# Used Wine Bottles



## winesleeper (May 31, 2013)

When buying used clean clear wine bottles at $7.00/12, what should I be looking out for? New bottles at the LHBS are $18.00/12. Is it safe to buy used bottles?


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## olusteebus (Jun 1, 2013)

I don't buy used bottles but I only use used bottles. I recommend finding some sources such as friends, restaurants, wine tastings.

I feel confident that I clean them as we'll or better than a seller would.


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## Rocky (Jun 1, 2013)

I agree with Olusteebus. I work with used bottles exclusively and get them from a number of sources among which are friends, restaurants and wine stores (from their tastings). Seven dollars for 12 is quite high. If you get with a wine boutique in your area, you may be able to combine with his orders and buy new bottles for about $8 for 12. That is what is available to me here, but I still use other sources for bottles.


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## Runningwolf (Jun 1, 2013)

I agree with Rocky. You are almost paying full price for bottles but it sure is nice to get them without labels. When I buy used bottles I pay $2.00 a case.


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## jamesngalveston (Jun 1, 2013)

I bought my first 12, then went to some friends that owned bars.
Ill never buy a bottle again.
Good threads here on how to clean, and remove the labels.


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## cmason1957 (Jun 2, 2013)

I never buy wine bottles. Most wineries are more than happy to give you their used wine bottles. They must use new ones and have to get rid of used ones.


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## jswordy (Jun 3, 2013)

cmason1957 said:


> I never buy wine bottles. Most wineries are more than happy to give you their used wine bottles. They must use new ones and have to get rid of used ones.



I love it how different it is state to state. Winery used bottles here in TN/AL are $5 a dozen, with labels on them. A case of new is $18-$20. Bars and restaurants are by law required to smash all wine and liquor bottles after use. I spend a lot of time at the recycling place, trying to time my visits before they, too, smash the bottles people bring there for space requirements.

To get back to the OP, there is nothing wrong with using used bottles. Be sure the bottles you get are not screw-cap because screw-cap bottles will not stand up to the pressure of corking and could break. Make sure you clean and sanitize them well before using. 

I discard any used bottles with mold inside or debris like cigarette butts, dirt, etc. That makes them much harder to clean for me. As a gravity wand filler, I am not much of a fan of punt bottoms, either, but I sometimes have to take what I can get.


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## downunder (Jun 3, 2013)

jswordy said:


> To get back to the OP, there is nothing wrong with using used bottles. Be sure the bottles you get are not screw-cap because screw-cap bottles will not stand up to the pressure of corking and could break. Make sure you clean and sanitize them well before using.



With Nova Twist hand applied screw caps being only about 2 cents dearer than the lowest priced new corks and cheaper than premium corks I would go for screw caps. Easier to apply, clean professional looking finish and no chance of cork taint. And they are faster to apply than corks. Love anything that makes bottling a 1000 bottles of wine quicker.


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## JohnT (Jun 3, 2013)

downunder said:


> With Nova Twist hand applied screw caps being only about 2 cents dearer than the lowest priced new corks and cheaper than premium corks I would go for screw caps. Easier to apply, clean professional looking finish and no chance of cork taint. And they are faster to apply than corks. Love anything that makes bottling a 1000 bottles of wine quicker.


 
I don't know about that. My floor corker goes pretty quick. Also, I would miss that "POP" when celebrating life with my honey.


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## wpt-me (Jun 3, 2013)

The redemption center here charged me .19 cents each That is .04 cents above 
redemption cost and included Carlo Rossi jugs.

Bill


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## downunder (Jun 4, 2013)

JohnT said:


> I don't know about that. My floor corker goes pretty quick. Also, I would miss that "POP" when celebrating life with my honey.



You will notice I said anything that makes bottling a 1000 bottles quicker is good.
Using a vacuum filler I can have 1 bottle filling while I am applying the screw cap I don't have to move. Don't have to lift the corker arm. Don't have to place the bottle in the corker, Don't have to push the corker down Don't have to pick the bottle out of the corker. Just apply cap and drop bottle into the case
Unless you have help corking you could not be as fast as applying screw caps. If it was quicker to cork when solo bottling I would be doing it.


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## JohnT (Jun 4, 2013)

downunder said:


> You will notice I said anything that makes bottling a 1000 bottles quicker is good.
> Using a vacuum filler I can have 1 bottle filling while I am applying the screw cap I don't have to move. Don't have to lift the corker arm. Don't have to place the bottle in the corker, Don't have to push the corker down Don't have to pick the bottle out of the corker. Just apply cap and drop bottle into the case
> Unless you have help corking you could not be as fast as applying screw caps. If it was quicker to cork when solo bottling I would be doing it.


