Better-bottle

[ntboozer]

Done the search but found nothing - appologies if I have missed a relevent post.

Anyone using or looking at using the Better-Bottle that is being advertised in the back of Issue 3 Beer & Brewer magazine? Any comments re: suitability / value for money etc?

Cheers
nt
:icon_chickcheers:

 

[65bellett]

I checked these thing out this morning at Grain and Grape. I really like them and if I did not have an arsenal plastic and glass fermenters I would definitely have purchased one or two. They have a huge range of accessories and the few bits I looked at seemed really well built. You can have a look at them on www.better-bottle.com . My only problem with them is that all the different capacities are the same height and they wouldn't fit in my ferment fridge.

If you go ahead with purchasing one I would love to hear how you get on with it.

65B

 

[tcraig20]

Looks like they'd be a pain to clean though.

 

[HKS]

They don't have a large enough capacity in my view and it looks like they are designed for US batch sizes. 6 US gallons (22.7L)- to brew a 5 gal batch for fermenting and 5 US gallons (18.9L) as a secondary.

If they had a 25L or 30L size it would be more viable for our batch sizes.

 

[Jagungal]

They look to be a perfect size for keggers, I always do my batches at 19-20L, so 23L is just about right.

As for cleaning, if they are like Glass carboys then an immediate rinse out then good soaking in Nappy San usually does the trick. Glass carboys are usually not a problem if cleaned immediately although once or twice I have had to get a bottle brush with a curved body in there to scrub around the neck.

I would love to get my hands on one. I like using the Glass Carboys but I always worry about them breaking when you are cleaning them or moving them around.

Price wise, would be nice if they were just a little bit cheaper but I suppose it is costly to import a bulky item.

 

[tcraig20]

They look to be a perfect size for keggers, I always do my batches at 19-20L, so 23L is just about right.

As for cleaning, if they are like Glass carboys then an immediate rinse out then good soaking in Nappy San usually does the trick. Glass carboys are usually not a problem if cleaned immediately although once or twice I have had to get a bottle brush with a curved body in there to scrub around the neck.

I would love to get my hands on one. I like using the Glass Carboys but I always worry about them breaking when you are cleaning them or moving them around.

Price wise, would be nice if they were just a little bit cheaper but I suppose it is costly to import a bulky item.

Its all the little raised bits on the sides that bother me. Glass carboys are smooth, nowhere for gunk to get stuck.

Really though, they DO look just like the bottles that you get for water coolers. I'd guess they'd be cheaper too.

 

[verock]

I've used them for 2 years now, mostly for wine. Much lighter and won't break like glass and I like them. I like buckets for easy cleaning for my primary beer ferment, then to a carboy (glass or plastic) for the secondary. I really like them, but I haven't usedbought any accessories yet. Just the stopper and a bubbler.

 

[wambesi]

Yeah I've been eying them off for a while also, would be nice to "watch" the changes during fermentation.
I'm moving to smaller half size batches myself and have been thinking of using a 15L cube but maybe one of these might be good too.

 

[SpillsMostOfIt]

... have been thinking of using a 15L cube ...

They're not as good as they first seem in my view. I've used them a couple of times and find that you lose a lot due to the hump in the bottom and they are difficult to clean. I guess the latter applies to anything with a small opening, but less so with glass or smooth, shiny plastic.

Having said that, I will probably give them another shot in the near future for the sheerhelluvit as much beer has passed through the liver since I last tried them.

 

[wambesi]

They're not as good as they first seem in my view. I've used them a couple of times and find that you lose a lot due to the hump in the bottom and they are difficult to clean. I guess the latter applies to anything with a small opening, but less so with glass or smooth, shiny plastic...

Hey Spills, true, I realise that but they will fit in the small bar fridge given to me better than a 25L fermenter...hmm, guess I'll try one batch and see anyhoo. :icon_cheers:

 

[Jagungal]

Its all the little raised bits on the sides that bother me. Glass carboys are smooth, nowhere for gunk to get stuck.

Really though, they DO look just like the bottles that you get for water coolers. I'd guess they'd be cheaper too.

It would be good if you could get 23L water cooler bottles, I too think they are the same, likely to be a bit cheaper as well. I have eyed them off a few times but they always seem to be a bit smaller than my normal batch size.

Good point about the ridges, still worth a try.

One of the things I have learned though while using a glass carboy is the power of nappy-san, works wonders in getting any gunk to lift. You are also
more likely to spot any gunk that is left with a clear bottle.

 

[beernography]

Looks gimmicky to me..

 

[randyrob]

Hey Guys,

I have a couple of Better Bottles that i have been using for both Beer & Wine.





Glass (left) vs Better Bottle (right)

The BB's are a hell of alot lighter then my glass carboy's and i really like the racking adapter & dry airlock options!

it's also reassuring to know that i'm not going to hurt, mame or kill myself if i drop one of these ()

it's good to see new and promising brewing equipment coming into the market in australia and i guess you shouldn't really knock them until you have tried them

Cheers Rob.

 

[Julez]

Hey Rob, where'd you get yours? I want to grab one myself. What was the damage?

Cheers, Julez.

 

[SJW]

These look good. I have always wanted a glass carboy or similar but 22 litres is too small for me and I keg. I like to have a couple of bottles extra just incase and a bit of fermentation head room. How much is a glass carboy, about 25 or 30 litres anyway?

Steve

 

[reg]

Hey Rob, where'd you get yours? I want to grab one myself. What was the damage?

Cheers, Julez.

+1
I have been thinking of a new fermentor and thinking of these.
Interested to see the damage to the hip pocket...

Cheers
Reg

 

[floppinab]

Glass (left) vs Better Bottle (right)

randy that tap looks a loooong way off the bottom of that better bottle. How do you go running "the last bits" through.

 

[Lukes]

From the Better Bottle web site...

 

[randyrob]

randy that tap looks a loooong way off the bottom of that better bottle. How do you go running "the last bits" through.

Heya floppinab,

sorry those aren't very good pics to showcase the racking arm, i'll see if i can take some better pics on the weekend when i dump a lighter coloured lager in there.
basically u just adjust the outpost to just above your sedement level by moving the tap on the front. it is a nice tight seal and pulls apart for easy sanitisation

they are readily availabe over here in the west and i've even seen them on one of the site sponsors webpages.

the frementation was so vigorous in that pic, the yeasties were picking up bits of hops and trub and the bottom and rising them to the top in a kind of vector current
it was mesmorising to watch!

Rob.

 

[floppinab]

the frementation was so vigorous in that pic, the yeasties were picking up bits of hops and trub and the bottom and rising them to the top in a kind of vector current
it was mesmorising to watch!

Oooooohhh some visuals to go with the "bloop bloop", I gotta have one!!!! :blink:

Re. the tap, yep I think I get the picture from your description, thanks,

Edit : whoops just saw the pic from Lukes, thanks again