Question for beer brewers

[moopups]

Conserning reuseing bottles for home brewed beer, the cap is a crimp on type or unscrew, both. There are 4 threads that overlap each other. Can regular crimp on caps be used?

This to clarify, is 4 seperate threads on the bottle, each going about half the way around the circle.

[Swampfoot]

I have never used screw-top bottles. I have to use a lot of pressure with my capper and I just don't think they would be strong enough to take it. I have seen screw top bottles get chipped just by opening them with a regular bottle opener.

If you have a homebrew shop nearby they might have some old bottles to give away. I've done that before, they were nasty but they were free. A little elbow grease takes care of the nasty and you can't beat free. I have also heard that distributors may sell you used bottles pretty cheap. Grolsch flip-top bottles are the best but are the toughest to come by.

This site is a forum dedicated to homebrewing. It has a lot of info on this kind of thing... http://www.homebrewtalk.com/

[Manny]

Try some of your local beer halls.

[Bink]

Or dispense with the work of the bottles and keg it.

[GeorgeK]

screw type glass bottles are designed for one time use. The threads get weak and some of them wont keep a seal. Now the plastic softdrink bottles can be reused. the colored ones will even block uv. Sanitize these rather than sterilize, they are food grade, they will not flavor the beer and are free if you already buy softdrinks in plastic containers. Dont drink 2 liters at a time, and worried about dregs? no problem, pour out what you want, even a half cup, then recap, and let the dregs settle and with any normal homebrew there will already be enough fermentables that it will referment in 2 weeks or so as long as it has not been refridgerated or heated up.

[Cabin Fever]

I agree with georger...I know several people who bottle homemade beer in 2 liter pop bottles.

I have 22 ounce "cap-able" brown glass bottles. Mupoops, if you were here, I'd give you my six cases (72 bottles).

[Old John]

Hi Y'all,

Threaded No-returns are not safe, for reuse in Home-brewing.

You can however still go to some liquor stores and get cases of
returnable Budweiser Beer. There is a $1.50 deposit on them,
when you can find them. I have 6 cases I got that way.
Some liquor stores would sell you the bottles for the deposit if
you are a regular customer.
It's been a couple years since I've done that tho.

Corona bottles are strong enough.There are a few others too.
Becks and St. Pauli Girl use to use strong bottles.

If you don't mind the size, 26oz., most Champagne bottles will take a
crown cap also. That's all I use for my Mead bottling. It's lots simpler
than messing with corks. You get a positive seal with crown caps.

Have Fun.

[Jen H]

You already got your answer about the crimp caps.

I get all of our bottles from beer-drinking friends. They bring over a case of emptys and leave with a couple full bottles of brew.

If you can find them, used soda-pop kegs (Cronelius kegs) are great for storing your brew. Hook up the CO2 container and just dispense whatever you want into a glass.