# Which Bottles To Use?



## david d (1/2/10)

Hi Im only new to brewing and was wondering if Pure Blonde green bottles are suitable for capping. and if
not can you recomend a bottle to try and accumulate 


Ta

Dave


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## chappo1970 (1/2/10)

Ok DD

The green bottles will probably be ok for a couple of brews but generally the stubbies are a PITA to bottle and clean. You need tallies and preferably crown seals. Coopers are best and IMO the old XXXX tallie are the best. Screwtops are generally thinner at the crown are prone to chipping.

Cheers

Chappo


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## j1gsaw (1/2/10)

old xxxx crown seals for the win!!


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## david d (1/2/10)

thanks
but there's got to br a better poption than XXXX
Im a Sydney Boy  :lol:


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## chappo1970 (1/2/10)

david d said:


> thanks
> but there's got to br a better poption than XXXX
> Im a Sydney Boy  :lol:



Eeeeeewww! A dirty cockroach!







Best bet is the Coopers then check ebay, local recyclers, local brew club, local pub and or buy 4 cartons and start drinking heavily.


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## barls (1/2/10)

hey mate try this bloke i know hes trying to get rid of some
http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum//ind...&hl=bottles


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## manticle (1/2/10)

david d said:


> Hi Im only new to brewing and was wondering if Pure Blonde green bottles are suitable for capping. and if
> not can you recomend a bottle to try and accumulate
> 
> 
> ...



You can probably use any bottle but my preference runs towards 750 mL coopers and 500 mL European type (erdinger, schofferhofer etc).

Strong, crown seals and bottle conditioned as my own beers are so made to withstand natural carbonation. Also dark glass to resist light skunking.


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## rendo (1/2/10)

Here I go, against the tide.

Mate, if you like stubbies, stick with stubbies.

As far as tallies/long necks go, then coopers bottles wins, without doubt, they are in a class all of their own.

Stubbies....pure blonde bottles are okay. I have used them, but I think they are the 330ml bottles. They p!ss me off. I know its not much, but I like the 375ml bottles. Its just that bit more that fills your schooner glass and you are left holding a full schooner with head , not a 5/6 full schooner thinking "if I only had that bit more....bl00dy 330ml bottles!!

Personally, I like the cascade bottles. Yes they are twist tops. You MUST use a proper bench capper. This is not negotiable. I have never ever ever had one chip. I have had other bottles chip, but I think they were tooheys new and some really old lite ice bottles. 
Carlton cold bottles are okay too, but they are clear. No problem for me, but it could be for some.

Never had a problem with twist tops sealing either, even after 3+ years in the bottle. You just HAVE to use the bench capper.

The long necks are just a bit much to have every night with dinner. One schooner of beer does me nicely. I usually do a 5-7 long necks per brew and two cases (48 bottles) of stubbies. 

For drinking sessions with friends, I get out the long necks, but dinner time its a stubbie for me. Heaven forbid I get a keg, there would be consumption issues.


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## Bribie G (2/2/10)

Most imported Euro beers are still in crown seal bottles. If you don't mind the odd Heineken style Dutch beer then the tall bottles of Bavaria from Liquorland are a good deal, true crown seal, and the lager itself is a good quaffer. Usually on sale at less than domestic beer if you buy them 3 at a time. They are also 660ml and hold almost the same as an Australian Tallie. Keep them in a dark carton or cupboard of course, being greenies.





(BribieG recycled photo)


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## ajdougall (2/2/10)

david d said:


> Hi Im only new to brewing and was wondering if Pure Blonde green bottles are suitable for capping. and if
> not can you recomend a bottle to try and accumulate
> 
> 
> ...



Dave,

I am accumulating Bundaberg ginger beer bottles, they have the following advantages:

1. Crown seals work perfectly on them, no chipping. They go on very easily
2. Because they have a short neck they do not take up much space when you store them
3. Because the neck is wide froth is not as much of a problem when you are filling them.
4. You don't have to tilt them very far when emptying them. This means that there is less disturbance of the sediment when you empty them.

Cheers

Doogs


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## ajdougall (2/2/10)

Doogs said:


> Dave,
> 
> I forgot to mention that I allways use a bench capper, I don't know how they would go with the hammer type.
> 
> ...


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## zabond (2/2/10)

`Grolsch 450ml swingtops get them off fleabay or find a resteraunt that serves them and ask if they would save/sell the empties to you


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## earle (2/2/10)

Most of my stubbies are Hahn Premium. Had a friend supply lots of these when they were still 375ml. Strong, thick glass and a roll top. Dark green but I store in cardboard cartons as well. The stubbies are still the same quality but now 330ml.

Also have managed to collect a few cartons of James Squires bottles. Again strong, thick brown glass with a roll top, only 330ml though. Enjoyed drinking the contents as well.


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## daveHQ (2/2/10)

i have about 100 james squires bottles (345ml), they are the beez neez in bottles, i didn't know you could cap the bundaburg ginger beer bottles! 

a bloke at work is a tea totaller and drinks heaps of that stuff (calls it his beer) would they cap ok with the 2 handled pull down capper? (dunno the propper name)


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## Tyred (2/2/10)

daveHQ said:


> i have about 100 james squires bottles (345ml), they are the beez neez in bottles, i didn't know you could cap the bundaburg ginger beer bottles!
> 
> a bloke at work is a tea totaller and drinks heaps of that stuff (calls it his beer) would they cap ok with the 2 handled pull down capper? (dunno the propper name)



You can cap the 375ml Bundaberg ginger beer bottles. The 750ml bottles are pet lids. They appear to hold carbonation quite well. I'm finishing off some 2 year old lemonade (alcoholic) and it's still well carbonated.


