Glass Vs Plastic Bottles

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jivex5k
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Glass Vs Plastic Bottles

Post by jivex5k »

So here are a quick list of pros/cons to each I decided to make now:

Glass Bottles
Pros:
- Seem to carbonate faster
- Cap threads don't wear out
- Longer re-usability life?? (speculation)
- Look and feel a bit nicer
- Easily obtained, usually with beer inside

Cons:
- Need a capper to use them
- Breakable!
- No seriously, they break man!
- Bottle Explosions are much more dangerous

Plastic Bottles
Pros:
- Not breakable! Well....harder to break than glass.
- Don't need a capper

Cons:
- Takes longer to carbonate
- Caps wear out


Ehhh, that's all I got, feel free to disagree or add/subtract points.
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JimH
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Re: Glass Vs Plastic Bottles

Post by JimH »

Not sure if its a pro or a con, depends on who you are asking and it also depends on sizes, but I like 12 oz glass better than PET because the 12 oz size is a perfect serving. As a bonus, you get more beers from the LBK! 1L PET gets you 8 beers, 12 ounce gets you 22-24!
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----------------------------------------
Drinking:
Keg1:
Keg2:
Keg3:
Bottled:
Nothing!
Fermenting:
Fermenter 1 (5 Gal Bucket): Empty :(
Fermenter 2 (1 gal.): Empty :(

On Deck:
Something?!
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Re: Glass Vs Plastic Bottles

Post by jimjohson »

yeah what JimH said feels like your gettin more
"Filled with mingled cream and amber
I will drain that glass again.
Such hilarious visions clamber
Through the chambers of my brain
-- Quaintest thoughts -- Queerest fancies
Come to life and fade away;
Who cares how time advances?
I am drinking ale today."

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gwcr
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Re: Glass Vs Plastic Bottles

Post by gwcr »

Yeah, but then I drink them three at a time :stout: (hic)
Fermenting: Bucket 1 - Fresh Squeezed IPA; Bucket 2 - Empty

Kegged: Keg 1 - Irish Red; Keg 2 - Cream Ale; Keg 3 - Amber Ale; Keg 4 - APA; Keg 5 - Empty; Keg 6 - Empty; Keg 7 - Empty
The reason why the above list is so small Home Theater Build
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jimjohson
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Re: Glass Vs Plastic Bottles

Post by jimjohson »

this is a problem?
"Filled with mingled cream and amber
I will drain that glass again.
Such hilarious visions clamber
Through the chambers of my brain
-- Quaintest thoughts -- Queerest fancies
Come to life and fade away;
Who cares how time advances?
I am drinking ale today."

Edgar Allan Poe
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gwcr
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Re: Glass Vs Plastic Bottles

Post by gwcr »

Only when I run out...
Fermenting: Bucket 1 - Fresh Squeezed IPA; Bucket 2 - Empty

Kegged: Keg 1 - Irish Red; Keg 2 - Cream Ale; Keg 3 - Amber Ale; Keg 4 - APA; Keg 5 - Empty; Keg 6 - Empty; Keg 7 - Empty
The reason why the above list is so small Home Theater Build
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FrozenInTime
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Re: Glass Vs Plastic Bottles

Post by FrozenInTime »

I prefer glass, tossed all the PETS. Bout to toss all the glass since I started kegging.
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Re: Glass Vs Plastic Bottles

Post by gwcr »

Same here FIT. My next batch will be my first keg. Will probably keep a couple cases of glass around just in case though.
Fermenting: Bucket 1 - Fresh Squeezed IPA; Bucket 2 - Empty

Kegged: Keg 1 - Irish Red; Keg 2 - Cream Ale; Keg 3 - Amber Ale; Keg 4 - APA; Keg 5 - Empty; Keg 6 - Empty; Keg 7 - Empty
The reason why the above list is so small Home Theater Build
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Re: Glass Vs Plastic Bottles

Post by DirtRacer »

I've been using mostly plastic and yes, I don't care for the 1L size so I've saved myself some smaller plastic soda bottles(12-16oz.). While I haven't had any problems with plastics, it still just doesn't feel right drinking a beer from a plastic bottle. I have used a few glass ones, they were twist offs and I re-used the caps from the bottles before I read about the no-no of twist off bottles. Fortunately for me I was able to get the caps to seal well enough to properly carb and the beer was fine. I did not bother to re-re-use them. I have used swing tops a few times and won't bother with them again. They didn't carb well at all despite my attempts to properly seat the cap. Going to look into a capper here in the next month and so if I enjoy using glass enough, out go the plastics.
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Re: Glass Vs Plastic Bottles

Post by gwcr »

I would recommend a bench capper. Much more stable than the 2 handed version IMO.
Fermenting: Bucket 1 - Fresh Squeezed IPA; Bucket 2 - Empty

Kegged: Keg 1 - Irish Red; Keg 2 - Cream Ale; Keg 3 - Amber Ale; Keg 4 - APA; Keg 5 - Empty; Keg 6 - Empty; Keg 7 - Empty
The reason why the above list is so small Home Theater Build
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Re: Glass Vs Plastic Bottles

Post by jimjohson »

+1 on the bench capper
"Filled with mingled cream and amber
I will drain that glass again.
Such hilarious visions clamber
Through the chambers of my brain
-- Quaintest thoughts -- Queerest fancies
Come to life and fade away;
Who cares how time advances?
I am drinking ale today."

Edgar Allan Poe
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DirtRacer
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Re: Glass Vs Plastic Bottles

Post by DirtRacer »

gwcr wrote:I would recommend a bench capper. Much more stable than the 2 handed version IMO.
That's the plan. I have read that people had more bottles break with the 2 handed cappers than with bench cappers.
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Gymrat
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Re: Glass Vs Plastic Bottles

Post by Gymrat »

I had several break while capping with a wing capper.
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Re: Glass Vs Plastic Bottles

Post by RickBeer »

I switched to glass when I needed more bottles because the cost to buy that much PET was too high. Ideally, I'd have 16 ounce bottles. I find 12 oz isn't enough. I do 1 PET per batch to test for carbonation, the rest glass, unless I run out as I did recently when I was making my son a batch of Blue Moon for his birthday - had to use a bunch of PET for my Moosedrool clone.

I bought a bench capper - wing capper to me isn't worth the hassle. Break 1 or 2 and be frustrated? Nope.
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Re: Glass Vs Plastic Bottles

Post by haerbob3 »

If you also make wine, bottle Belgiums in 750 ml with the traditional cork & cage I would go with this one

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/colo ... orker.html

I have had it for 6 years now works great very versatile
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