Storage Boxes/crates For Bottles

[Nanreik]

Hi guys,

I'm pretty new to home brewing (just bottled my 6th batch) and I'm trying to find the perfect thing to store my bottled brews in while I wait for them to become tasty. I see myself continuing to bottle in stubbies because I like them being in a good size to drink one at a time or take somewhere.

I'm not so keen on just old beer cartons since they'll eventually fall apart, and if I get an explosion it won't stop beer from leaking out and through to my carpet.

I'm also not sold on the big contains you see at places like bunnings, eg: http://www.bunnings.com.au/products_produc...ainer_5412.aspx because their shape typically wastes a lot of space. My girlfriend has agreed to let me fill our book-shelf up with beer if I buy her a kindle, so I need something that will actually fit in a bookshelf, as well as looks nice so she doesn't whinge about them looking like beer cartons.

Trying to look around and find something that's a better size, they're way too expensive. Eg: http://www.plasticsandstorage.com.au/Nally...ainer-IH307.htm
25 of these would be $552.5 plus another $203.75 for lids. Ouch.

A beer carton is obviously already the perfect size. So if I could find something with the same dimensions but just made from plastic, even if it's quite flimsy like the way beer carton's carboard is, that would be perfect.

Has anyone spotted something like this ever? I'd probably even consider trying to make my own carton's by stapling thick plastic together if there's nothing else out there already that's cheap and appropriate.

Cheers
Nanriek

 

[barls]

milk crates

 

[glenwal]

kegs would solve your problem

 

[Barley Belly]

milk crates

*cough* +1 *cough*

 

[wombil]

On the bookshelf ?????

 

[Yob]

a bigger house with a shed

 

[Feldon]

As far as making your own crates, you could look at this thread at the US forum HomeBrewTalk.com and adapt it to your needs.

Has downloadable templates for the build specs.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/how-make-b...bottles-318788/



For other crate builds just search the forum using the word 'crate'.


EDIT: here's a lightweight one (some crate designs seem a bit heavy - beer bottles are heavy enough)
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/more-crates-325873/

 

[Maheel]

i used to use these and they would fit 16 tallies

2 crates = 1 brew and they stacked nicely containing any possible leaks / bombs (that i never had)

milk crates are the next best thing...

 

[brad81]

Maybe something from Howards Storage World might fit the bill, it's where we got what is shown below from (no affiliation). As you can tell from mine, the bookshelf is awash with kids stuff now...

As for leaks, you can always line the container with a garbage bag, just be careful when you open it that you don't tear the sides.

http://www.hsw.com.au/?site&pg_name=index

 

[ratchie]

I used broccoli boxes hold 18 tallies

 

[buckerooni]

milkcrates...I've heard outrageous stories about people driving their cars up to the back of their supermarket loading docs and stacking the cars full of them. Try to go for the 4-sided ones, as the 3 sided ones are a PITA, apparently.

 

[sean_0]

Have a look at these: http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...showtopic=66476. I got them at bunnings, about $7 each I think. They hold 24 stubbies and stack really well.

 

[Nanreik]

Maybe something from Howards Storage World might fit the bill, it's where we got what is shown below from (no affiliation). As you can tell from mine, the bookshelf is awash with kids stuff now...

As for leaks, you can always line the container with a garbage bag, just be careful when you open it that you don't tear the sides.

http://www.hsw.com.au/?site&pg_name=index

Nice to see I'm not the only one stashing beer in the bookshelf. Aren't too many other places to keep it in my small unit.

 

[edschache]

old beer carton + bin liner + gaffer tape to keep it together?

I recently spent LOTS of money on plastic containers to store all our other junk in under the house on new sets of shelves. It was a smart move as now it is much more organised. A good sturdy plastic box will be worth it over the years IMHO. The cheap ones crack and break easily but the better quality ones treated with some respect (and ideally kept out of the sun) last for ages. Might be worth starting with a couple to see if you like the idea then investing in the rest.

That said I still keep all of my tallies in old XXXX boxes and wine cartons but they live on concrete that is easy to hose out if needed.

Ed

 

[tricache]

Mine where going in the cartons I got my tallies in (PET) but now I just put them all in eskys, they fit all my tallies as well as my "mega-tallies" 2L bottles

 

[joshuahardie]

I have found styrofoam boxes to be perfect.
Make friends with your greengrocer

 

[TidalPete]

Here's my effort from pre-computer days which has been shown before & was designed for easy storage\moving of 30-bottle kits & bits brewing.
Those templates above look good though.

 

[NickB]

Can vouch for those TP carriers - still have a couple I use occasionally.

Cheers

 

[QldKev]

kegs would solve your problem

+1, don't spend too much money on bottle storage, put it towards a kegging system.



QldKev

 

[tricache]

Yeah sounds like another reason for me to upgrade to a keg system haha