Bottles - Glass Vs Pet

[RobboMC]

I've gone down the track of brown PET bottles as I preferred to spend on bottles rather than a capper plus bottles. After many brews I have found some advantages and disadvantages with PET bottles.

Do people have any experience of glass Vs PET?

Which ones are better, and why?

I like the lack of weight in the PET, 30 big browns are heavy when empty and impossible to lift in one batch
when full.

 

[DJR]

I reckon the PET's are only good for less than 10 re-uses, they tend to get a bit stained/cloudy compared to glass which is pretty much indestructable.

But i bottle usually half PET and half glass and there is no perceivable difference in taste or carbonation time/level.

I like stubbies though, especially when bottling > 8% ABV beers - did an AIPA the other day and still have some Tripel floating around. 750mL is just too much

 

[mikem108]

The ISB meet at Phils, we tasted the same beer one in PET and one in glass and there was a taste difference. I can't remember if it was positive or negative, but I think the glass won out. Maybe someone can correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[DJR]

I think the one in glass was a bit less sweet, from memory the one in PET wasn't totally carbonated when we tried it, another experiment might be called for. In my experience i've found no difference.

 

[Stuster]

Through my slightly hazy memory I think we all guessed wrong, Mike. There really didn't seem to be much difference between the glass and PET beers. I usually do 2-3 beers per batch in PET. When the PET bottles are hard, the batch is carbonated. I haven't noticed any difference, though an occasional PET bottle seems undercarbed. I wouldn't use them for long term storage as they are do slowly allow gas exchange. Has anybody used PET for longer time periods?

 

[stoutdrinker]

I've got some K&K stouts that have been in PET for 18months & no probs with carbonation levels nor taste.

Have been stored at reasonably stable temps & in the dark.

Cheers

Stout.

 

[SpillsMostOfIt]

Ignoring a small flotilla of Grolsch swing-tops and some 330/340ml screw-top glass, I use PET exclusively. I use Coopers PET (which have a Nylon coating to reduce the gas exchange thing) and 1.25litre soft drink bottles. A total of about 350 litres has been bottled in this fashion - about 50/50 Coopers/softies.

My eldest surviving brew in ex-soft drink bottles was bottled on 29 Dec and is still hard. I am tempted to make some Viagra joke here. Apart from stouts and the like, I don't intend my beer to last for more than a few months, so *long* term storage is not an issue for me.

I have little to compare against, but I don't believe there is a flavour contribution from my hill of plastic.

 

[geoffi]

I go about half 1.25L PET soft-drink bottles, half glass.

I don't believe there is any difference in the beer. Obviously with clear PET you need to be especially carefully of light.

The PET has some great advantages. It's light, it's safe, it makes bottling quicker and easier, it's convenient for drinks with friends, and it's easy to guage carbonation from the feel of them. In fact I think that's a great reason for everybody to at least do one or two PETs.

You can also reseal them. I find the beer in a half-full PET is fine next day, although that's about the limit.

Downsides...not many. Doesn't look as good, but I always have some in glass for show.

 

[InCider]

I am in love with my XXXX crown seals. I love the weight, the history and the smooth lip. I drink from the tallie almost exclusively. What a heathen I am! I also am of the belief that the glass has the effect of helping maintaining a cooler temp for longer. Anyone have any heat exchange data?

InCider.

 

[RobboMC]

My oldest surviving brew in a PET is 8 months. The only loss of carbonation I get is through failed caps, and I just throw in half a teaspoon of dex and put on a new one.

Yes, you can feel the carbonation level by squeezing the sides.

I have been having problems with sediment coming to the surface too easily when I pour the Coopers PET bottle. The shape of the bottom seems to make this too easy. I need to experiment with a jug and a single smooth pour.

I find the PET bottles too easy to knock over when empty, but a ten-bottle bowling alley of PET is less serious than the same of glass.

 

[BruceL]

I usually bottle about 1/3 in PET and drink these first. I have noticed that beer does oxidise quicker in the PET bottles. For paler beers I try and drink them in the first 5 or 6 months. Ive stored darker beers longer without problem.

 

[jdsaint]

I only use my coopers pet bottle for ginger beer and other non alcoholic drinks or low alc drinks

 

[hewy]

Through my slightly hazy memory I think we all guessed wrong, Mike. There really didn't seem to be much difference between the glass and PET beers. I usually do 2-3 beers per batch in PET. When the PET bottles are hard, the batch is carbonated. I haven't noticed any difference, though an occasional PET bottle seems undercarbed. I wouldn't use them for long term storage as they are do slowly allow gas exchange. Has anybody used PET for longer time periods?

I opened a few beers the other day all in PET's and one after the other I discovered they were flat. I opened one from the same batch in a glass bottle and bam nice and bubbly...

So I would say overtime they do lose carbonation from my experience.

Its a bit of a bummer when you open up one of your first brews to see how crap it was and it exceeds expectations by being flat.

 

[Ross]

I opened a few beers the other day all in PET's and one after the other I discovered they were flat. I opened one from the same batch in a glass bottle and bam nice and bubbly...

So I would say overtime they do lose carbonation from my experience.

Its a bit of a bummer when you open up one of your first brews to see how crap it was and it exceeds expectations by being flat.

I would suggest that you didn't seal the caps properly then. I've never noticed any drop off in carbonation, even in beers poured straight from the tap, many months later.

cheers Ross

 

[Barramundi]

pet isnt great for long term storage , hence the reason the commercial breweries dont use it ...

 

[hewy]

I would suggest that you didn't seal the caps properly then. I've never noticed any drop off in carbonation, even in beers poured straight from the tap, many months later.

cheers Ross

I normally do things up pretty tight but anything is possible. I still use PET's so if any of my newer batches manage to last long enough I guess they should be a good indication if it was me or the bottle that stuffed up...

 

[EnergeticSloth]

Ive only currently used PET for 1 batch so far have been stored for aprox 3 months ive only just cracked them in the last week and have had no prob with carbonation or taste.

Ive decided to use glass mainly and have PET for a batch back up dont think their is much difference i think its just down to personal choice

 

[head]

What I have noticed is that even though I follow the guidelines for bulk priming, as in a ratio of sugar for the carb level I am after, I find that the pets seem to be carbonated but not greatly so. Almost like they need a little more sugar to get them to the right level of fizz. I have done an experiment with my first batch of pale ale. Have grolsh bottles and PET bottles with new and old lids. Just to see how they compare. So far the grolsh seem to be leading the push.

Could it be because PET bottles have give in them so when they pressurise they create a slightly larger bottle that needs to be gassed? I am probably grasping at straws here but could this be the answer, to add a little more sugar/dextrose/malt to compensate?

 

[petesbrew]

Drinking out of glass sure beats plastic anyday, and beer just doesn't seem right being kept in plastic.

On the other hand, I love my PET bottles. I don't have to worry about them breaking in transit, the lids are reusable, and capping is quicker and easier than the crown seals.

Hmm, storage... maybe I should drink that 6 month old 1.25l bottle of Smoked Belgian Ale soon! :chug:

 

[Tyred]

I tend to use glass bottles for beer and my PET bottles for ginger beer and cider. No problems with carbonation or taste in either.

As for carbonation levels, it is possible that the 'give' in PET may allow slightly more head space for gas to collect in. This may mean that the contents are less carbonated as the gas will be released on opening and not be contained in the liquid. Increasing (slightly) the priming may counteract this. As always be careful. Exploding PET bottles still make a hell of a mess. Makes me wish I'd taken a photo of one of my PET bottles that had the entire top blown off.