How Long Do Plastic Pet Bottles Last?

[mancer62]

I have recently bought several boxes of 500ml Coopers Plastic Pet Bottles and would be interested to know how long on average they would last while in fairly regular use?:

 

[Hopping_Mad]

That's a good question, and one I'd be quite interested in having a broad idea about too. I use a few to ensure stuff is carbonating properly - about 5 per batch of 40.

 

[Strongarm]

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

 

[Slid]

I recall another thread on which some guy reckoned he got 10 trips out of his Coopers PET bottles.

My view is that it is not use, but abuse that will kill them. Screwing the lids too hard will destroy the fit between top and bottle, using too hot water, over priming, not cleaning immediately after emptying, squashing or generally doing daft things will reduce 10 down towards 1.

I had initial difficulty with tightening the lids enough and that might not be good idea either.

 

[mac.eightball]

plastic PET bottles are not for beer, they leech CO2 and absorb oxygen, both of which ruin beer, they are nothing more than a cheap alternative to real bottles, just drink a lot for a month using the 4 for £5 from tesco / asda, save the bottles and then buy a crown capper, easy mode and proper tasting beer.

 

[mancer62]

Surely the bottles will last many more times than just a few or four or five etc. I bought them with the hope of them lasting (with care and attention of course) several years if not longer. If I for one moment thought they would last as little I would just simple use plastic pepsi or water bottles. Surely they are designed to last several years minimum? Incidentally the guy that was initially having problems tightening his Pet Bottle tops. Was that because of the stupid little plastic spare ring that is connected to the screw top? I had same problem but removed these by cutting them off since then no problem.:drink:

 

[mac.eightball]

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.

 

[proost]

Surely the bottles will last many more times than just a few or four or five etc. I bought them with the hope of them lasting (with care and attention of course) several years if not longer. If I for one moment thought they would last as little I would just simple use plastic pepsi or water bottles. Surely they are designed to last several years minimum? Incidentally the guy that was initially having problems tightening his Pet Bottle tops. Was that because of the stupid little plastic spare ring that is connected to the screw top? I had same problem but removed these by cutting them off since then no problem.:drink:

Yea, it was.

:smile:

 

[Duxuk]

I get constant problems with leaks from the base. I'm transfering to glass bottles from Ebay which use the same screw caps as the Coopers PET bottles, of which I have dozens. The bottles are unfortunately clear, so willl need to be kept in the dark.

 

[ian808]

I use some coke 2 litre bottles for ever brew and some I have had over 5 years and there still ok don't know how many times they have been used but a lot is the answer so you can use them with no worries. I do drink these within a few months of bottling and leave the glass for longer but never had a problem, last year I found a coke bottle with BB 07 on it so god know how many times that was used.

 

[Strongarm]

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.

The Coopers PET bottles claim to have a nylon layer that stops the problems associated with PET bottles, saying they are Oxygen Baring. The marketing spiel is:

"Remember the slogan, "Good things come in glass" This slogan is also true for your brew but finding good quality glass beer bottles is a very difficult task for the new home brewer. Now PET plastics technology has evolved to a level which allows home brew to be stored effectively. "

They're pretty much the same price as glass bottles though, but I guess you save money on reusable caps and it is easier, marginally, to screw on a cap than use a capper. The PET also nice for testing carbonation level.

I've got 40 of them along with another 100 glass maybe, and havent noticed any difference between the beer out of each. I tend to drink the PET first though, mainly because I drink them myself, using the glass - for ceremony - when I have guests.

 

[Seadog]

Coopers have changed their tops to ****e industry standard ones now, the nylon seal is gone.

The old ones fitted Barrs 70cl pop bottles beautifully too.

I have a load of old, 60/ 70s lemonade bottles with a selection of bakelite and plastic tops, but as the tops split and wear out I cannot find replacements.

Glass is definitely best.

 

[wezil]

Hi, show me a truly gas tight bottle and I'll show you a flying pig!!! Oxygen will ALWAYS enter a liquid to keep its self in equilibrium or do you think the cap is air tight? So the permeability of pet is less of an issue and if that worried just over prime and keep the bottles cool (more co2 can be dissolved into cold liquids hence the advice to keep fizzy pop in the fridge especially after opening. I use a mix of both and have never noticed a difference (apart from the drop test)!!! PS don't forget glass is a liquid not a solid.

 

[sloth]

Surely if it was such an issue fizzy drinks would have short shelf lives? As it is they last for years

 

[wezil]

plastic PET bottles are not for beer, they leech CO2 and absorb oxygen, both of which ruin beer, they are nothing more than a cheap alternative to real bottles, just drink a lot for a month using the 4 for £5 from tesco / asda, save the bottles and then buy a crown capper, easy mode and proper tasting beer.

PROVE IT!!! Any bottle will let o2 in you can't stop it what ever you might think! It would take a long time for the co2 to leach out of a properly sealed PET bottle as opposed to glass, look at fizzy pop bottles. And if you want to maximise fizz keep the bottles cool, more co2 can be adsorbed in a cold liquid than a warm one.

 

[honeymonster]

PS don't forget glass is a liquid not a solid.

Say what? I'm a tad confused by that statement.

Back on topic, ive got a bunch of the coopers PET that I've been using for over a year without any issues. I guess I'll just I'll keep using them till I do.

 

[Yeastmaster]

I've used both pet and glass bottles but stopped using pet because I found the beer lost a bit of fizz and tasted flatter after a few months. Maybe I was imagining things but I only use glass now because I'm a big believer in conditioning for ages.

It was a long slog to get all those dark 500ml bottles together (I considered it research) but I got there in the end and now I know my beer is safe from everything (except me). ;-)

 

[dbg400]

I tend to get given a lot of glass bottles so I'm using less PET bottles now - maybe 10 or so in each batch. No discernible difference in carbonation or taste between them & glass even after six months or more. I guess some of the Coopers ones I have (the first ones I bought) have done five brews by now, and there's no noticeable difference between those and ones that have only done one brew.

 

[dwhite60]

Say what? I'm a tad confused by that statement.

This is actually true. I found out looking at glass in windows in 19th and early 20th century houses. The glass looked like it had melted somewhat and had "sagged" at the bottom. The glass has actually sagged from gravity pulling on it.

I was told that a glass bottle left standing, empty and uncapped, will turn into a puddle of glass in about 500 years.

 

[Didge]

Glass isn't an option in our household so I've been using 1 litre PET bottles for years without any issues.

I usually buy specific home brew versions that are claimed to have oxygen proof plastic although I have also re-used regular supermarket PETs without any noticable difference.

Over the years I haven't had a single leak, and no hint of oxygen leaching, even after 6 months storage.

The only failures have been when Ive got too enthusiastic with my bottle washer and the bottles have crushed in my hands.