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## ajdougall (3/2/10)

daveHQ said:


> i have about 100 james squires bottles (345ml), they are the beez neez in bottles, i didn't know you could cap the bundaburg ginger beer bottles!
> 
> a bloke at work is a tea totaller and drinks heaps of that stuff (calls it his beer) would they cap ok with the 2 handled pull down capper? (dunno the propper name)



Dave,

I don't really know how those cappers work, just have to try one. My bench capper works fine.

The is an embossed 'Bundaberg' on the neck. Fill to near the top of the 'B' to get your 375ml

Cheers

Doogs


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## DiscoStu (3/2/10)

Doogs said:


> Dave,
> 
> I am accumulating Bundaberg ginger beer bottles, they have the following advantages:
> 
> ...



Be careful with Bundaberg ginger beer bottles, I had an Dunkelweizen that was slightly overcarbed and on a hot day several that we in these bottles became bombs whereas the euro stubbies and aussie longnecks were ok. 

I like them for beer and agree with your reasons just be careful with carbonation levels as I think they are not as strong as some other bottles.

Stu


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## earle (3/2/10)

DaveHQ

I'm not sure that you're 2 handed capper would work with Bundaberg ginger beer bottles. I had one of those cappers and it wouldn't work on VB stubbies. The wide squat neck of the bottle stops the two sides of the capper from closing all the way. Effect was a bit like putting a glass bottle in a vice. Superautomatica is the way to go.


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## seemax (3/2/10)

I rarely buy beer, but if I do it's usually slabs of Oettinger Pils. Cheap at $29 and a decent, but little bland for me, german pils.

The bottles are 330mL but thick glass and crown seal. Perfect for home brewers!


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## daveHQ (5/2/10)

earle said:


> DaveHQ
> 
> I'm not sure that you're 2 handed capper would work with Bundaberg ginger beer bottles. I had one of those cappers and it wouldn't work on VB stubbies. The wide squat neck of the bottle stops the two sides of the capper from closing all the way. Effect was a bit like putting a glass bottle in a vice. Superautomatica is the way to go.



i find it good on my james squires bottles, caps them perfectly, however it won't do screw top bottles at all, they just won't seal, if you keep trying you just eventually breaks the tops off


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## brocky_555 (5/2/10)

Has anyone considered champers bottles ? I find them easy to get and they have a roll top that you can cap with a bench capper. Get a different bell for your super automatica and get the larger caps and away you go. I heard that champers is carbed up to 6 atm so i'm pretty sure you cant turn them into bombs no matter how bad you are. The glass is green mostly but they are REALLY THICK and I use them heaps and have had no problems. 

Cheers Brocky


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## MaltyHops (6/2/10)

DiscoStu said:


> Be careful with Bundaberg ginger beer bottles, I had an Dunkelweizen that was slightly overcarbed and on a hot day several that we in these bottles became bombs whereas the euro stubbies and aussie longnecks were ok.
> 
> I like them for beer and agree with your reasons just be careful with carbonation levels as I think they are not as strong as some other bottles.
> 
> Stu




I too considered using these ginger beer bottles for beer until I thought of checking
the weight of the bottle's glass - as well as the glass weight of other bottle types I
had around - see below. 

Bottom line is I think the Bundy bottles may be too risky to use. People here have
noted that James Squire stubbies have been known to blow and the Bundy stubbies
have the same amount of glass to contain more volume than the J.S. stubbies so
the Bundy ones are probably even dodgier.

Anyway, it dawned on me that there was a bottle recycling within 5mins of where
I live so had a look and they had heaps the Coopers longnecks for sale (40cents
each - even cheaper than the PET bottles from the supermarkets and I got to trade
my empty stubbies for them at 4 to 1. Some of these long necks even had stickers
by some home brewers on them  .

200g : 375mL : Bundaberg ginger beer
200g : 330mL : James Squire Sundown Lager
250g : 330mL : Waldies Lager (made by Grand Ridge)
545g : 750mL : Coopers longnecks

[ approx. weight : vol : bottle type ]


Tom.


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## brenjak (6/2/10)

Chappo said:


> Ok DD
> 
> The green bottles will probably be ok for a couple of brews but generally the stubbies are a PITA to bottle and clean. You need tallies and preferably crown seals. Coopers are best and IMO the old XXXX tallie are the best. Screwtops are generally thinner at the crown are prone to chipping.
> 
> ...



coopers tallies. Coopers do the brew kits and have the large crown seal bottles with the brewer in mind. Also justifies you drinking 4 cartons of Coopers (i drink it for the bottles only!!!)

Prost!


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## praxis178 (9/2/10)

Well funny thing is I have some of all of the above!

I have: 
150 odd Grolsch swing tops (and about 1 carton of crown seals 330ml)
60 odd long necks ranging from VB to XXXX and some I dug up in the back yard (talk about HEAVY they weigh almost twice a XXXX long neck!)
50 odd UK 500ml bottles
and <drum roll> more than 600 stubbies (J.S. (345), Little Creatures (345), Fat Yak (345), misc Euro brews (all greens 330).

Yep me and My Dad take our brewing seriously, and yes a stubbie is about right with dinner, and when friends drop round (saves on dish washing) too. The Grolsch and long necks are just for special brews....

And just to clarify, we've never had a bomb, and we use a bench capper. We also only really brew all grain too.

Thomas.


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