Large PET bottle source?

[Fireside Ales Homebrewery]

Are you sure? I mean the 1500 ml ones, not the 440s.

He certainly was. He had them stacked at the back of the shop for a good while. I am not sure if he still has them? Maybe limited supply?? He is selling brown swing tops on his online store, these are 500ml though.

 

[Scottyburto]

Supermarket brand ginger beer is in 2lt brown pet bottles. Sainsbury's is about 80p and I'm pretty sure tescos is cheaper and fiercer.

 

[An Ankoù]

Just a quick question about the light. Is it natural light, sunlight, to keep away from or is it household lighting too. I brew in my cellar so very little natural light gets in but i have some bright led lighting down there should i be wary of storing in this type of lighting too.

It's light in the ultraviolet part of the spectrum which is alleged to cause "skunking". I've no idea what wavelengths would be emitted by your LEDs, but just keep them in cardboard boxes with the lids closed or chuck a dark towel of blanket over them.

The bottles, that is, not the lights. Although that would work as well!

 

[An Ankoù]

He certainly was. He had them stacked at the back of the shop for a good while. I am not sure if he still has them? Maybe limited supply?? He is selling brown swing tops on his online store, these are 500ml though.

I'd get down there and bite his hand off if he still has them. In any case, I might give him a call to find out whether he has the replacement rubber rings.

 

[slackman99]

Not sure this would be useful for you @slackman99

I've already got 500ml brown bottles. Am trying to reduce bottling day by using less larger capacity bottles

 

[Fireside Ales Homebrewery]

I'd get down there and bite his hand off if he still has them. In any case, I might give him a call to find out whether he has the replacement rubber rings.

Yes do. He might be able to source the rubber rings for you.

 

[Jim Brewster]

They are brilliant for re-use and cheap, dont worry about the thinness or companies like Coca-Cola bottlers wouldn't use them

Coca cola bottles seem thicker than the generic lemonade and cheap bottles.
I use the cheap bottles myself kept in a cupboard as it's the most convenient but my beer doesn't stay around for long so longevity isn't an issue. Used to have some brown ginger beer ones but I think I binned recycled them

 

[Rogermort]

I am told that B&M Bargains sell Coca Cola in 3L pet bottles. I fancy getting hold of a few to use as baby Corny type kegs using the Kegland carbonation caps with T-pieces. Unfortunately my nearest branch of B&M is in Corby which is Covid City!

 

[scomet]

Rogermort, I use a 2ltr soda-water bottle and call it the TB Stubbie! They work great, I used to filter my beer and carbonate as you suggest, too much work!! This is landlady 2 weeks in a 1250ml pop bottle with 4 carb drops, I’m gobsmacked how good it tastes (yes it will be better at 6 weeks)
3000ml! now that is a Stubbie, Oh and my plastic carbonation caps all failed I dont think the plastic likes Starsan…
CHEERS

 

[Rogermort]

Rogermort, I use a 2ltr soda-water bottle and call it the TB Stubbie! They work great, I used to filter my beer and carbonate as you suggest, too much work!! This is landlady 2 weeks in a 1250ml pop bottle with 4 carb drops, I’m gobsmacked how good it tastes (yes it will be better at 6 weeks)
3000ml! now that is a Stubbie, Oh and my plastic carbonation caps all failed I dont think the plastic likes Starsan…
CHEERS
View attachment 44145

I'll take the Starsan warning on board. It's for dispensing from 3L bottles rather than for carbonating that I'm interested in. I put most of my brews in Cornys but like to counterpressure and decant to take away.

 

[Hop_it]

I know that everybody is entitled to their own opinions, and homebrewers have different experiences to call upon, but disposable/single use PET bottles are really not a good idea for storing beer for quite a number of sound technical reasons - see: Glass vs Plastic Bottles for LT storage

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I know that everybody is entitled to their own opinions, and homebrewers have different experiences to call upon, but disposable/single use PET bottles are really not a good idea for storing beer for quite a number of sound technical reasons - see: Glass vs Plastic Bottles for LT storage

I did say in an earlier post i moved to glass due to a lengthy discussion here about pop bottles leeching chemicals into my wine, there was never any concrete evidence this can happen so can you explain why the coopers bottles are fine for bottling alcohol and a plastic spring water or a cider bottle isn't as i am sure members would be interested.

Coopers 740ml PET Beer Bottles
15 Coopers 740ml PET bottles with reusable screw-on plastic caps. Bottles are also reusable, lightweight and shatterproof.
You will need around 30 bottles for a 23 ltr / 5 gallon brew
Ideal size for use with the Coopers Carbonation Drops

Polyethylene terephthalate = PET = PLASTIC BOTTLES

 

[slackman99]

I know that everybody is entitled to their own opinions, and homebrewers have different experiences to call upon, but disposable/single use PET bottles are really not a good idea for storing beer for quite a number of sound technical reasons - see: Glass vs Plastic Bottles for LT storage

Beer won't generally be stored long term. With young kids around plastic make more sense from a safety point of view than loads of glass bottles knocking around everywhere.

Might have to search out a 3l coke bottle. Do you think the beer would go flat if it was all drunk in a night once opened?

 

[moto748]

In a spirit of enquiry, I have just invested £1.49 in a 2 litre bottle of Pepsi Max Cherry cola.

