Plastic or glass bottles

[Mastersmithson]

Hey all!

So i was going to start brewing cider, however decided to go for lager instead as I've never done it before and looks a more beginner friendly!

Alot of instructions I see say to either transfer into pint bottles OR pressure container. My question is 2 fold -

1) if going in to bottles, is plastic bottles (designed for brewing) safe to use over a long period of time?

2) If I brew 40 pints, but only have say, 10 bottles, would I put the remains 30 pints into the pressure container then pour into the 10 bottles once they have been used and sterilised? Or would transferring over from pressure to bottle and leaving it in a bottle cause problems?

I'm sure these are really stupid questions!

Thanks all

 

[Hopperty]

I'm having a go with some lemonade bottles - my pressure test shows they are pretty tough.

 

[Mastersmithson]

I'm having a go with some lemonade bottles - my pressure test shows they are pretty tough.

View attachment 20467

Did not expect to see that haha

I was concern if the chemicals in the plastic leak out and contaminate the drink at all

 

[Keats]

@Mastersmithson there are no stupid questions!

Transferring from the pressure barrel could lead to oxygenating or infecting your beer. Also if you had carbonated the beer in the barrel you would have to recarbonate. Better to get 30 more bottles.

 

[dad_of_jon]

If going to bottle always put one beer in a plastic pop bottle. smaller the better in my view. when that bottle has gone rock hard, your beer has carbonated I use brown glass bottles as the beer keeps better over time than plastic. clear glass bottles should be kept out of light to avoid 'skunking' when filled with beer. Plastic bottles don't smash if dropped and are easier? to cap. Weight up the pros and cons and choose what suits you best. There is no 100% correct answer to this - YMWV.

PS I hate bottling but on balance is best 4 me all things considered.

 

[Martin O]

I find plastic bottles faster/easier to use than glass but can't help being put off plastic by the theory that the chemicals "enhance" man boobs.

 

[Realalemonster]

I find plastic bottles faster/easier to use than glass but can't help being put off plastic by the theory that the chemicals "enhance" man boobs.

Best get our lass drinking out of them then!
(so glad she can't see this)

 

[terrym]

I find plastic bottles faster/easier to use than glass but can't help being put off plastic by the theory that the chemicals "enhance" man boobs.

But alcohol can give you cirrhosis of the liver. What should you be more concerned about?

 

[Leon103]

Glasd every time. If you don't have enough ask your local pub if you can take away their empties

 

[Martin O]

But alcohol can give you cirrhosis of the liver. What should you be more concerned about?

True but to be fair the choice between bottle types can't have an influence on that.

 

[DavidDetroit]

The questions you ask are on par for a new brewer any beyond.
Flip-tops are something to consider. You can fill with one hand and close with the other making them faster than capping or twisting on. I've never had a leak because I make sure the gaskets aren't worn. The rubber gaskets have to be replaced periodically. I consider the 1/2 liter size a bonus.
I'd like to hear from someone who is experienced with pressure barrels to give the pros and cons on them. My perception from this forum is that PBs are not all that reliable, need tweaking to work properly or, at least, are high maintenance.

 

[An Ankoù]

Glasd every time. If you don't have enough ask your local pub if you can take away their empties

Or blow the research grant down at Asda and get £20 worth of four for a fiver or whatever it is now. The stubby little Guinness West Indies porter 500 ml are decent, strong bottles. See if any of them are "real ale in a bottle" or "bottle conditioned" and have a go at culturing some yeasts.
Just had a look on the website (they're 4 for £6, now) I'd add Old Peculiar and TT Landlord- there are just too many. Anchor Steam at four for £6!

 

[Mastersmithson]

Thanks for all the replies guys! I think after reading this, I'm going to just get a job lot of bottles! I have a decent garage I can keep them in!

In regards to carbonating the lager, would I mix the stuff into the main barrel with the mixture or into the bottles!

Again, I appreciate your help! I'm looking forward to cracking on and eventually passing my experience on!

 

[terrym]

In regards to carbonating the lager, would I mix the stuff into the main barrel with the mixture or into the bottles!