 

You bottle 1000 bottles yourself?????????

I find that when bottling, I never am short of labor. I quess with all of the bottles of wine, I am a little more generous on what I give away. 

A five guy crew seems best... 
One guy fills, One guy tops off, one guy corks, one guy washes the sealed bottle, and one guy boxes/stacks.

With 5 guys, It goes very quick.


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## jamesngalveston (Jun 5, 2013)

what is a redemption center.


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## garymc (Jun 5, 2013)

I'll be corrected if I'm wrong, but some states have deposits on bottles and cans of just about all types. You take the empties to the redemption center and get your "deposit" back. Are you old enough to remember when the soda companies had returnable bottles? Similar, except it's required by the state. I don't know where the money comes from and goes to in these systems.


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## moesagoodboy (Jun 5, 2013)

garymc said:


> I'll be corrected if I'm wrong, but some states have deposits on bottles and cans of just about all types. You take the empties to the redemption center and get your "deposit" back. Are you old enough to remember when the soda companies had returnable bottles? Similar, except it's required by the state. I don't know where the money comes from and goes to in these systems.



Some states in lieu of bottle deposit use the direct deposit method. Purchase beverage and throw empty out car window. I ride my bicycle thru a lot of states and notice a difference between states with deposit laws. You would not believe the amount of bottle trash outside the perimeter of Richmond, Va. I'm talking about country roads.

I reuse all my wine bottles and try to always buy wine with corks. There is no fun in opening a wine bottle with a screw cap.


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## wpt-me (Jun 5, 2013)

Here in Maine all juice,plastic water,alcohol bottles,beer cans have a deposit
on them. wine bottles have .15 cent deposit.

bill


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## downunder (Jun 6, 2013)

JohnT said:


> You bottle 1000 bottles yourself?????????
> 
> I find that when bottling, I never am short of labor. I quess with all of the bottles of wine, I am a little more generous on what I give away.
> 
> ...



Yes either my wife of myself does the bottling on our own. If we are both there one fills, applies caps, put bottles in cartons. The other makes up the cartons and moves the full cartons, supplies the drinks, keeps a tally on numbers of bottles, starts printing out the labels required.
Did you miss out one guy.....the one capping the bottles lol


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## beggarsu (Oct 22, 2013)

In Canada we have bottle depots (recycling depot). They sell the wine bottles for 30 cents each - all kinds. I guess they redeem them for 5 or 10 cents.

Have screw tops , non screw tops scored 6 ,one gal jugs , 12 x 3-litre jugs (good use as carboys).

When they get wine bottles they just store them in a special place for the winemakers.

cleaning is work but no problem. - Cut off the rings (be careful!) -Scrub off the labels steel wool + sometimes or finish up paint cleaner. (this is the outside) - finish hand inspect and get any last spots.

inside first i rinse with bleach, then warm water , then the 'pink stuff' then warm water - very thorough. Doesn't take that long - just use elbow grease.. 

Bleach will take care of any mould or stain - I've observed this.

Doesn't matter what garbage is inside the bottle (cigs etc) just dump it! It's already used - what's to be snobbish?
used is used - use it.


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## DaveL (Oct 22, 2013)

moesagoodboy said:


> Some states in lieu of bottle deposit use the direct deposit method. Purchase beverage and throw empty out car window. I ride my bicycle thru a lot of states and notice a difference between states with deposit laws. You would not believe the amount of bottle trash outside the perimeter of Richmond, Va. I'm talking about country roads.
> 
> I reuse all my wine bottles and try to always buy wine with corks. There is no fun in opening a wine bottle with a screw cap.



I take exception to that statement regarding Richmond,  kinda. You must have been on the south side. 25 years ago we would joke that you could tell you were in southside by the broken glass on the gutters.
But out ion the country not so much. 
I do agree though, screw caps are no fun.


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## Noontime (Oct 23, 2013)

moesagoodboy said:


> Purchase beverage and throw empty out car window. I ride my bicycle thru a lot of states and notice a difference between states with deposit laws.


Off topic, but this reminded me of a story I read about a guy who traveled by bike all over the country for free... sleeping and eating and drinking where he could. He was worried about his safety out west with no water... untill he realized there were plenty of half empty water bottles on the side of the road.


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## mikey1273 (Oct 24, 2013)

We don't have redemption centers in PA and some townships and boroughs don't even require curbside recycling... mine is implementing it now. 

what O have seen a few years ago when I visited the San Francisco bay area is California seems to add a charge at the register to the cost of a bottled item for the container to be recycled. when you put it out for the trash collection to pick up on recycling day the company uses that to fund their services or you take it back in for the deposit back. 

I use used bottles all the time... I see it as good for me, the environment and my wino friends and family


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