Lab Cat Posted May 21, 2020 Share Posted May 21, 2020 Just capped a brew for the first time. Also bulk primed, as the reason for going to capping, is the numerous bottle sizes I now have. Even after one session, I'm probably going to dump the 330ml bottles I was given, jees, it takes too long! washing, sanitizing, then capping these little bastards, plus more boxes to store. I have 12 640ml crown and that was better. It was relief to get onto my flip tops. Bottling never too me so long. 500ml is an ideal size for me. I like to watch how much I drink (sometimes I can do it for hours). But no one sells 500ml crownies. 330, 640 or the Coopers 740 seems to be all there is. The only 500s are flippers. Has anyone seen any? If not, I'll probably have to stock on 640s. Also, I gave the capper a go with water filled bottles, and the tops were on tight, but popped off rather too easily with my opener. I'm guessing this is because they're not under pressure yet, and when carbed, they'll feel more like they were secure when a pop one that's ready? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicolasW Posted May 21, 2020 Share Posted May 21, 2020 (edited) Are you using a bench capper, the butterfly ones, or one of those belt ones you belt with a hammer? I've never had an issue with them not feeling secure on the bench capper. Yeah 500ml are my favourite as well - good size for a single serve and less bottles to fiddle with. 640 are a close second. I built up collection of 500ml by drinking Weihenstephaner, and other German beers. Yeah bottling is a pain - I'd recommend kegging if you can it makes life a bit easier. Edited May 21, 2020 by NicolasW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lab Cat Posted May 21, 2020 Author Share Posted May 21, 2020 I'm using a butterfly. The caps are secure, I'd strip my fingers trying to get them off. Can't fit a bench capper anywhere, and the wife enjoys my beer brewing, so long as it's nowhere near her stone benchtops. Same space issues with kegging. Too techy for me, too much gear and I'd lose track of how much I drink. Bottling has never been a pain, until using baby bottles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Instigator Posted May 21, 2020 Share Posted May 21, 2020 Check the British and German aisles at Dans. A lot of that is 500mL packaging and pry-off crown seals. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldcoast Crow Posted May 21, 2020 Share Posted May 21, 2020 I just got another 72 x 330ml Stubbs to go with the 54 my neighbor gave me, I have had the first 54 in 2nd ferment for almost 2 weeks, so I'm keen to see how they are tracking maybe this weekend. I have another 2x 10ltr batches to bottle up, a real ale toucan and a draught toucan.... I quite enjoy the process of sanitising, and bottling, it's almost like meditation so long as the kids don't want to help over time I may come to dislike it, but I wanted to get away from the pet.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graculus Posted May 21, 2020 Share Posted May 21, 2020 (edited) I've got some 500ml crownies. A bloke in work gave them to me. They are Bundaberg Dark & Stormy bottles. Just having a quick look on ebay. They're available from the UK. Some USA home brew sites have them too. Can't see any for sale in Australia. I'm quite happy with the 330ml bottles, but do use 3 or 4 750ml bottles to help bottling along. Edited May 21, 2020 by Graculus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerlust Posted May 21, 2020 Share Posted May 21, 2020 (edited) 2 hours ago, Instigator said: Check the British and German aisles at Dans. A lot of that is 500mL packaging and pry-off crown seals. +1 BTW, Dan's aren't the only bottleshops that sell them. Edited May 21, 2020 by Beerlust 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted May 21, 2020 Share Posted May 21, 2020 They're always looser before the carbonation pressure tightens them up. I find kegs take up less space. Obviously need room for a fridge for them but I reckon it plus a few sitting along the wall is still less than a heap of bottles. I get the annoyance with smaller bottles. I used to use stubbies because I didn't want 750mL of beer every night or leaving half empty bottles in the fridge to go flatter. Bottling itself wasn't too bad but all the cleaning and rinsing and shit just did my head in eventually and I moved to kegs. Consumption went up initially but dropped again once the novelty wore off. