Grolsch Bottle Users: Do You Love Them?

[Interloper]

Just wondering what the experience of people bottling into Grolsch swing tops has been like?

Yesterday I went with a mate who is setting up for his first home brewing session to the Magill Recycling Depot here in SA and he bought 120 long necks @ $3 a doz.

As he was getting them I noticed they had boxes of Grolsch swing tops in excellent nick, so I grabbed 20 @ 50c each.

Bit expensive, but I cleaned them up last night and they came up very sparkely.

I will sterilize before bottling but do they really hold the co2 in?

Any problems with these bottles? It seems too easy - fill em up and flip the lid on. The glass seems really thick and high quality.

If they bottle up nicely I could see myself buying a sh!tload of them to save time!

 

[pokolbinguy]

They work great. Only thing you might want to do is replace the seals. But any good homebrew store should sell them

 

[reg]

I have approx 100 of these and they are great.
Thick glass and no capping.
I replace the seals every 6 brews.
Still going strong and 50cents each is a good price.
Normally sell in Vic between $1 and $1.50

 

[Interloper]

I have approx 100 of these and they are great.
Thick glass and no capping.
I replace the seals every 6 brews.
Still going strong and 50cents each is a good price.
Normally sell in Vic between $1 and $1.50

Good to hear. Why every 6 brews? Do they rot/disintergrate?

If they store 473mls from the factory and I am using a bottling wand I reckon I will get closer to 490mls+ per bottle.

 

[SpillsMostOfIt]

I used to have about three dozen of them. Then something horrible happened when we went on holidays. I now have about a dozen of them and have grown to think they are more fiddly than crown seals.

After I win Tatts, I'll buy a canning line and it will all go away.

 

[Interloper]

Then something horrible happened when we went on holidays.

So what happened? Someone put them in the recycling for you? Or Bottle Bombs?

 

[SJW]

They r ok. I might make a few up after filling a keg. But what I dont like is they hold more than a schooy. So u need to skull the last bit with all the yeast in it, or save it till there is room in the glass by which time the yeast is all stired up. other than that just use a pint glass but for the amount I bottle I would just as soon put the keg left overs in a pet bottle.

Steve

 

[Interloper]

They r ok. I might make a few up after filling a keg. But what I dont like is they hold more than a schooy. So u need to skull the last bit with all the yeast in it, or save it till there is room in the glass by which time the yeast is all stired up. other than that just use a pint glass but for the amount I bottle I would just as soon put the keg left overs in a pet bottle.

Steve

Hmmm good point. I have that with longies though...

I am a pint glass kind of guy... I actually have a 650ml glass from Ikea I really like because even if you don't fill it up you get plenty of room for head, aromas, breathing space etc.

I guess glasses is a different thread entirely though huh?

 

[joecast]

But what I dont like is they hold more than a schooy. So u need to skull the last bit with all the yeast in it, or save it till there is room in the glass by which time the yeast is all stired up.
Steve

with large bottles, i usually pour about 1/3 into the glass (before the sediment gets disturbed) and drink that, then pour in the rest when there is enough room in the glass.
:lol: or just get a man sized beer glass :lol:
joe

 

[Interloper]

with large bottles, i usually pour about 1/3 into the glass (before the sediment gets disturbed) and drink that, then pour in the rest when
:lol: or just get a man sized beer glass :lol:

and quit sippin' at it like a lady....

 

[pint of lager]

When pouring a longneck, get two large glasses (schooners here in NSW) and pour the whole bottle into both glasses in one step. The more you tip the bottle back and forth, the more the yeast stirs up. So just do it gently in one step. If your brew has spent enough time in the fermenter, you won't have a huge yeast sludge in the bottle.

Have a few Grolsch bottles, but never get around to using them. I am not keen on green bottles.

Your HBS should have replacement seals for the Grolschies.

Kegs FTW.

 

[KoNG]

ive got around 6 or so 500ml brown swingtops
they are heavenly....!!!
i fill a corny keg and then maybe one or two mini kegs from each ferment.
then depending on the left overs, i fill from one.. to all 6 of the suckers.
i also have a 3 litre swing top growler for when all the mini kegs are full.

very rarely use any of my champagne bottles anymore, the superautomatica just sits there with a heatgun permanantly attached.

 

[Interloper]

When pouring a longneck, get two large glasses (schooners here in NSW) and pour the whole bottle into both glasses in one step. The more you tip the bottle back and forth, the more the yeast stirs up. So just do it gently in one step. If your brew has spent enough time in the fermenter, you won't have a huge yeast sludge in the bottle.

Yup, never too much of a prob for me after racking and some good old finings

Have a few Grolsch bottles, but never get around to using them. I am not keen on green bottles.

Ohh the old light strike issue again huh?
Why would there be green bottles in the first place if beer wasn't OK to go in green bottles? Just to be safe (and on the right side of paranoid) I keep my other greenies in boxes out of the light

Kegs FTW.

If I had kegs I would drink the stuff for breakfast! Too risky for a man with no will power when it comes to beer.

 

[Muggus]

I have around 20 of the 473ml dudes on rotation for various brews...generally easy session beers.
Also have 4 of the 1.5L guys which are excellent when i'm not in the mood for washing crap loads of bottles.

 

[joecast]

Also have 4 of the 1.5L guys which are excellent when i'm not in the mood for washing crap loads of bottles.

well, we've got that in common. after 1.5L of beer, im not in the mood for washing up either :chug:
joe

 

[KGB]

I usually fill up a couple after I keg each brew. Nice bottles, easy to use.
The size is good for having a middy each with a mate. Any more serious drinking I'll go to the keg.

 

[petesbrew]

I scored a carton of old Grolsch swingtops a few weeks ago, and am now in the process of cleaning the crud off them.

In amongst them I've found a brown bottle! Same label (what's left of it). Anyone seen any brown ones before?
Could be a keeper!

 

[bconnery]

I scored a carton of old Grolsch swingtops a few weeks ago, and am now in the process of cleaning the crud off them.

In amongst them I've found a brown bottle! Same label (what's left of it). Anyone seen any brown ones before?
Could be a keeper!

I've seen some around.
I have a whole bunch of other brand swingtops, particularly Schlemer (sp?) Pils.
This includes some smaller, 375ml I think it is, ones, which are great for testers or filling from the leftovers when kegging.
My bench capper also doesn't get much of a workout these days...

 

[reviled]

Ive got 6 of the brown ones and another three dozen green ones which I scored off an ex home brewer on trademe... Great score, love using them and I put all of my "Best brews" in them...

The brown ones are ace tho, Grolsch Amber Ale, not lager, and its all in dutch on the label, so I assume they dont distribute here or in Aussie...

 

[Weizguy]

Used to be able to buy Grolsch Amber (a Dutch Altbier) from Mac's liquor, so you could try First Choice.
I have a few of these bottles.
One thing I've found is that Grolsch bottles can't handle a lot of pressure, so no good for wheat beer, IMHO.

Schwelmer also used to make an Alt, but it's no longer imported , according to my fave no-brew shop.