Reusing Biere D’or bottles

[mickybee]

Afternoon All,
Quick question. My Xmas beer is nearly ready to be bottled and with it looking at being about 10% I don’t really want to put it into 500ml bottles and I’d rather not keg it as I’d like to give some bottles out. I was wondering if anybody had ever reused the cheap Biere d’or bottles that are 250ml before? My worry is that I’ll try to cap a new crown on the bottle and it’ll just shatter.
So anyone had any experience reusing these bottles before?
Many thanks in advance.

 

[Twostage]

What makes you think it will shatter ? Its already been capped.

Why don't you try capping an empty ?

 

[MashBag]

What he said

Is your capping very aggressive then?

 

[mickybee]

Not that I’m aware of. I have a standard twin lever crown capper. I do remember a few years back trying to reuse a hobgoblin bottle though and it cracked on the neck as I was capping. Maybe more of an issue with the bottles with a thinner longer neck. Thanks for your replies.

 

[Bitter_Dave]

My experience of bottling in glass bottles is fairly limited (I use the plastic coopers bottles), but if the glass is not that thick it might not be wise to use them to bottle condition in them.

 

[klaus]

Not that I’m aware of. I have a standard twin lever crown capper. I do remember a few years back trying to reuse a hobgoblin bottle though and it cracked on the neck as I was capping. Maybe more of an issue with the bottles with a thinner longer neck. Thanks for your replies.

I remember this happening to me many years ago, 2-lever capper and Hobgoblin bottle.
Generally I found that capper to be a bit temperamental and needing some adjustment.
Eventually I got a bench capper which is much easier to use and reliable.
And never bought or used Hobgoblin bottles again!
I have used the little bottles for tasting, 0.25 or 0.33l and never had a problem, though I was always nervous about the thin wall. These days I only do 0.5l bottles (or sometimes 0.75l or 1l bottles if I come across them)