Bottling question - 2L soda bottles?

FUBAR

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Hi,

I'm a noob and busy with my first home brew.

Due to Covid-19, many of my local shops are sold out and it will take a while before I can get the right bottles and/or a bottle capper etc but I should be fine when I do my 2nd batch in a few weeks time..

I want to bottle this weekend and I believe I can use soda bottles as they can handle carbonation at pressures much higher than beer.
I generally pour into a beer glass so wont be sipping directly from the bottle.

My question: (Preferably from someone who has bottled with a 2L soda bottle)

How much space should I leave in the gap between the cap and the top of the beer, 2 inches? (To prevent a bottle bomb)

Many thanks
 
Hi,

I'm a noob and busy with my first home brew.

Due to Covid-19, many of my local shops are sold out and it will take a while before I can get the right bottles and/or a bottle capper etc but I should be fine when I do my 2nd batch in a few weeks time..

I want to bottle this weekend and I believe I can use soda bottles as they can handle carbonation at pressures much higher than beer.
I generally pour into a beer glass so wont be sipping directly from the bottle.

My question: (Preferably from someone who has bottled with a 2L soda bottle)

How much space should I leave in the gap between the cap and the top of the beer, 2 inches? (To prevent a bottle bomb)

Many thanks
Leave as little as possible. Fill that bad boy to the rim, then the space left when you pull the bottling wand out is the amount of space you want.
 
Leave as little as possible. Fill that bad boy to the rim, then the space left when you pull the bottling wand out is the amount of space you want.

Yes, that's exactly what I do as well. I think it's maybe an inch(?) when you pull the bottling wand out. Make sure you put the cap on as tightly as possible. When the soda bottle is really firm, then the beer is carbonated!
 
I use cleaned soda bottles to transport beer to the folks I trade suds with. I fill right from the kegerator right to the top let it sit then fill any empty space before I strong arm the cap on.
 
I fill in 500 ml ex-sprite bottles.
They withstand the pressure well.
I have actually decided to always do a couple of those, even when majority is in glass, because it is so easy to follow/check carbonation.

I also leave only a little space, but even the last one carbonates nicely. And sometimes that one is not even half full
 
I find that "mineral water" bottles seem a little more robust but any of the soda bottles should do just fine, I've force-carbed up to 30 PSI in these bottles with no trouble. They'll take prime-carbing quite easily.
Make certain that the lids are screwed on tightly so that the seals are good.
 
I just learned something new! I had no idea soda bottles were a thing to bottle in... Wicked cool!

@FUBAR - I love the name by the way!
 
If you've got non-homebrew shops near you that sell homebrew extract kits you may also find they sell brown 750ml PET bottles and caps. We can get them at one of our versions of Target down here (Big W) and some of the big chain bottleshops.
 
I find that "mineral water" bottles seem a little more robust but any of the soda bottles should do just fine,
Funny that, as it is the opposite here ;)

I've taken some bottles with me scuba diving and filled them up with air at a depth of 35+ meter. Put the lid on, and let them go.
They pop up like crazy and you cant open them anymore but they easily deal with the pressure :)
 
If you've got non-homebrew shops near you that sell homebrew extract kits you may also find they sell brown 750ml PET bottles and caps. We can get them at one of our versions of Target down here (Big W) and some of the big chain bottleshops.
I’ve got some of the 750’s and also some 1liter versions that came with Mr. Beer kits. Found them at garage sales. I often have about a liter left in the fermenter after filling the keg. These give me a portable sample of the batch.
 
Given the time stamps here, I'm gonna assume you have bottled already but I would add this thought. I use a little 8 ounce disposable water bottle to make sure I have carbination going on a couple of days into the process. I can tell that things are going well by feeling how hard that bottle is getting. It's a flimsy thing and its shape most definitely changes. I stick that little bottle into a larger jar to keep any messy in check just in case I mis calculated and built a bottle bomb but I digress.....

What you may want to check on is how your soda bottles are built on the bottoms. Most likely it is somewhat concave. With the carbination building up inside the bottle, that concave will become convex and the bottles will be less likely to stand upright then so you may also want to make sure they are in a box or something to keep them up right. Most likely, you'll be fine but no need to have your hard work spoiled by an equipment malfunction.

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Most pop is carbonated significantly higher than beer is so I would not worry about using a bottle from a safety perspective. Oxygen ingress and light damage would be the bigger concerns, which if it's short term use won't really matter.
 
Most pop is carbonated significantly higher than beer is so I would not worry about using a bottle from a safety perspective. Oxygen ingress and light damage would be the bigger concerns, which if it's short term use won't really matter.


Good point! I have no reference as to that.....I honestly don't recall the last time I had a "soda".....LOL...can ya tell what part of the country I'm from? I don't call it POP and just because it's sweet and carbonated, it's not all "Coke" to me! :rolleyes:
 
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Good point! I have no reference as to that.....I honestly don't recall the last time I had a "soda".....LOL...can ya tell what part of the country I'm from? I don't call it POP and just because it's sweet and carbonated, it's not all "Coke" to me! :rolleyes:
It’s all Coke here. Coca-Cola, Mt. Dew Coke, Pepsi Coke, well, you get the idea.
 

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