Stout In Plastic Bottles

[BIGRO]

Hi guys, i want to brew a stout so i can put it away for 8 to 12 months before i get stuck into it. i usully keg my beers but i have been given a box of the coopers plastic pet bottles. anyway my question is would it be ok for me to put a stout in these or should i wait till i have a glass collection? and if plastic will be ok, how much priming sugar should i use in each pet bottle?

Cheers :chug:

 

[tangent]

what's your recipe? has it complex sugars? crystal malts? AG?, high FG? residual sugars?

 

[chris.taylor.98]

Hi BIGRO,

I use the Cooper's plastic bottles and have not had problems keeping beers up to 12 months.

There is some concerns that the will not last a lot longer than that, as PET is not completely impervious to oxygen, and will eventually go flat.

If you really want to keep it long term, you need to bottle it in glass.

Cheers

Chris

 

[glennheinzel]

The Coopers bottles do have a special lining to help prevent oxidation, however they may not be as good as glass over 12 months.

Unless anyone can shed more light on the subject, I would play it safe and use mostly glass bottles with a couple of Coopers bottles for comparison purposes.

Edit - Beaten to the punch by Chris!

 

[Ross]

I've had no problem at all with long term storage in the coopers style plastic bottles. I wouldn't worry at all.
If I was putting a special beer down for storage over many years, I'd be going glass, but more for presentation than any other reason. We are all glass snobs

Cheers Ross

 

[SpillsMostOfIt]

I brewed a stout on Australia Day this year. It sat in fermenters for about four weeks before I bottled it into Grolsch swingtops and Coopers PET bottles. As we speak/type, I and many guests (both brewers and not) have enjoyed both types. All those who have expressed an opinion think that there is a difference, but nobody has said that one is better than the other. They all like both.

I'm only half-way to the twelve month mark, but I think you will be fine. It won't hurt to bottle some in both glass and plastic if you can, but if you're constrained to one or the other, you will not suffer!

HTH.

 

[chris.taylor.98]

Here is a link that gives a bit more detail on PET bottles and the various oxygen barriers.

http://www.azom.com/details.asp?ArticleID=351

Note searching through the archives I have seen a reference to Coopers PET bottles having an oxygen barrier with a 2 year life, so it is possible that they are using a very highly rated oxygen barrier.

Personally I have never had a problem with the beer going flat on me, but:
i) With the PET it will be taking in oxygen, so it will oxidize faster in PET then glass.
ii) If you are putting down a barely wine or similar style for very long storage, it will eventually loose carbonation and go flat, as well as oxidise a lot faster.

So while you do not really have to worry about it if consuming it in 12-18 month time frame, there is definitely a difference between storing in glass or PET.

 

[BIGRO]

Hi guys, i want to brew a stout so i can put it away for 8 to 12 months before i get stuck into it. i usully keg my beers but i have been given a box of the coopers plastic pet bottles. anyway my question is would it be ok for me to put a stout in these or should i wait till i have a glass collection? and if plastic will be ok, how much priming sugar should i use in each pet bottle?

Cheers :chug:

HI guys, thanks for all your replys. my recipe is only going to be a kit and kilo, i was thinking about a thomas coopers irish stout? has anyone tried this kit? with some hops

But for what you all say it should be fine. i bet it doesnt even last 6 months cause i will drink it all i bet (i cant help myself)

I have about 10 stubies i will use and the rest i will use pet bottles

cheers!