Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with bottle

70's Genie Bottles of DEATH!?

The otter lady — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:43:38 -0800

A bottle full of swirling, opaque, pearlescent liquid, that did not homogenize; how did we do that? When I was in first grade (back when dinosaurs roamed the earth; 70's), I remember a craft our teacher did with us. We kids each brought in a clear cleaned glass bottle (mine was a Wishbone salad dressing bottle) and the teacher put a quantity of something she wouldn't let us touch (I think it was a "magic powder" but it might have been a liquid), let us add a couple drops of color of our choice, and then the bottle was filled with liquid (water? I don't remember) and sealed. The fluid inside was opaque, pearlescent, and swirled like magic smoke, sort of silver metallic tinted with the chosen color. You could turn it over and shake it and whatever and it would keep making swirls, rather than homogenizing. We called them "Genie Bottles".

The stuff used may have been toxic (we were more casual in those days, and I remember the bottle top being glued or sealed so we couldn't open it again)

Occasionally I've seen fancy bubble baths that seem to exhibit the same pearlescent swirly ability, but now that I think of it I haven't seen that kind of bubble bath in years and years, so it might have been toxic too.

Anyone know what the heck that all was, and how I could do it again??

Bottles for home-made ginger beer

goingonit — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 08:59:54 -0800

Are there any good alternatives to 2L soda bottles for fermenting and storing home-brewed ginger beer? I've tried making my own ginger beer (with baker's yeast, if it matters) which I bottle-ferment in 2L soda bottles. It works fine---but I never buy any 2L soda bottles, and I worry about them getting flimsier as I reuse them. They also let most of the carbonation out the first time you open them.

Are there any good reusable bottles that I could buy that will handle the pressure of my ginger beer without exploding? Should I be considering glass bottles of any kind, or is it too dangerous to build up pressure in glass?

My ideal would be some kind of siphon bottle, so I wouldn't have to let the CO2 out by opening the bottle. But most of the seltzer bottles I can find online seem to have a CO2 canister in the nozzle, so they don't actually store any carbonated beverages inside. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Where to find lightning closures?

Merlin144 — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 22:59:30 -0800

Where can I find lightning closures for purchase sans bottle? I want to install them on my own bottles. (Description and photos below) Lightning Closure (on a bottle): http://www.fantes.com/images/122192bottles.jpg

I want to buy these and put them on bottles I already have. Anyone know a source?

Thanks!!

My bottle cap level is OVER 9000!!!

Tu13es — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 15:24:33 -0800

What should I do with a crapload of bottle caps? For some reason, we started collecting used bottle caps in college. After a few years, I find myself with a 12-pack box full of bottle caps.

What should I do with them?

I've heard of making a table top with them. Any other suggestions?

Help me save this balsamic vinegar bottle.

rabbitrabbit — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 15:02:39 -0800

The balsamic vinegar in my serving bottle (the kind with the metal spout) has solidified. Can I get it out somehow, or do I need to throw it away? The top 3-4 inches of the balsamic vinegar in my cute little serving bottle (it's this one) have become solid. I've tried soaking the solid parts but it's been a week and that hasn't worked. I tried poking it with a chopstick, and that broke it up a little, but the pieces are still much larger than the opening of the bottle.

Anything I can do to dissolve this and continue using the bottle? Or should I just give up and throw it out?

Looking for crafty suggestions for a huge glass bottle

primer_dimer — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 06:27:03 -0800

Looking for crafty suggestions for a big glass bottle I've just scored a big glass bottle that was being thrown away at work. I think technically it's a tapped demijohn - it's a big cylindrical bottle about 12" across and about 20" high, with a bung at the bottom. It looks a bit like this but with the tap. It's previously been used to contain 10% ethanol.

