Giving bottles of HB to people
- Thread starter V1nny
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Nope. Go for it. You spend the time and $$ to clean em and/or obtain them. If, for some weird reason the person refuses, just cut them out of the supply chain. I usually give people crap for returning them empty every time. Just once I'd like someone to fill one with something good and then give it back.
For close friends and family members, I usually ask for them back. Otherwise, just kiss them (the bottles) goodbye. I also periodically buy craft brews in bombers, and clean those up and reuse them. Also, asking family & friends to save their commercial empties can help you build inventory.
Brew on
Brew on
I usually tell people if they like what they drank, to hand the bottle back to me and I will refill it for them. That gets me most bottles back and seems to keep all parties happy.
Otherwise, don't sweat it. I can get bombers full of beer for $3-4 anymore. That beats $1.25 or so for empty ones. Drink beer, refill, then hand them out.
Otherwise, don't sweat it. I can get bombers full of beer for $3-4 anymore. That beats $1.25 or so for empty ones. Drink beer, refill, then hand them out.
Well...
If you don't get the bottle back they cannot expect to EVER get another beer.
No?
I would not ask... (Maybe I would give it as a conditional value up front.
Just saying... - Probabily not. I would more than attend to the wait and see version.) lol....
P-J
vNmd
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I usually mention that it would be nice to get the bottles back. The first time I give HB to someone it is usually a sixer or a couple bottles of wine. If I get the bottles back - they get put on the regular rotation list and get a whole lot more than the first sample on each batch I make. If I don't get bottles back it might be years before I send more samples their way again. For me there is a few people that get the most of my brew. They are very nice about rinsing the bottles out when they are done and they return them as well as gather other empties for me. It is very nice to have friends like that, and they are rewarded 
1977Brewer
Free Dan Hess.
I don't bother. I have a mountain of bottles. If I bought any of them I might feel differently, but since they came with beer in them and previously would have gone in the trash, I figure it's no loss.
I have the opposite problem, When I started brewing and building up my collection I had people saving bottles for me and bringing them round. Now I have a massive oversupply and have just started kegging to boot.
Psylocide
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When I started kegging, bottles became less of a hot commodity. But like 1977Brewer up there, I bought the bottles with beer in them, so it's really a non-issue.
If I need more, I'll just drink some more beer.
I mainly give away bombers... because no one can truly appreciate a beer by only having a single 12 oz pour.
That's what my alchy brain tells me anyway.
But to answer your question, no... it's not cheap. You're giving them free beer. The least they can do is give you the empty bottle back. The least they could do.
If I need more, I'll just drink some more beer.
I mainly give away bombers... because no one can truly appreciate a beer by only having a single 12 oz pour.
That's what my alchy brain tells me anyway.
But to answer your question, no... it's not cheap. You're giving them free beer. The least they can do is give you the empty bottle back. The least they could do.
andrewf1985
Well-Known Member
I always ask for my bottles back, if they want another couple of beers, i need the bottles back to refil. It's not cheap, recyling for a greater need.......YOUR beer!!
Only when I have free beer to give away
azscoob
Brewpub coming soon!
I have loads of bottles that I hoard, I've never bottled a batch of beer because I've kegged from day 1, but I do bottle off the tap for competitions, and to bring beer to parties, gatherings, etc. the bottles get tossed in the recycling bin after drinking them, it's my way of thinning the bottle herd back at my house.
The only ones I try and keep for refilling are the cap-able champagne bottles, those babies are worth keeping for long term storage!
The only ones I try and keep for refilling are the cap-able champagne bottles, those babies are worth keeping for long term storage!
I've been pretty fortunate in that there are a handful of co-workers I give HB to and about once a month they'll give me between a half dozen and a grocery bag worth of empties. They're pretty good about getting my de-labeled bottles back to me, but not always. I have plenty now - like 300 or so, so I'm good.
adiochiro3
Well-Known Member
I just politely say, "If you return the bottles, I'll fill them for you again." Most people seem to get it. The one's who don't, don't get much more beer. I rarely have a problem with this approach.
antony
Well-Known Member
I always just assumed I wouldn't get the bottles back, if I did it was a pleasant surprise.
Started kegging about a year ago & now I give flip top bottles out to select people that can't make it by the house. If they don't bring the bottle back, they don't get another beer. One friend brings them back the very next day while I have another that's had two for over six months. He must not like free beer.
Started kegging about a year ago & now I give flip top bottles out to select people that can't make it by the house. If they don't bring the bottle back, they don't get another beer. One friend brings them back the very next day while I have another that's had two for over six months. He must not like free beer.
Its not bad form to ask for them back. The only thing to be aware of is unless your friends and family brew beer they dont often think about rinsing the bottles out properly and you will often get back bottles with science experiments growing in them. Or cigarette butts. Or bugs. Or small children, pets or phlegm, etc.
Yeah< i give out my homebrew to my whole neighborhood and regularly come home from work to see a few empty 6 packs on ym doorstep. I always check them before bring them in because I have seen some nasty ass s^%& before. Once particular person mustve kept the non-rinsed empty bottles in a room with their dog. Hair everywhere, sticky, and mold in every single bottle. I didnt want the contamination factory to even go into my house...
Now I just ask people to give each bottle a rinse once or twice after they drink it. Not too much to ask I figure for all the free beer I give out
I tell all those that I give a 1 liter growler to that I want it back and that I want them to rinse them out first too! I also tell them DO NOT use soap when rinsing.....just rinse a couple times with hot water and that's it. I figure, if there're gonna get free beer, they should at least clean the bottle! LOL..... I get them all back rinsed too!!!
I tend to give my beer only to people who truly appreciate it, so I don't mind losing a few bottles. I have more bottles than I can use, anyway.
MannyEdwards
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Does anyone give out flip-top bottles? I cleaned out my dad's barn recently, and found 2 dozen carboys, 4 dozen flip top bottles, and 100 champaign bottles. So I'm working on my first home brew in years, and I have to admit, I'm feeling a little stingy about the flip tops. I think my boys and I should drink those and give out the recycled craft bottles. What say you?
SmokeyMcBong
Well-Known Member
I have two levels of bottles. Cheap-o craft beer bottles and classic canadian stubbies. The cheap-o's get sent with anyone and everyone. If I get them back its a pleasant surprise but the classic stubbies never leave my sight!
harleybug88
Well-Known Member
You could start charging a deposit on each bottle.
Tell em you're from Michigan and that's just the way it is.
Tell em you're from Michigan and that's just the way it is.
harleybug88
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I would definitely keep the flip tops.
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I'll only give flip tops to immediate family and the guy who mentored me in brewing. I'm unwilling to lose them otherwise.
I only give flip tops out to people who rinse and return bottles I give them. To others, its old sam adams bottles.
