The Beer Fairies Have Stolen My Beer

[michael_aussie]

I have been brewing for around 15 months now.
90% of my beer has been bottled in PET bottles.... coopers 740ml brown bottles and various size soft drink bottles.
I have had no problems until recently.

I looked in my dead fridge in the shed that has most of my bottles from my past 6 or so batches....
.
and
.
found to my horror than many of the coopers bottles are no longer full?!?!?!?
.
some are now 1/2 full, some are now almost completely empty ... yet the bottles are all "tight".
.
all the bottles were stored upright.
.
wtf?


OOOOPS - MAJOR EDIT
i said the is no sign of leaks,.. I mean on the actual bottles
The bottles don't appear to have holes, and the lids are still tight.

In the bottom of the fridge and running out from under the fridge is lots and lots of rank beer.. the mould and the smell is horrible.

 

[hoohaaman]

Probably freeloaders from Moe

 

[Cocko]

Has it been humid where you are?

 

[myles_3000]

Probably freeloaders from Moe

HAHAHA Love it!!
Im born and bred in Sale/Longford...But good to see we have a common dislike for Moe =)

 

[michael_aussie]

Probably freeloaders from Moe

HAHAHA Love it!!
Im born and bred in Sale/Longford...But good to see we have a common dislike for Moe =)

leave poor Moe alone you bastards.
The name of Moe has never really recovered since the tragic death of Jaidyn Leskie.

Has it been humid where you are?

Yes, Cocko, quite humid. I guess more humid and for longer periods than any other time in the past 15 months I have been brewing.
What are you thinking of mate??

 

[mwd]

I have exactly the same thing happen but in my case they were definitely leaking I have a ruined carpet as proof.

Could never find the leak as still held gas but suspect the leak originates from the little blip on the centre of the base where they are moulded.

I now store PET bottles in my spare shower cubicle as carpet is bloody expensive.

 

[Cocko]

Yes, Cocko, quite humid. I guess more humid and for longer periods than any other time in the past 15 months I have been brewing.
What are you thinking of mate??

I was just thinking how shit the humidity is.. sweaty, sticky and over all uncomfortable. My tip is, its great to sleep with a fan etc...

As for your disappearing beer, no ******* idea mate, sorry!


:icon_cheers:

 

[kelbygreen]

I remember reading about 6 months ago there was a batch of pet bottles (not sure brand) that had small pin holes in the molded base. ether that or when it carbed up the lid wasnt sealing and beer was pushed out. maybe get said bottles and leave in a sink with water in them and see if they go down without pressure. or just go to glass

 

[hoohaaman]

leave poor Moe alone you bastards.
The name of Moe has never really recovered since the tragic death of Jaidyn Leskie,

Oh Dear,why would you bring this up?I could have referred to Frankston,Parramatta or Midland.

Having lived in Moe certainly gives me some license!

 

[mkstalen]

I've had the brown tooheys PET bottles split at the bottom in the centre of the little feet so that could be your problem...

 

[felten]

I've had dodgy looking brewcraft bottles leaking beer out of the molding hole in the bottom before whilst bottling, that was a PITA.

 

[barls]

umm that would be chappo.
heres a pic of him at work

 

[michael_aussie]

I was just thinking how shit the humidity is.. sweaty, sticky and over all uncomfortable. My tip is, its great to sleep with a fan etc...
As for your disappearing beer, no ******* idea mate, sorry!

lol... it has certainly been sticky .. at work today our w/s floor was wet from condensation.... like QLD weather!!

I remember reading about 6 months ago there was a batch of pet bottles (not sure brand) that had small pin holes in the molded base. ether that or when it carbed up the lid wasnt sealing and beer was pushed out. maybe get said bottles and leave in a sink with water in them and see if they go down without pressure. or just go to glass

i considered the lid... but how would a leaking lid completely empty a bottle???

Oh Dear,why would you bring this up? I could have referred to Frankston, Parramatta or Midland.
Having lived in Moe certainly gives me some license!

no offence intended ... until I started working on Moe 12 years ago, I used to joke about Moe as much as anyone... now I have ownership of Moe and I defend the town if it is the brunt of a joke... although I understand your comment ... you could have said Churchill .... or any other town... I'm sorry.

I've had the brown tooheys PET bottles split at the bottom in the centre of the little feet so that could be your problem...

I've had dodgy looking brewcraft bottles leaking beer out of the molding hole in the bottom before whilst bottling, that was a PITA.

I have exactly the same thing happen but in my case they were definitely leaking I have a ruined carpet as proof.
Could never find the leak as still held gas but suspect the leak originates from the little blip on the centre of the base where they are moulded.

+1 these sound like my problem
Given that some of the bottles are all but empty... i doubt its the lids.
also I interchange lids on the coopers and the soft drink bottles and none of the soft drink bottles have leaked.
I can only assume that under high pressure the bottles are leaking from either the molding point (my guess) or from pin holes in the feet (less likely).
The bottles must leak at high pressure but no so much that the bottle completely loses pressure.

I'm pretty pissed off.

At $15 per 15 these bottles aren't cheap.
I can buy a FULL bottle of soft drink for around that and have an empty bottle that, although thinner and at first glimpse - lower quality - are giving superior service.

 

[zabond]

empty 1 of the sus bottles put some enos/bicarb in with some water, seal-shake shit out of it and sumerge in water you will soon find pinhole leaks

 

[peted27]

ive had these bottles (coopers pet) leak before..... went to lift a full box of them and the bottom of the box was soggy. I got rid of all mine and started using coke bottles, never had a leak. There is something not quite right about serving your beer from a coke bottle though....

 

[Infinitee]

My regular HB-hounds don't mind what the beer comes from.

Only had about 2 in 50 Coopers PET bottles leak on me, not too bad considering their superior caps and light-proofedness.

But when you can buy full soft drink bottles for <$1/L (bigger bottles also shorten bottling time) and you have somewhere dark to store them, why bother.