Naturally, the cola went straight down the drain!

l'll see how this goes. I could have bought own-brand stuff for a fraction of the price too. I doubt Pepsi's bottles are any better than anyone else's but I'm prepared to splash out just this once!

 

[Hop_it]

I did say in an earlier post i moved to glass due to a lengthy discussion here about pop bottles leeching chemicals into my wine, there was never any concrete evidence this can happen so can you explain why the coopers bottles are fine for bottling alcohol and a plastic spring water or a cider bottle isn't as i am sure members would be interested.

Coopers 740ml PET Beer Bottles
15 Coopers 740ml PET bottles with reusable screw-on plastic caps. Bottles are also reusable, lightweight and shatterproof.
You will need around 30 bottles for a 23 ltr / 5 gallon brew
Ideal size for use with the Coopers Carbonation Drops

Polyethylene terephthalate = PET = PLASTIC BOTTLES

Thank you for your comments. I will endeavour to clarify my previous post.

• First of all there are no (known) toxicity or chemical leeching issues with PET. The polymer is used extensively in all manner of food, beverage and drug packaging because it is inert to fats, oils, alcohol and a whole host of other chemicals found in foodstuffs. Also, it is relatively inexpensive, is highly transparent, and is easy to process into film (for tubs and trays) or bottles. It is used extensively for alcohol packaging, e.g. the small wine bottles and spirit miniatures used by most airlines.
• I have never used the Coopers bottles, so I am not that familiar with them. But I would guess that they are relatively thick walled compared with disposable/single use pop and mineral water bottles. They may also have an oxygen barrier coating, e.g. PVdC. Both of these features makes them suitable for packaging beer providing that the caps and the seals remain sound (I assume that these can be replaced when required). I also accept that these bottles are fit for purpose, not least because so many home brewers appear to use them.
• The main problem with single use/disposable pop or mineral water bottles is that they are not the same. They are very thin, so the oxygen barrier properties will be poor. It is also unlikely that they will have an oxygen barrier coating because the original product they were designed to contain did not require it.
• Cider bottles are an exception. They are also very thin, but they are coated to improve the oxygen barrier properties - and this is good enough for the planned shelf life of the product. However, the potential for problems come later because the coating is itself very thin and not particularly durable, so with repeated use it is likely to be worn away or damaged. You are then left with very thin bottles with reduced oxygen barrier properties.

I would never dispute that the decision to use single use/disposable PET bottles is down to personal choice. But it is worthwhile being aware that there is a risk, and it is influenced significantly by how long you are likely to store the beer before consumption. If it's only a few weeks, then those brewers may never see a problem, but bigger beers stored for many months are at much greater risk of premature oxidation. . . . . . . And none of us like pouring beer down the drain.
I hope this helps

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Thanks, so the bottom line is PET bottles wont leech chemicals but PET bottles that are not designed for storing alcohol will harm your beer, wine and cider as they are not designed to stop oxygen entering.

 

[Jim Brewster]

Do you think the beer would go flat if it was all drunk in a night once opened?

I've taken a pint and resealed them and put back in the fridge over the coarse of a few days and it didnt go flat although it gradually gets less carbonated

 

[trummy]

Chippy I will ask it again. How can oxygen get in when 'in' is at at a higher pressure than out? I did read the last thread on this but was not convinced. If PET was that porous we would surely end up with flat beer! I have drank 12 mth old beer out of PET bottles and its fine.

Hope this makes sense I have 'celebrated' the first real warm day of the year with a couple of pints in the garden - made three typos in the first five words!

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Chippy I will ask it again. How can oxygen get in when 'in' is at at a higher pressure than out? I

I haven't a clue but if it wasn't a problem why would Coopers add the oxygen barrier to their bottles?

Double walled 500ml pet bottles with screw on caps for bottling beer. Features oxygen barrier technology to improve in bottle freshness.

 

[Hop_it]

Chippy I will ask it again. How can oxygen get in when 'in' is at at a higher pressure than out? I did read the last thread on this but was not convinced. If PET was that porous we would surely end up with flat beer! I have drank 12 mth old beer out of PET bottles and its fine.

Hope this makes sense I have 'celebrated' the first real warm day of the year with a couple of pints in the garden - made three typos in the first five words!

My knowledge of the science of permeability is not good, but I can say with confidence that gas permeability is not the same as porosity. Substances (particularly plastics) in the form of thin films (like for example the wall of a PET bottle) have different permeabilities to different gases. PET has pretty low permeability to CO2, although that said it is not zero. . . . . . However, it will hold it under pressure for a considerable length of time. It is a fact (which I cannot explain) that different gases can permeate in either direction despite the bottle being under pressure. The manufacturers would not bother to use costly barrier coatings for sensitive products if this were not the case. Another example of this is in atmosphere controlled packaging used for various food products packed in sealed plastic trays. In this case the package is flushed with an inert gas before sealing. This is done to reduce spoilage and increases shelf life, and relies on the relative permeability properties of different materials working together. It is not obvious, but these films are often made from a multilayer composite of various materials in order to get the desired properties in the film. The unfortunate downside of this composite structure is that it seriously reduces the possibilities for recycling.

You are perfectly entitled to remain "unconvinced", and I am pleased that your year old beer from whatever type of PET bottle you used was fine and drinkable. There will always be some exceptions, but the general principles still stand :tinhat: