Alas and Alack!

wildoates · Jun 30, 2009

Woe.

But I did talk quite a bit about mead to my colleagues, and many of the drinkers were quite intrigued. Most of them had never heard of mead before--except perhaps a mention in obscure literature. I had to promise to share when the ones I've got going mature and are ready to bottle (better make a lot). Since they were drinking cheap beer I was glad to oblige.

A couple of them agreed to save bottles for me even though this one is gone to the Big Recycling Bin in the Sky.

wayneb · Jul 1, 2009

wildoates said:
Woe.

But I did talk quite a bit about mead to my colleagues, and many of the drinkers were quite intrigued. Most of them had never heard of mead before--except perhaps a mention in obscure literature. I had to promise to share when the ones I've got going mature and are ready to bottle (better make a lot). Since they were drinking cheap beer I was glad to oblige.

A couple of them agreed to save bottles for me even though this one is gone to the Big Recycling Bin in the Sky.

Bummer! Well, where there was one, there are more!

Medsen Fey · Jul 1, 2009

Nice - most folks with a tale about "the one that got away" don't have a photo to back it up. ;D

But with the help of your friends, I'll bet you'll be able to get more.

wildoates · Jul 1, 2009

Yah, on the scale of things that suck this is pretty low--the biology session facilitator I had this weekend has been battling brain cancer for the last 3 years, so you're right--in the grand scheme of things I really can't complain.

I did learn that you can buy wine in sizes bigger than magnums, though, which I didn't know. One of my colleagues has wine in various sizes, so I can't wait to get those bottles as he empties them--what's the going exchange rate of bottles to bottled mead?! heh

I've discovered that people are really good about saying they'll collect bottles for you, but don't do it because they don't believe you actually want them. My daughter is bringing about a dozen with her this weekend, however, so that's good. I've 8 gallons of mead that I'd eventually like to bottle. It's not ready yet, but it will be

Gotta do a brewlog for the lingonberries, too. It's been interesting.

wayneb · Jul 1, 2009

A donation of six clean empties gets a filled bottle back from me! If they're not cleaned/delabeled, then it takes a case. ;D

beninak · Jul 1, 2009

Earlier this year our city decided that in these tough economic times it was economically unfeasible to recycle glass so now it all just goes straight to the landfill. Bad for the environment but a boon for homebrewers because people are alot more willing to save bottles now, knowing that they will be put to good use.

wildoates · Jul 1, 2009

Well, given that most recycling isn't even remotely financially self-sustaining (and in some cases BAD for the environment), that's a smart choice that I think more municipalities would make if it weren't for the hue and cry that would come up from the masses if they tried it.

I've been told by numerous businesses that no, I can't have the bottles, they recycle them and that's that.

Oooookay. That makes no logical sense whatsoever, but what can you do?!

afdoty · Jul 1, 2009

wildoates said:
I've been told by numerous businesses that no, I can't have the bottles, they recycle them and that's that.

Oooookay. That makes no logical sense whatsoever, but what can you do?!

Ok, so here's what has worked for me...........Get on a Pool team. Then every bar and dive you play in, you ask the bar tender if they have any empty wine bottles. Most times they have a case or two in the down stairs, they're happy to get rid of. But then, you just might hit it lucky.... and reacquainted with the baby sister of a friend from grade/middle/high school, who just happens to bar tends and who actually saves the bottles.............

Of course you have to play pool for this plan to work.....

Oh, and have a buddy who likes Becks Beer......Labels are easy to get off and no twist top!

wildoates · Jul 1, 2009

Of course you have to play pool for this plan to work

Well, I'm out of luck, then. I can't even play pool on the Wii very well.

I'm hoping that when I start showing up to parties with mead, people will be more aggressive about saving bottles for me.

I hope.

DaleP · Jul 2, 2009

To get bottles, post on Craig's List, be sure your ad uses words like beer, wine, etc to get search hits. Also, look up the nearest homebrew club, many of those folks switch to kegs and gladly give bottles away. Wine clubs are a good source, as members tend to like one style over others and give the odd ones away.

wildoates · Jul 2, 2009

Ah, good advice.

Meriadoc · Jul 27, 2009

wildoates said:
Well, I'm out of luck, then. I can't even play pool on the Wii very well.

I'm hoping that when I start showing up to parties with mead, people will be more aggressive about saving bottles for me.

I hope.

I like putting my mead into Grolsch flip tops... not as pretty as wine bottles, but a heck of a lot easier to work with!

I have 3 or 4 cases of bottles that i keep using ... when i compared the cost of buying similar bottles from a brewing supply store ($27 for 12) with the cost of a case of Grolsch flip-tops ($37 for 20... filled with beer!), I realized that I was better off just buying the beer, then using the bottles afterward!

After that, it's just a matter of cleaning the bottles and getting new gromits for them, and bottling is the easiest step of all!

And, if you're not a beer person, maybe you can work a trade -- give away the beer, in return for the empties and a bit of mead-making equipment!

Merry

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