Glass bottles v plastic bottles

[Dave 666]

Right, sorting out my old glass bottles, I note only about 18 of them are the brown bottles, the rest either clear or green, so binning those. Meaning I need about another 26 bottles that I would have to buy. But unsure on if plastic beer bottles are really any good (sure cheaper) or if to simply pay the extra for glass bottles.

Only asking as I'd looked into why beer isn't widely available in plastic bottles anyway, to read about how it can affect the flavour and the risk of chemical leak into the beer causing other potential issues. The sample I was given this week was in a plastic beer bottle (coopers) and that seemed fine to me even if a room temperature drink. Maybe the plastic brewing bottles these days have a polymer type coating like cans do to prevent leakage into the beer I don't know?.

So what do people use?, are plastic bottles fine and widely used or do you swear by glass only bottles?.

 

[Bigcol49]

Hi @Dave 666
I use both glass and Cooper's plastic and can't say I've noticed any difference.
I get all my glass bottles from my local working men's club - mind, it does help to be the treasurer!
Old Mout cider and Bulmers cider are good bottles to collect.
Ask at your local - they might be only too happy to reduce their waste glass.

 

[Dave 666]

Chears Bigcol49, I guess 1 advantage with the plastic coopers bottles it you can test\feel the pressure. Though have some doubts on the longevity of plastic bottles after the first few uses.

But I will need more than a single kit's worth of bottles soon anyway for as soon as this brew is bottled in about 2-3 weeks I'm getting the next kit in the bucket right away. Maybe start to build up a collection for Xmas and to let some from each brew mature over prolonged periods. So maybe I'll as you, get a mix of both.

 

[steve denholm]

brewdog Punk IPA in 600ml bottles is pretty much all i drink atm (stocking up)

 

[Brewed_Force]

I use both glass and plastic and find that the plastic screw-top type (Coopers) don't retain pressure as well as crown capped glass bottles. That's not to say the beer is flat, but I seem to get more fizz from the glass bottles. I do screw on the tops as tight as I can.
As for longevity of plastic bottles, a fellow homebrewer I know has been using his for about 5 years and they are starting to delaminate, but are still usable, if a bit unsightly. Mine still look new, after 2 years.

 

[RichardM]

I use glass and plastic. I find glass easier to clean but a crate full of glass bottles is much heavier than plastic. My plastic bottles must be about 3 years old. A few have delaminated but not many. No problems with pressure retention or flavour with plastic

 

[Dave 666]

Thanks for the input guys, think I'll use a mix of both and see how things go and simply build up a collection and use accordingly depending on the brew I'm working on at any given time. Fizz, whilst I like a good bit of fizz on my beer, well more lager\pilsner if the current brew (pilsner) finishes like the sample I had (from a plastic bottle) I'd be happy with not to much fizz. But will use both plastic and glass to see if I can tell any difference fizz wise.

But with "real" ales, IPA's etc, as a fan of beer festivals I've grown to appreciate that a decent ale doesn't really need any fizz much at all. And in fact many decent ales can drink and taste better without the gas.

 

[Cwrw666]

Why bin your clear and green glass bottles? I use both with no problems because I store my beer in crates with a square of cardboard on top to keep the light out.
A plus is that they're easier to fill because you can actually see the beer in them...

 

[Dave 666]

Why bin your clear and green glass bottles? I use both with no problems because I store my beer in crates with a square of cardboard on top to keep the light out.
A plus is that they're easier to fill because you can actually see the beer in them...

Kind of regret it to be honest (recycling long been collected) but at least they will all be the same once label removing has been done ready over the weekend. But had read about how the clear and green have issues with the light etc. Not that I was ever going to put then in direct sunlight storage wise. But most beer is now in amber bottles and assumed (maybe wrongly in thinking) that other than light issues that there might be a reason for that. Well, I live and learn, even the missus said about them having been in the shed for years why not get new etc!.

 

[GerritT]

Clear glass bottles, stored in closed boxes and in a cool place, are about as good as brown glass bottles.
Having said that: if the missus says you should buy new, then buy new! :thumb:

 

[Drunkula]

I've got mixed bottles but always make sure it's the clear and green bottles and the ones with the smallest collars that I take to parties or give away even though I don't have any trouble with my wing capper. I sort of phase them out that way.

 

[Nicks90]

I only have a few clear bottles, but I always include at least one clear bottle in every brew.
But that's because I like to hold it up to the light once on a while to gauge colour and clarity

 

[Leon103]

Get down your local and ask for their empties. Saves them paying for collection. When I have held beer judging on this forum I can tell the difference in plastic v glass beers. Glass 100% better

 

[John Barleycorn]

I only have a few clear bottles, but I always include at least one clear bottle in every brew.
But that's because I like to hold it up to the light once on a while to gauge colour and clarity

... add to that one 500ml plastic bottle per batch to monitor carbonation...
plus, one obigatory pint glass of product, just for quality control, y'know.