because the part of the capper which grabs the bottle is grabbing higher if you can picture what I mean. I will post some pictures later of the difference. I believe if youare using a floor capper you won't run into this problem..


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## WhineMaker (Apr 7, 2009)

suprasteve said:


> that sounds like my reasoning behind the wal-mart $2.97 bottles of 'Oak Leaf' wine, never fails to make methink 'hey my wine is pretty darn good in comparison to this stuff', but then again after factoring in the bottle and potentially shipping, the wine is less thna a dollar




They just defeated an attempt to be able to sell wine at grocery stores here in NY.. Still can only buy at Wine/Liquor stores, or BJ's Wholesale Club.. Even beverage centers are unable to sell wine...


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## jcnoren (Apr 8, 2009)

Whinemaker....


I use an "Inart" hand capper. You have to be careful to excert equal presure on each side when capping, but no problems experienced here. 


Heinkeins are my 2ndfavorite bottle, next to good ol' stubbies.


I tried a cheap capper of similar design. It was $12.50 CDN at Zellars. It didn't work well on any kind of bottle, so I just returned it.


JC


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## SSNET (Apr 12, 2009)

I have used Grolsh bottles with great success for years.


No capper needed, 16oz bottles, plenty strong.


Grolsh isn't cheap to buy, but try your local bar that serves it. Ask if 
they will save them for you. I got most of mine that way.
Jim


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## Pablo (Apr 13, 2009)

I'm using clear Corona bottles for my Mexican Cerveza. I used them for the Honey Blond Ale before that.No problems or off flavors. I have a bench capper. It's real easy to use. I do have some Grolsh and EZ Cap bottles. I keg some of my beer also. My next few batches will get bottled. I'm drinking a lot Widmers Beer for those. I should have 7 empty cases when done.


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## Travisty (Apr 14, 2009)

Just make sureto protect the beer from light ifyou use clear or green bottles. The light can cause photochemical reactions with the hops to take place and skunk your beer. Brown bottles are pretty good at preventing that, but clear and green bottles aren't. So if you use green or clear bottles, keep them in the dark.


Also, I have yet to find a pry-off style bottle that doesn't seal for me. I use the red double handled capper as well.


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## suprasteve (Apr 17, 2009)

so I have been purposely buying the grolsch swing top beers the past two weeks from the local liquor store, but thenI figured I might as wellcheck ebay to see how much they would be to just buy empty and used. Someone wants $35 with shipping for 6 bottles!!! Don't know about prices in the rest of the nation, but I'm getting the 4 packs (with beer in them of course) for $8. And couldn't hardly find one auction that had the bottles cheaper than that. I guess this is kind of a pointless post, but it just makes me shake my head in disbelief... well its Friday so time for a beer I guess


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## mattsbrewery (May 18, 2009)

Old thread, I know. I just had to weigh in. I use any pry-off bottle I can get my hands on. 22oz bottles are like gold! 

I have used budweiser twist-off bottles just to see if I could. I had no problems with them at all. Just don't tell my wife....(if I need "pry-off", then i need to by better beer...ssshhhh.)


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## PPBart (Dec 6, 2010)

mattsbrewery said:


> Old thread, I know. I just had to weigh in...




I've been making wine for years, butplanning to add beer brewing within next couple of weeks(retired now, so I've got more time for the important things in life), and just want to revisit this topic. 


I'll stick to pry-off brown bottles, already accumulated several dozen -- mostly MichelobAmber Bock, Heinekenand a local brew called SouthernPecan Ale(excellent brew!). 


Are there any brands which I should specifically not use?


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## andy123 (Dec 11, 2010)

Mostly I keg beer.I find it's a quicker process to empty bottles than fill them.But on one occasion I wanted to bottle some to take to family and didnt want to put much effort into it. So I washed up some twistoffs and the caps that came with them.After filling and priming I simply twisted on the caps and mind you it was just a 12 pack but it worked fine for me.


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## gaudet (Dec 12, 2010)

Next time you buy beer, get some twist tops and some pry tops (or you can just look at them in the pretty display cases at your local store). Before opening them up, look at the dimples in the bottle cap. If they are linear, they are pry top, if you notice them to have a repeating staircase pattern they are twist top.

Personally, if I bottle (which I seldom do) I use the swingtop grolsch type bottles. Works great.

Kegging is certainly the way to go after you tire of washing bottles over and over again.


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## wvbrewer (Mar 10, 2011)

Another one for Ez Cap bottles theyare very nice.


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