What crafty thing should I do with it? I'd love to have something living in it to look at - maybe one of those moss terraria that are so popular at the moment? How about turning it into a micro fish tank, but with just plants and maybe snails - I'm pretty sure it's not big enough for fish. Is this easy to do? Could I just scoop up a load of mud and algae from a local pond, fill 'er up, and see what happens? Would I need one of those air bubbler things? As you can see I'm pretty clueless about all things aquatic...

water water everywhere!

kidsleepy — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 07:23:52 -0800

Is "old" water safe to drink? I have no problem leaving a cup of water on my bedside table for a straight week and drinking out of it. I'll also drink out of a (previously opened) water bottle that's been rolling around on the floor of the car for days. SO doesn't even like to drink water left out over night, and has a half-dozen half-empty water bottles in his floorboards. I argue that water doesn't "go bad" or "spoil" under normal circumstances. SO claims this is "gross!"

Who's right?

Can you help me find the perfect water bottle for every-day use?

xotis — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 09:42:00 -0800

Can you help me find the perfect water bottle for every-day use? Recently, due to understandable financial reasons, my employer got rid of the complimentary filtered water at work. I'd like to start bringing in a bottle from home that I'll fill up with my own filtered water in the mornings before I leave for work. I'll then drink direct from this bottle throughout the day.

For my water bottle, here is my criteria:

1.) Used every day for a few years.
2.) No condensation (it will be kept, full of cold water, inside my messenger bag on the way to work and I don't want to get my other things wet)
3.) Leak proof when "closed"
4.) No need to accommodate hot liquid, or to keep the water cold.
5.) Somewhat stylish (I like contemporary aesthetics - I'm not a fan of the looks of standard Nalgene bottles but I don't hate them)
6.) Wont give me some disease/make me sick due to the materials it's made with. (I hear plastics are bad for water bottles?...)
7.) Storage for ~20-40oz of liquid.
8.) Easy to clean (either via a quick rinse, or dishwasher safe)
9.) Non-filtered (I don't want to mess around with replacing a filter, and the water going into it is already filtered)
10.) Cost: I'm willing to pay for quality & durability. Probably upwards of $30-40 if it's going to last a while.

Initially, I was considering going the SIGG route, but #2 above (condensation) was an issue with the SIGG I used to have.

My question is, based on the criteria above, what water bottle should I get? If your water bottle doesn't' meet the criteria above, but it's super awesome, share the info anyway! I bet some of you have really awesome water bottles, and I'd like to know what you're using.

Thanks!

Cutting a Thick Oddly Shaped Bottle

Science! — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 15:27:15 -0800

How can I cut a thick oval glass bottle cleanly? I want to cut the neck and shoulders off of a large Bulleit bourbon bottle. This bottle is oval in shape and seems to be pretty thick. The goal is to be left with only the vertical sides and base which will be used as a wide mouth vase. That wiki picture is at an odd angle, but it shows what I want to remove.

I've read/watched videos on how to cut bottles using a heat and cold shock technique but no results I've seen are clean and even. At worst I can break out a glass cutter and just circle the bottle a few times, but I don't know how this bottle is going to snap when I score it.

I have access to a dremel tool and various hand tools, but no experience cutting anything other than flat planes of glass.

I just wanted a caipirinha, not a three-dimensional object-manipulation puzzle

grimmelm — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 18:25:54 -0800

How do I get this goofy cap on a bottle open? It's plastic and it appears to have a moving part inside. This is a bottle of cachaça, specifically Velho Barreiro, if that makes any difference.

Best Beer Selection in NYC?

Black_Umbrella — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 07:36:03 -0800

I am looking for a place in NYC that is like the RFD in Washington DC. Any beer aficionados know? I am looking for a place that serves a very wide range of beer on tap and in bottle. Small craft breweries, world wide breweries, everything.

Help Me Find This Bottle

trim17 — Mon, 26 May 2008 07:50:00 -0800

Bottle-Filter: What's the name of these bottles pictured on this TOM BIHN product page? I've seen these bottles around, but I don't know what they're called or where to get them.

What is the name of this book?

bluekrauss — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 10:10:59 -0800

Because this question just doesn't get asked enough: please help me remember this book I enjoyed as a child in the early 1970s. In it, 3 boys are at the beach. They find at least one (maybe more) message in a bottle, and I think the message is in some sort of code. I thought the title was "Three By The Sea" but I checked Amazon.com and the book they have with that title is definitely NOT the book I'm thinking of. Anyone?

Not whining.

pseudostrabismus — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 17:02:41 -0800

What's the best format for an extremely lightweight drinker to buy & store wine, to enable very gradual consumption without the wine going sour? I want to keep red wine in the house, but I never drink it fast enough to finish the bottle before it starts tasting weird. I might drink 1/2 a glass every other night or so, at which rate it takes over 2 weeks to finish a regular-sized bottle, and by then it's all vinagery. Bottles stored in the fridge last a little longer but then the wine's cold, which I don't like. Single serving bottles seem like a good solution (even so, those are 2-3 sevings for me, it's ridiculous) but there's only one brand available in my area, and it's kind of vile. Do those spray cans of gas work? Or freezing it? Or buying it in a box so it's airtight? Suggestions, especially cheap, easy solutions, greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Something nasty in the attic

low_horrible_immoral — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 09:58:27 -0800

SilentHillFilter - what would the previous owners of our house want with a large, half-empty bottle of chloroform? Investigating our attic a few months back, my husband discovered a large (two litre), half-empty bottle of chloroform in a dusty corner. (He looked, but there weren't any dead bodies.) The bottle is fairly new and is labelled 'chloroform BP trichloromethane' and 'restricted to professional users'.

We know a doctor lived at the address before, so presumably it's his. But what would he want with an enormous bottle of chloroform? The only suggestions we have is "racy" parties. Any one got any better ideas?

Help me set my vodka free!

iamkimiam — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 12:25:36 -0800

I bought a 750mL bottle of Vodka from Safeway. The cashier forgot to remove the black plastic security alarm topper from it. Boo! It's an electric alarm, made by Alpha Security Products. The drawing suggests loud noises. It is about 2 inches tall, 1.5" diameter, and cylindrical. It spins freely around the bottle neck, but is restrained from liftoff.

How do I remove it, without breaking the bottle or the peace and quiet I am currently enjoying?

I *could* drive back to the store, but I *really* don't want to. There's got to be another way!

Thanks!

Examine the contents, not the bottle.

ms.v. — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 11:30:13 -0800

I have access to a bunch of old chemical bottles, in a wide variety of sizes. What to do with them? I'm sure I can find corks at a crafts store that will fit them. I'd love to fill them with something for Christmas/hostess gifts, but seem to be at a loss for ideas! Thanks in advance.

custom printed folding cardboard sixpack holders?

rmd1023 — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 08:47:06 -0800

Where can I find custom-printed cardboard six-pack holders either online or in the Boston, MA area? A friend of mine does a lot of home brewing and is looking to get some specially printed cardboard six-pack holders, but we've been unable to find anyplace that will print them. She is looking for a run of about a gross or two.

Thanks!

Why aren't all beer bottles screw-cap?

East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 17:25:43 -0800

Why aren't all beer bottles screw-cap? I mean seriously?

Help me find a Prohibition-era photo of wine bottles.

Brian James — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 14:57:05 -0800

Help me find a United States Prohibition-era photograph showing a wine bottle of each size, from a standard bottle all the way up to a Nebuchadnezzar. This is kind of a shot-in-the-dark question, but I've got nowhere else to turn.

I saw a black-and-white photo several years ago showing the inside of a speakeasy, which prominently featured a bottle of each size from the smallest all the way to the biggest. I can't remember where I saw this, on-line, or in print.

The different sizes are depicted here, but I'd really like to see if I can find this photograph, since as I recall it captured the place and the era perfectly.

Where can I return bottles in New York City?

oaf — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 16:29:37 -0800

Where can I return bottles in New York City? I just moved to New York, and my building doesn't take plastic bottles for recycling. I also just noticed that I'm paying a deposit on them, and it would be nice to get it back.

I've seen this question, but it doesn't answer the question of where I can take bottles myself. Searching Google just turns up pages supporting and opposing bottle bills.

