Brewing - bottles

Hi All

I know there are some experts out there who can help with this. We've just started playing around with some brewing. Honey mead, and soon cider. What do I put them in when they're done? I have a capper - can I use it on screw-top wine bottles? Or are the screw caps OK to put back on the bottle? Are plastic (soft drink) bottles OK for something bubbly like cider? I also have some huge old flagons with plastic screw caps....

Also, I'd love a recommendation for a good "dummies guide" type book, preferably NZ and leaning towards fruity brews rather than just beer.

Thanks!

My neighbours has all of our 1.5ltr coke and lemonade bottles with the lids and he gets on alright with them.

I don't know about cider - although I buy a lot of it and the bottles are almost always plastic with screw caps - but there's a guy near Rangiora who makes mead, I bought some once, and he uses glass bottles (like wine bottles) with one of those cork and plastic stoppers.

If you make PROPER scrumpy, it won't be fizzy so you won't have to worry. Let me know if you'd like a chief taster.

No I don't think a capper will work on screw top bottles. I don't think you get an air tight seal.
Bottles are quite cheap from the home brew shop in hamilton, Te Rapa. the chap is really good for information too.

You can't use a capper on screw top bottles, or the twist top beer bottles.

We use the small beer bottles (flip off cap type) for our cider.
Any PET bottles that have had fizzy drink in them is okay. You can buy lids at the brew shop.
You can reuse screw top wine bottles and their lids, but will end up with a still wine/cider.
Sparkling wine bottles can be reused, you need to get a special plastic cork from the brew shop and a champagne cage or they will blow out.

If you are making cider you need to leave a bigger gap in the top of the bottle than you would for beer as the yeasts are more active, so the bottles will blow if the gap is too little.

Thanks! So soft drink bottles, or non-screw top beer bottles for the cider.
Mead is supposed to be still isn't it (this is how LITTLE I know!), so that can go in screw top wine bottles or plastic or capped small beer bottles.
Shucks, I might have to start collecting those...

Yup, mead is still - it's a honey wine I suppose. I used to frequent an orchard/vineyard in Kent, UK, called Biddenden. They made a mead called 'Monks' Delight', it was fortified and very potent. Also a Scrumpy. In the local pub, they would only serve half a pint at a time because of its strength.

We have a stash of screw top wine bottles for the time when we finally get around to brewing our own....

Yup, mead is still - it's a honey wine I suppose. I used to frequent an orchard/vineyard in Kent, UK, called Biddenden. They made a mead called 'Monks' Delight', it was fortified and very potent. Also a Scrumpy. In the local pub, they would only serve half a pint at a time because of its strength.

We have a stash of screw top wine bottles for the time when we finally get around to brewing our own....

I see you're in the Waikato, on Te Rapa straight, down the little one way side street opposite the bunnings building, is a home brew shop, just drop in there and they'll tell you everything you need to know, and lots you never knew you needed

leave the credit card at home just take a couple of twenties to buy books with otherwise you'd need a trailer to get your loot home with and the bank manager would be annoyed

Agreed Kiwi, I've had several visits to the said shop and always come home with heaps of goodies.