Coopers 750mL glass - No refill?

[Stouter]

A kind and knowledgeable Gentleman pointed out to me today that Coopers changed their bottles, dunno when, and some are marked as 'no refill' close to the base.
Further inspection of my stockpile shows all the recent ones I've bought for from the bottlo have this. My older ones don't, and there is a consistent weight difference between them.
New ones come in at approx. 490g, and the old ones at approx. 535g. Now I look at and feel them side by side it's only just clicked that they are different. I can see it and feel it in the base.

Anyone reckon it's safe to still use the new ones?
Majority of my empties are new style, and old style it would put me back to about 4 brews worth of stock.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Going by your moniker I thought they would be Coopers Stout bottles, (what I prefer and thought I had) just went out and checked mine but the ones I had were the 750 ml Guinness, and no warning not to refill.

 

[gezzanet]

Not sure but I was filling James squires stubbies for a while and I noticed the counter flow filler stopper dropping into the bottle further. Looks like opening size bigger and weight less so doesn't surprise me they are trying to use less glass.

 

[Stouter]

Going by your moniker I thought they would be Coopers Stout bottles, (what I prefer and thought I had)

Yes, all Coopers Stout 750mL. Sweet nectar from the Gods.

I'm shattered by this revelation, as I read somewhere in the past that Coopers had kept them heavy gauge specifically for it's homebrewer market after much outcry from that market segment (this may be hearsay).

 

[-ThirstyBrewer-]

PB2 on the coopers forum said this a while back:

"They should still weigh more than 1/2 a kilo when empty - goal weight is 525g. So nothing has changed there. However, the bottle supplier has insisted that the words “NO REFILL” should be added to these bottles as they are not prepared to guarantee the bottles when used by third parties. Fair enough, I guess, when one considers the level of mistreatment a bottle may go through in the course of its life"

 

[Stouter]

Fair enough, I guess, when one considers the level of mistreatment a bottle may go through in the course of its life

Yes, I'll put my hand up to being a careless and heavy handed oaf.
But there is definitely a difference in weight and the base thickness, not just "no refill" stamping in the side.

I'll just stay calm and carry on then. Despite the risk of exploding glass bottles and severe life changing accidents aside I should be fine.
If someone could offer a risk % analysis on this I'd feel even better/more confident in my bottling.
Something along the lines of - "You've got more chance of getting hit by a bus than a bottle Coopers exploding in your face".
"More people die each year from bee stings, shark attacks, and plane crashes combined than from Coopers bottles".

 

[Bribie G]

May contain small parts that are dangerous to children, consult doctor if pain persists.

Warning: consuming this product may induce intoxication and give rise to a desire to molest Roman Catholic Priests...

Talking of priests, do not mow your lawns with our product unless you have been blessed by your Priest, Imam, Shaman or Rabbi.

 

[GABBA110360]

i'm sure my cooper's tallies are about 690 grams empty might have to check

 

[Stouter]

At 690g, that pisses all over my old stamp versions. The heaviest of those, after random checks when I was sorting them this morning, came in at 539g.
You lucky *******.

 

[damoninja]

i'm sure my cooper's tallies are about 690 grams empty might have to check

Might be thinking of when cooper's used pickaxe? I don't know, I sold all mine........

 

[GABBA110360]

i stand corrected just put a couple on scales 530 grams

 

[Stouter]

That's alright, you're still a lucky ******* at 530g.

 

[Danscraftbeer]

It is a little bit of a worry and a little disappointing since Coopers have always been on the side of home brewers.
If they're thinner then obviously their pressure ratings will be lower, less forgiving.
This is the age we live in. Got to milk for every cent. You cant give anything away for just good karma. It doesn't pay anymore... -_-

 

[manticle]

Just pay attention to proper sanitation, storage and fermentation practices.

 

[Kingy]

Back in the day I used to bottle in vb longnecks. Coopers bottles are far superior to that type of glass.

 

[Danscraftbeer]

Agree with Manticle's comment.
I've never had an exploding bottle ever. I have some shitty beers (crappy as in recipe) been under the house for years now and none have exploded. Some are highly carbonated too like Saison at Champaign level carbonation.
No bottle bombs yet. Although if I feel like digging out some of those very aged bottles I do feel a little paranoid enough to were a face shield and long thick sleeves.... and garden gloves but I am fastidious and tend to think of worst case scenarios.

 

[Stouter]

Some of my "new" style bottles have had a couple of brew cycles now.
I'll run the gauntlet and carry on.
Anyone here read the book, Poorly Made in China? Great insight to manufacturing and economy. That's the way things are going, the way of our future, and not for cultural reasons.
Pooh to you Coopers. Squeeze that dollar baby!

 

[Lachlan Helbig]

Hmm I posted something similar in another thread. Got some Murrays FRED and Murrays Rudeboy. The bottles from the Rudeboy also have the do not refill stamp where as the FRED doesn't.

 

[Rocker1986]

I've used all sorts of commercial beer bottles for my home brews over the years, most of which had "no refill" stamped on them. I never had any problems with them, following proper practices as manticle pointed out. Those words aren't on there to stop people filling them again at home, it's because they can't be sent back to the brewery and re-filled anymore like they used to be, which is why they're not made as thick and strong as they used to be. They're all lacquer coated these days and if that coating gets broken the bottle is weakened.

In saying that I'm not rough with my bottles but I don't wrap them in cotton wool either, and they've not failed me yet in 5 years (or more like three years with the ones I'm occasionally now).

 

[TSMill]

Move to champagne bottles if you are concerned.