winesleeper
Junior Member
- Joined
- May 4, 2013
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When buying used clean clear wine bottles at $7.00/12, what should I be looking out for? New bottles at the LHBS are $18.00/12. Is it safe to buy used bottles?
I never buy wine bottles. Most wineries are more than happy to give you their used wine bottles. They must use new ones and have to get rid of used ones.
To get back to the OP, there is nothing wrong with using used bottles. Be sure the bottles you get are not screw-cap because screw-cap bottles will not stand up to the pressure of corking and could break. Make sure you clean and sanitize them well before using.
With Nova Twist hand applied screw caps being only about 2 cents dearer than the lowest priced new corks and cheaper than premium corks I would go for screw caps. Easier to apply, clean professional looking finish and no chance of cork taint. And they are faster to apply than corks. Love anything that makes bottling a 1000 bottles of wine quicker.
I don't know about that. My floor corker goes pretty quick. Also, I would miss that "POP" when celebrating life with my honey.
You will notice I said anything that makes bottling a 1000 bottles quicker is good.
Using a vacuum filler I can have 1 bottle filling while I am applying the screw cap I don't have to move. Don't have to lift the corker arm. Don't have to place the bottle in the corker, Don't have to push the corker down Don't have to pick the bottle out of the corker. Just apply cap and drop bottle into the case
Unless you have help corking you could not be as fast as applying screw caps. If it was quicker to cork when solo bottling I would be doing it.
I'll be corrected if I'm wrong, but some states have deposits on bottles and cans of just about all types. You take the empties to the redemption center and get your "deposit" back. Are you old enough to remember when the soda companies had returnable bottles? Similar, except it's required by the state. I don't know where the money comes from and goes to in these systems.
You bottle 1000 bottles yourself?????????
I find that when bottling, I never am short of labor. I quess with all of the bottles of wine, I am a little more generous on what I give away.
A five guy crew seems best...
One guy fills, One guy tops off, one guy corks, one guy washes the sealed bottle, and one guy boxes/stacks.
With 5 guys, It goes very quick.
Some states in lieu of bottle deposit use the direct deposit method. Purchase beverage and throw empty out car window. I ride my bicycle thru a lot of states and notice a difference between states with deposit laws. You would not believe the amount of bottle trash outside the perimeter of Richmond, Va. I'm talking about country roads.
I reuse all my wine bottles and try to always buy wine with corks. There is no fun in opening a wine bottle with a screw cap.
Off topic, but this reminded me of a story I read about a guy who traveled by bike all over the country for free... sleeping and eating and drinking where he could. He was worried about his safety out west with no water... untill he realized there were plenty of half empty water bottles on the side of the road.Purchase beverage and throw empty out car window. I ride my bicycle thru a lot of states and notice a difference between states with deposit laws.
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