I live near Columbia University, in case you can recommend somewhere nearby.

dangerous or just cheap?

cilantro — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 13:35:19 -0800

The powers-that-be at my office decided to just refill the water cooler bottles from the tap (actually, the hose in the janitors closet that fills/rinses the mop bucket) instead of paying for the water bottle service. Is this dangerous, or just cheap? The bottles are never washed out. About half the office (definitely including me) think the water tastes stale and nasty so they fill their own glasses/bottles from the kitchen sink, the other half either don't drink water during the day or don't seem to be able to taste a difference-they just want it cold. Anyway, is this dangerous from a bacterial standpoint? I've read that it's important to wash bottles that are refilled, and these aren't, but is it as important since lips don't touch the neck of the bottle? I'm pretty sure it is but I'd like some second, scientifically sound opinions for when I confront the cheap ass company directors. I'm in England and the tap water isn't chlorinated, if that makes a difference.

Turn an antique bottle into an incandescent bulb!

Phyltre — Sun, 27 May 2007 16:43:47 -0800

Craftiwork Filter: Help me turn an antique bottle into a light bulb/fixture. The incandescent sort. This is a long-running idea of mine. I am not an electrician, but I understand the basics involved: one (airproof) antique bottle, inert gas, and a robust filament suspended within, then sealed. (If I'm wrong, tell me!) But I know zero about how to acquire the filaments, gas, or "blank" screw bases. I am looking to make this a hobby, potentially a money-making sideline (custom designer light fixtures go for hundreds and in some cases even thousands online, although I don't expect anything approaching those prices, of course) if it's cost effective. I know that I can purchase potentially hundreds of antique glass bottles for far less than five dollars apiece, but I don't know about the other supplies.

There are a few "make your own lightbulb" resources online, but they're pretty much experimental/temporary and I hope to make them relatively permanent. I realize that I could suspend LEDs within the cavities, probably at less cost and trouble, but the look would obviously be vastly different and just wouldn't be the same (although if you have any suggestions on this, by all means share them.)

I want to make two different types: 1) smaller bottles, transformed directly into actual bulbs, complete with screw, which could be fitted into a standard socket, and 2) larger fixtures meant to be plugged into the wall. My initial idea was for an arc lamp but upon research I have discovered that they never posessed significant longevity (extra points if you prove me wrong!)

Advice, words of wisdom, ideas, supply recommendations, practicalities, diagrams, personal experiences, etc. welcome (and begged for).

Help me save my beer bottle ivy plant!

shanevsevil — Thu, 24 May 2007 11:51:09 -0800

Help me save my beer bottle ivy plant! A few years ago while walking my dog I found a Carona Lite bottle that had an ivy plant of some kind growing out of it, I thought it was cool because it's just roots and water in the bottle. I put it on a shelf in my house and it just kept growing for years, getting eventually to be quite large. I never really had to do much for it other than keep it's bottle about half full of water. Moved and put it in the new apartment on a windowsill in my kitchen, and it did fine for a while but it's started to die.
I think it might have been getting too much sun there. I've moved it now to a shadier spot, but I want to know if there's anything I can do to help this plant come back. Anyone here an experienced beer-bottle gardener?

Who will take our bottles?

Oriole Adams — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 13:44:17 -0800

How to find someone who wants our returnable bottles? We have about a dozen garbage bags full of empy pop bottles/cans (worth 10 cents each). Mr. Adams and I don't have the time to haul them to the store and pump them into the return machines. We'd like to find a way of giving these returnables to someone who needs the cash. But we'd prefer that whomever wants the bottles could stop by and collect the sacks, rather than us delivering them. It would be nice if a charity like the Salvation Army or Goodwill would take them, but all told, despite the bulk of all the bags, the total amount would probably be only about $25, and I don't know if that's worth a major charity's trouble. I know a lot of homeless folks collect bottles and return them, and I'd love to see these bottles go to a good use such as that (even if someone uses the cash to buy a pack of cigarettes or whatever), but how to do it? If we leave them at the curb, I fear that the garbage truck will just toss them in with the rest of the trash.

Any suggestions on how to get these empties into someone's hands who needs them, without a ton of effort on our part?