How Long Do Plastic Pet Bottles Last?

[Dovecote]

Quote: Graham Wheeler, brewing god...

Graham Wheeler here: "PET bottles leak.... gas like a sieve. Oxygen diffuses through the plastic from the outside in and CO2 diffuses from the inside out.... A carbonated drink can lose 15% of it's carbonation in just four weeks.... diffusion of oxygen into the bottle can oxidise a susceptible product... causing staling" (this paragraph can be found on P53 of the 2009 edition of 'Brew Your Own British Real Ale' by Graham Wheeler) Still want to use PET?? I have learned the hard way - short cuts or cheap equipment options in homebrewing nearly always lead you down the road to disaster.

Interesting read. I've been using PET to bottle and recently experienced several leaking bottles similar to other entries here. Have decided to change to glass bottles on reading this - have always felt that with up to date equipment, my beer always seems below par with PET bottles compared to when I used to use glass bottles many years ago. Worth a try anyway.

 

[sifty]

I use 3 PET bottles per brew purely to feel how carbonation is going. Always the first ones drunk so no problems with longevity.

And hasn't the old myth of glass windows 'sagging' been debunked many times...? Any apparent waves in ancient glass is just a result of old window fabrication methods...

 

[Begbie]

I'm sure I've said this in another thread, but I've been using 500ml pet bottles for about 2 years now. I don't age bottles though - maybe drink the last of a batch by the 2nd month maximum. Maybe that's why I've had no problems...and I take care of the bottles by rinsing immediately after pouring, then washing etc. So, no complaints from me and I've used some of the bottles maybe 5 or 6 times now.

That being said, I'm slowly using glass bottles, but not because I'm disappointed with PET, just because I started keeping my empty commercial beer bottles, and I treated myself to 15 swing tops. Time will tell if I notice any difference in taste or carbonation....

 

[H-Lowe]

I've got three or four out of mine and they're looking good as new.

You must have gotten the good ones!
:)

 

[martin1256]

Personally I’ve found beer tastes better from glass and therefore moving back to them.

 

[moto748]

I've got a few swing-top PET bottles, but I don't use them much these days. I just don't see that they offer any advantage over glass. I used to do that "couple of PET bottles to check carbonation" thing, but I came to the conclusion, what does it really prove? Yes, the bottles will 'harden up' after three or four days, but so what? That happens every time, doesn't mean the beer's ready. All it's telling you is that you haven't had a complete failure of priming, but unless you put salt in instead of sugar, or something, I can't see what could go wrong. If you want to 'see' your beer, makes much more sense to seek out suitable clear glass bottles, in my book.

 

[Little Rock Brewing]

I've given up with the 500ml plastic "sample" bottles too for exactly the same reason.
But it didn't occur to me to use a clear glass one instead for viewing pleasure.
Feel a bit stoopid now!

 

[martin1256]

clear glass is ok, but I’m told sunlight could degrade the beer?

 

[Little Rock Brewing]

clear glass is ok, but I’m told sunlight could degrade the beer?

True. So I got some 200ml ones. They'll be the first of each batch to be drunk.

 

[Buffers brewery]

While I store most of my beer in pressure barrels I fill 3 or 4 PET bottles each brew for sending through the post to friends and family. Lighter and unbreakable.