Better Bottle Defect or Manufacturing Mark?

[danthebugman]

In a recent order from NB I got a 5 gal Better Bottle so I can start doing fun things with secondary fermentation. It arrived and when I unpacked it I noticed there was a weird squiggle/pucker looking area in the plastic. Not sure how to explain it other than that and it doesn't seem I can post pics so probably hard to visualize. Little concerned about this possibly being a source of infection. So I e-mailed NB about it, sent them some pics and they just ended up replacing it. Great customer service. So the new one arrives yesterday. I unpack it and same squiggle/pucker looking area in the plastic, but in a different spot on the carboy. So I think it may just be a mark from the manufacturing process except I checked out a friend's last night while I was at his house picking up my brew kettle and his is pristine...no squiggle/pucker mark.

So here I am at a cross roads. I don't want to be a pain about something that isn't going to be an issue (like if it's a manufacturing mark and isn't going to affect my beer), but I have some concerns about potential to negatively impact my beer. This afternoon I poured some StarSan into one of the Better Bottles and swished it around pretty good then watched as the suds slid down the side. They seemed to snag a little on the squiggle/pucker mark which to me indicates that there's a rough point that might pose a problem.

I pose my conundrum to you more experienced and possibly less paranoid folk. Has anyone had a strange looking area on their Better Bottle when they got it and if so did you use it? Am I just freaking out for no reason and as long as I take normal cleaning/sanitation measures it'll probably be all right? Should I contact NB again about the issue?

Dan

 

[s4l]

The easiest way to post pictures is to get a photobucket account and upload them there. Once uploaded, photobucket provides a link to post here so we can see your picture.

As for your question, I've never used one but I cannot imagine that it would affect the beer at all.

 

[mpcluever]

I worked at Midwest for a year and saw a lot of them like that. Almost looks like the plastic sagged a bit in one spot. Unless it's way worse than I'm used to where it's creating crevices you'll be just fine.

 

[danthebugman]

Thanks for responding. I'm going to be brewing my next batch this weekend probably and I'll see how it goes.

Dan

 

[brewguyver]

If they'll replace it, then I'd return it. Bad quality control is bad quality control - no reason you should have to take the hit for it (or ruin a batch because of it)

 

[zyx345]

Had a similar experience and mine has been holding up fine, knock on wood. I emailed BB and they told me its common in the maufacturing process and isn't a concern.

This is the post I put up: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/new-better-bottle-imperfections-381379/