Can Anyone Helpa Newbie With Some Bottles?

[tomdavis]

Hi there,

I'm a noob who is only just getting into the home-brew scene and essentially I am on the lookout for some swingtop bottles, about 50 or maybe a few more if poss.

I hate using the plastic ones, but as I am only new to the whole thing and I haven't ventured into the kegging arena yet, I just wondered if anyone has any Grolsch or Schwelmer bottles that I can have/buy?

If not, where the hell do you find them?! I have looked everywhere for them, to see if I can scrounge them off pubs or restaurants and I haven't seen any anywhere!

If there is a kind soul out there who can help, I am happy to pick up anywhere round the Melbourne area.

Here's hoping

Cheers all,

CTG

 

[Adamt]

Good luck, they sell for about $1 or more a bottle and get snapped up as soon as people offer them... check ebay periodically.

 

[tomdavis]

Good luck, they sell for about $1 or more a bottle and get snapped up as soon as people offer them... check ebay periodically.

Yeah that's what I feared. That they were like gold-dust!

Cheers for the advice, I have noticed some on eBay at the moment 100 bottles but he wants $200!

I think $2 a bottle is a bit steep.

Quite happy to pay $1 a bottle though.

 

[peas_and_corn]

In SA some of the recycling places sell longnecks pretty cheap, but I'm not sure if it's the same in Vic.

 

[staggalee]

Yeah that's what I feared. That they were like gold-dust!

Cheers for the advice, I have noticed some on eBay at the moment 100 bottles but he wants $200!

I think $2 a bottle is a bit steep.

Quite happy to pay $1 a bottle though.

$1 is the average across the board, $2 they`re dreamin.

stagga.

 

[tomdavis]

$1 is the average across the board, $2 they`re dreamin.

stagga.

Yep, that's what I thought.

It's amazing when I hear people talking on here and saying they have 600 Grolsch bottles.. where do they all come from? They seem so sparse!

 

[peas_and_corn]

They drink A LOT

 

[tomdavis]

They drink A LOT

Yeah, that's 2 a night for a year!!

 

[Barramundi]

carlos , add your location in your profile , someone local might be able to help you out ...

 

[tomdavis]

carlos , add your location in your profile , someone local might be able to help you out ...

Good point Barramundi, thanks!

 

[Barramundi]

i have found a good way to source bottles is to approach a local reception centre and ask them to hang on to them for you to pick them up , i managed to get all my champagne bottles this way , then when i had enough they just threw them in the recycling again rather than keep them for me ...

 

[tomdavis]

i have found a good way to source bottles is to approach a local reception centre and ask them to hang on to them for you to pick them up , i managed to get all my champagne bottles this way , then when i had enough they just threw them in the recycling again rather than keep them for me ...

That's a good plan. How do you cap the champagne bottles?

Do you cork them, or have another cunning method?

I just spoke to the guy down at my local Dan Murphy's (which is a massive shop) and he said that they rarely get the swing-top Grolsch anymore, and even if they do get them, they are normally only bought by the homebrewers as the regular punters just buy the crown topped ones.

*sigh*

 

[tomdavis]

Carlos, you can get the larger crown seals and the tirage bell for a bench capper from one of the site sponsors.

Follow this link:

The same sponsor sells plastic corks and wires, but that is an expensive way to go compared with the crown seals.

Good luck.

Wally

Ah yes, thanks Wally, they have thought of everything!

This seems to be a good way forward indeed. Just means I will have to drink my beer 750ml at a time instead..

:super:

 

[tomdavis]

Carlos, smaller bottle size means more work when bottling.

I for one, prefer filling and capping a smaller number of larger bottles - that's when I'm not using kegs.


Wally

Sounds like it makes sense to me. I have just been researching a little bit more and found out about the larger crown caps and the preferred method being a bench capper.

I followed Barramundi's tip and have also just been on the phone with a local reception venue, who had a reception happening in the background as I was speaking! and they said I could pop round and have a rummage through their empties at the end of the night. Good stuff!

 

[Barramundi]

the place i got them from kept the bottles special for me b4 the went into the bin , i just had to be there every tuesday to get them ... caps are a little more expensive but the bottles are thicker and look more impressive ,,

 

[tomdavis]

the place i got them from kept the bottles special for me b4 the went into the bin , i just had to be there every tuesday to get them ... caps are a little more expensive but the bottles are thicker and look more impressive ,,

Sweeet! I went round to the reception venue last night and they said they had a few out back I could have, so I went and had a look and I ended up with about 75 bottles!!

Do you use a particular type Barra?

As the ones I have collected are all for brut style sparkling wine rather than Champagne and they are green (would have preferred brown, but beggars can't be choosers eh?) and I note that the bottoms of them don't have as much of a 'cone' shape to them as traditional champers bottles.

I assumed that as long as they have the champagne style opening at the top, and are of thickish glass they should be fine.

They certainly look more substantial than stubbie bottles anyway!