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robbiep

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Hi guys,

I am new to brewing and plan to do my Coopers DIY kit this weekend. This home kit comes with PET bottles, which i plan to use for bottling.

I all plan to start my first AG brew soon too and plan to start with a 9l batch.

With regards to bottling my first AG brew, is it ok to use normal glass beer bottles? If so, what bottles would be best?

The guys at my LHBS seemed to think its fine, but i have also read about "bottle bombs", so want to make sure that doesnt happen :)

Cheers,
Robbie
 
They've had beer in them already, right? Then they'll probably be good for beer again.

Clear glass isn't ideal but if you keep them in the dark at all times then there's no issue with them at all.

No reason you can't keep using the PET though. They're good bottles unless you plan to put some aside for extended periods - but given your future 9L batch size I'm going to presume this is unlikely ;)
 
Glass is definitely fine, and normally preferred over plastic.

Possibly just bottle one in plastic to give an idea of carbonation since you can feel the pressure by squeezing the sides. If the plastic bottle feels heavily carbonated soon after bottling then you know you have a problem.

Just make sure the beer has completely fermented out and don't over-prime and you'll be right.

Good luck with the maiden voyage.
 
+1 for what bum siad.

The other thing is the "pop top" bottles are generally better for home brew. You can use twist top bottles but they can be a little harder to cap.

Also better to use thicker glass bottles which will hold a little more pressure in case you are a little heavy handed in priming department.

All that being said soft drink PET bottles work fine too, and will generally hold more pressure than your standard glass beer bottle.

Just me 2c
 
When doing AG brewing, you dont actually prime do you? i.e. carbonation drops just before bottling
 
Priming is essentially just adding extra sugars for bottling.

It's required in all forms of brewing.
 
but with AG brew, the sugars are extracted from the grain while making the mash and not added at the end, like what is done with kit brews?
 
Those sugars extracted during the mash are what's fermented, similarly to the kit and extra sugars added with kit brews.

Once the yeast have finished 'eating' all the sugars in the wort and its time to bottle, more sugars are required for the yeast to carbonate the beer in the bottle.
 
but with AG brew, the sugars are extracted from the grain while making the mash and not added at the end, like what is done with kit brews?
AG brewing extracts the sugars from the grain for primary fermentation.

Kit brewing adds sugars to complete the primary fermentation

Both methods will still require extra sugar (bulk priming or Carbonation drops) to complete secondary fermentation in the bottle to carbonate your beer.

Carb drops are an easy way to achieve this although some (like me) experience mixed results. If you are bottling with stubbies and or longnecks (tallies) it is a quick and easy way to achieve carbonation. If you are using non standard sizes (like 500ml) then bulk priming is the easiest option.

I use a variety of bottles - Coopers longnecks are designed for refilling as they are thicker than normal. From memory I think they weigh around 500gms each empty. Those along with 500 and 750ml swingtops depending on my batch size
 
Tallies seem to come in 2 different weights `503-504g and the true king browns ^_^ come in at ~537g

Cheers
 
but with AG brew, the sugars are extracted from the grain while making the mash and not added at the end, like what is done with kit brews?
Think of it this way mate, with All Grain brewing, once you've mashed your grain and extracted those sugars, what your left with is the same as if you just added say 3kg of malt extract to water. Wort. It's just a different process in getting to the boil stage.

Once you're at that point everything from then on is the same, you need to boil, add hops, cool, transfer to a fermenter and add yeast. After your wort has fermented you're left with identical beer, no matter if you used AG, kits or full extract. It's just a different process to get there. The AG method allows brewers much more control over what goes into their wort, and guarantees they have the freshest wort to start with, as they made it themselves, rather than using the extract (dehydrated wort) created by someone else for them.

So with kit cans and malt extract, the mashing has been done for you. The difference being with a kit (e.g. Coopers Draught), they've also already added the hops. No matter the process, AG/Extract/Kits, the beer needs to be carbonated...either in bottles or kegs. It matters not if it was an AG or extract brew.
 
Noted, thanks guys.

So ill make sure that i add the carbonated drops to the AG brew.

So the best bottles to use would be the Coopers Longnecks?
 
Any crown seal bottles are preferred over the twist tops for reasons previously mentioned.

Stick with those and you'll be right. Just bottle as if you were bottling a kit brew.
 
Grolsch flip top bottles are even better imo
even thicker glass than crown seal tallies, flip top eliminates the need for a capper and they look pretty cool

16 of them fit perfectly in a milk crate too ;)
 
I've inherited a heap of 750ml brown glass bottles from my father in law who used to make his own pasta sauce. They're mostly twist top. However, they have been sealing perfectly with my bench capper...I just believe you need to be a little more cautious with them when capping as they supposedly can crack more easily.
 
What are the best bottles?

IMO they are these stainless steel bottles, they are fairly big at 19 l, but you only need one per brew usually. The lid is a bit funny as it doesnt screw on, type of a compression fitting. There are two knobbly bits on top, and beer magically comes out of one of them. :lol:
 
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