Couple of bottle questions

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MK RAM
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Couple of bottle questions

Post by MK RAM »

If you were to experience a bottle bomb, would you rather it was in a glass bottle or a PET bottle?

If brown bottles let in less light and therefore is better for the brew, why do some brewers use clear bottles? One of my all time favorite brews is Newcastle Brown Ale and these folks have been doin the beer thing for many years yet still use the clear...does this make sense? I know Miller does it too, but......yuck!

I've got several 1 liter clear glass flip top bottles that I wanna use. If I bottle then keep in the dark wouldn't that seem to be fine?
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Re: Couple of bottle questions

Post by TimeTraveler »

If you were to experience a bottle bomb, would you rather it was in a glass bottle or a PET bottle?

I don't think it matters. Its a mess either way. However, if you are talking 12 oz glass vs. a litre PET bottle - I'll take the glass since it wastes less beer!

If brown bottles let in less light and therefore is better for the brew, why do some brewers use clear bottles? One of my all time favorite brews is Newcastle Brown Ale and these folks have been doin the beer thing for many years yet still use the clear...does this make sense? I know Miller does it too, but......yuck!

Why do some use clear bottles - stupidity! Most of them have to keep the bottles out of the light so they don't skunk.

I've got several 1 liter clear glass flip top bottles that I wanna use. If I bottle then keep in the dark wouldn't that seem to be fine?

You can keep them in the dark and they should be fine, but they won't learn nottin!
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Re: Couple of bottle questions

Post by MK RAM »

Thanks TT.
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Re: Couple of bottle questions

Post by Brewbirds »

I've never heard of a bottle bomb in a PET, I think they just deform and the caps warp. Search the forum for a thread on pros and cons of the two. One was recently posted but I don't remember which thread.

The reason you see everyone using brown glass bottles is because when you use hops in a beer recipe the hops have a tendency to "skunk" when exposed to sunlight. (had this happen to me when doing an unrelated experiment and whooo it was nasty)
There are some commercial beers in green glass bottles that might familiarize you with that flavor.
Brown bottles offer the best protection of all bottles.
You may see clear bottles on the market because there is a bittering hop extract available that has been processed in a way that eliminates the skunking which large commercial producers are using. (that I don't know for sure but none of the clear bottle beers seem to have much hop presence anyway)

If you have clear bottles that you want to use I wouldn't say "no don't use them" I'd just say be sunlight aware of them while they are conditioning and don't leave them sitting out before you pour them.

I hope I've helped with your questions since I've been there done that with bottles, bottle bombs and gushers. (though I've saved my clear New Castle for the day I do a hard cider) :cheers:
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Re: Couple of bottle questions

Post by RickBeer »

Everytime I've had Newcastle the bottles have been brown as I recall...

Color of the bottle is irrelevant IF You keep it out of the light. If it's in the light, then it matters. Skunking doesn't occur in minutes. You can bring a clear bottle into the light and pour it a few minutes later without issue.
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Re: Couple of bottle questions

Post by brewin bull »

I had a 12 oz glass bottle bomb. I would take a plastic one any day over that. It was a while ago an I am still finding glass. :x
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Re: Couple of bottle questions

Post by Chuck N »

MK RAM wrote: If brown bottles let in less light and therefore is better for the brew, why do some brewers use clear bottles? One of my all time favorite brews is Newcastle Brown Ale and these folks have been doin the beer thing for many years yet still use the clear...does this make sense? I know Miller does it too, but......yuck!
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It appears to be in a clear bottle. But the bottle is actually photo-grade glass and darkens automatically in the sunlight.
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Re: Couple of bottle questions

Post by Kealia »

Brewbirds wrote:You may see clear bottles on the market because there is a bittering hop extract available that has been processed in a way that eliminates the skunking which large commercial producers are using.
^This^

That's not to say that everybody using clear glass uses extract, but I know brands like Miller Genuine Draft uses it so they don't worry about skunking.
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Re: Couple of bottle questions

Post by haerbob3 »

in Corouna case it is deliberate. That unique flavor profile in this case is actually skunked beer
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