By 'stuff' I assume you mean priming sugar
There are several ways to prime your beer, including
- add a measured quantity of sugar to your bottles e.g. half to say 3/4tsp of sugar to each 500ml bottle
Make up a sugar solution* and either
- add direct to the FV and very gently stir it in so as not to disturb the yeasty trub at the bottom of the FV. Then go ahead and bottle
- transfer beer to a sanitised 'bottling bucket' on top of the sugar solution; this should mix the sugary solution and the beer but some folks give it a gentle stir just in case. Then go ahead and bottle.
- bottle the beer and then use a syringe to add a metered quantity of sugar solution
There is no right or wrong way of getting the priming sugar intio the beer from the methods above, its just down to personal preference, with the caveat that the primary fermentation should be finished before you bottle, and you need to ensure you don't add too much sugar (by accident or otherwise).

* Use this to calculate how much sugar is needed .
https://www.brewersfriend.com/beer-priming-calculator/
As you will see lager normally takes more suaggar than an ale.

 

[Mastersmithson]

By 'stuff' I assume you mean priming sugar
There are several ways to prime your beer, including
- add a measured quantity of sugar to your bottles e.g. half to say 3/4tsp of sugar to each 500ml bottle
Make up a sugar solution* and either
- add direct to the FV and very gently stir it in so as not to disturb the yeasty trub at the bottom of the FV. Then go ahead and bottle
- transfer beer to a sanitised 'bottling bucket' on top of the sugar solution; this should mix the sugary solution and the beer but some folks give it a gentle stir just in case. Then go ahead and bottle.
- bottle the beer and then use a syringe to add a metered quantity of sugar solution
There is no right or wrong way of getting the priming sugar intio the beer from the methods above, its just down to personal preference, with the caveat that the primary fermentation should be finished before you bottle, and you need to ensure you don't add too much sugar (by accident or otherwise).

* Use this to calculate how much sugar is needed .
https://www.brewersfriend.com/beer-priming-calculator/
As you will see lager normally takes more suaggar than an ale.

Does it tend to be a trial and error thing over a few batches?

 

[Slid]

But alcohol can give you cirrhosis of the liver. What should you be more concerned about?

Definitely prioritise looks over longevity. Who wants to look old for almost forever?

 

[terrym]

Definitely prioritise looks over longevity. Who wants to look old for almost forever?

My comment was a slightly tongue in cheek as I'm sure you deduced, and perhaps yours is too?. However there are people on this forum who seem to get concerned about a few ppb of leached plasticer in their beer, or other equally barely detectable concentrations of something or another from who knows where on the understanding that it presents a perceived risk to their well being, and so will take steps to avoid these things. But they will quite happily consume alcohol, a known poison, some of their own making, which realistically poses a much greater threat to their well being by several orders of magnitude. Where's the logic in that?

 

[terrym]

Does it tend to be a trial and error thing over a few batches?

Probably. So in the first instance choose the easiest and go from there.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

But they will quite happily consume alcohol, a known poison, some of their own making, which realistically poses a much greater threat to their well being by several orders of magnitude. Where's the logic in that?

I think the problem with this subject (which is discussed fairly regularly here) is that we all know consuming excess alcohol is not good for us (we are told often enough) but the risk of storing alcohol in plastic bottles that are not designed for that purpose is a bit of an unknown and could pose as bigger risk, (chemicals leeching into the beer, wine or cider) i tried to find the answer a couple of years ago by emailing the food standard agency etc and i never got a definitive answer either way so i guess if you are worried use glass, i switched to glass bottles years ago for storage and ageing but i still ferment in my years old FV.

 

[Slid]

My comment was a slightly tongue in cheek as I'm sure you deduced, and perhaps yours is too?. However there are people on this forum who seem to get concerned about a few ppb of leached plasticer in their beer, or other equally barely detectable concentrations of something or another from who knows where on the understanding that it presents a perceived risk to their well being, and so will take steps to avoid these things. But they will quite happily consume alcohol, a known poison, some of their own making, which realistically poses a much greater threat to their well being by several orders of magnitude. Where's the logic in that?

Perhaps too much of what I say is tongue -in-cheek. But then I look at the News and realise that it may be the only hold I have on sanity.