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lab Cat Posted May 21, 2020 Author Share Posted May 21, 2020 (edited) 4 hours ago, Instigator said: Check the British and German aisles at Dans. A lot of that is 500mL packaging and pry-off crown seals. Yes, I know, but at those prices for 2 bottles of those, I could get a dozen 640s. Still, I guess they come with good free beer... Edited May 21, 2020 by Lab Cat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Instigator Posted May 21, 2020 Share Posted May 21, 2020 My all time favourite bottles are LCPA pints. Sadly, since the buyout (or was it a sellout?), the main brewing for LCPA has moved to Geelong and pints don't get brought across to the East coast anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panther Branch Brewing Posted May 21, 2020 Share Posted May 21, 2020 Bigger is definitely better in there are less bottle to fill. I use mostly 740ml PET bottles. Bottles are also a simple, two part, system, bottle and cap. No hoses, regulators, gas bottles valves......... etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted May 21, 2020 Share Posted May 21, 2020 True but you only have to set that stuff up once, not every batch. After that it's simply fill a keg then put it in the fridge and connect each line. Takes about 10 minutes. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldcoast Crow Posted May 21, 2020 Share Posted May 21, 2020 Everyone seems to use the pet bottles, maybe I just need to leave mine longer aging, that’s probably more the problem than the sealing issue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerlust Posted May 21, 2020 Share Posted May 21, 2020 7 hours ago, Lab Cat said: Yes, I know, but at those prices for 2 bottles of those, I could get a dozen 640s. Still, I guess they come with good free beer... When I was still bottling & got tired of the stubbies, I simply switched to buying 3 Coopers 750ml longnecks instead of my usual 6pk. Most bottleshops offer a 3pk deal on longneck varieties. I just kept going until I had 4-5 cases worth. From memory, it didn't take that long. Cheers, Lusty. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeB7 Posted May 22, 2020 Share Posted May 22, 2020 A half dozen 330/500ml bottles are good for testing the batch IMO, but 750ml mostly. @Royce75 gave me a box of brand new PETs so I'll be trying them for the first time next week Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeB7 Posted May 22, 2020 Share Posted May 22, 2020 20 hours ago, Goldcoast Crow said: .... I quite enjoy the process of sanitising, and bottling, it's almost like meditation so long as the kids don't want to help You are MOST welcome to meditate at mine next bottling day Crowy 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted May 22, 2020 Share Posted May 22, 2020 Yeah I was young and stupid once too .. After that, bottling and all the associated work just became a massive PITA and was easily the worst part of brewing for me. Glad I don't have to do it anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red devil 44 Posted May 22, 2020 Share Posted May 22, 2020 When I decided to home brew I went straight into kegging ( granted I knew a bit about them from working in Gas reticulation), I find it suits my lifestyle and what spare time I have. Like yesterday after work I kegged a Stone & Wood Clone, cleaned and sanitized my fermenter from the S & W, put another brew down, boom in the fermenting fridge, done in about 1hr. Sit back and have a few off the tap, happy days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenyinthewestofsydney Posted May 22, 2020 Share Posted May 22, 2020 I prefer kegging but some styles i brew are more suited to bottling so i still have about 200 or so bottles. It is a major time waster and i dont look forward to bottling brews at all but its a necessity for some styles IMO. @Goldcoast Crow is a sick sick man!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeB7 Posted May 22, 2020 Share Posted May 22, 2020 I'd love to keg & have some soda water on tap too. I just can't justify the $500-600 at the moment. Maybe I start adding $50 to my next dozen quotes 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted May 23, 2020 Share Posted May 23, 2020 2 hours ago, Greeny1525229549 said: I prefer kegging but some styles i brew are more suited to bottling so i still have about 200 or so bottles. It is a major time waster and i dont look forward to bottling brews at all but its a necessity for some styles IMO. @Goldcoast Crow is a sick sick man!! I've kept 60 long necks for styles needing bottles - got my coffee stout in about 18 of them at present. The PETs are up for sale. My 'pleasure' in bottling my own beer lasted until the 3rd brew - after that I did it under sufferance while I saved and learned about kegging. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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