Paper or Plastic?

[fishnbowljoe]

Just for s**ts and giggles, I bought a plastic 1.75 liter of Gran Legacy at a CVS a few months ago. IIRC it was on sale for $16 or $18. I think that it is a somewhat generic, rather young, bulk bourbon, probably made by HH. It does pass as bourbon, but barely. It will do in a pinch. Like say, if the rest of my bourbon disappears. Joe

[craigthom]

We learned in another thread that Jim Beam white is also bottle in plastic in both 750ml and 1.75l sized.

[Stu]

I bought some plastic jugs just to get the empty jugs for traveling. I don't keep whiskey in them for more that a week or two while traveling. I've never noticed them tainting the whiskey. I even bought a 200ml and 375 plastics to keep in the tool box of my 4 wheeler when on cross country trips. My hang up is I don't like to drink from plastic, consequently I carry a couple of old heavy glass jelly jars to drink from. I admit it's just a hang up, but I noticed some of you admit to having hang ups about plastic jugs. I can see that if the whisky was in the plastic too long it could affect the flavor, but it really doesn't seem to bother it for short periods. Actually I notice more of a change from my metal flasks and they are harder to fill.

[trx450]

I bought some plastic jugs just to get the empty jugs for traveling. I don't keep whiskey in them for more that a week or two while traveling. I've never noticed them tainting the whiskey. I even bought a 200ml and 375 plastics to keep in the tool box of my 4 wheeler when on cross country trips. My hang up is I don't like to drink from plastic, consequently I carry a couple of old heavy glass jelly jars to drink from. I admit it's just a hang up, but I noticed some of you admit to having hang ups about plastic jugs. I can see that if the whisky was in the plastic too long it could affect the flavor, but it really doesn't seem to bother it for short periods. Actually I notice more of a change from my metal flasks and they are harder to fill.

You'e made some very good points about plastic.There are a bunch of reasons as to why distilleries use plastic instead of glass.

1. the cost of plastic is much cheaper than glass.
2. weight.I work in shipping for Jim Beam and i can tell you 1st hand that a case of 1.75 liter plastic is much lighter than a case of glass 750's.This also goes back to #1 less weight equals less freight charge.
3. Most liquor that is bottled in plastic is considered quick movers and will be used quickly as Stu mentioned a few weeks or so.
4. Stu also mentioned travel,which is why the traveler bottle was created.Plastic is much easier to travel with than packing away a glass bottle.Great for quick trips and vacations!

[Buffalo Bill]

I have never ran across a bourbon in plastic bottle but pop has never tasted the same since they went from glass to plastic bottles.

Great thread. I agree completely... pop in plastic doesn't cut it, neither does beer. It may be cheaper to manufacture and ship, but isn't the same animal thereafter. And I get a real kick out of beer companies stating that beer stays colder/longer in plastic - who's the marketing genius that came up with that line? Let's see how gullible the consumer is... or perhaps they have scientific proof to back it up? Ah... I don't think so.

***By the way - have I seen Knob Creek 50ml's going to plastic recently, or was it a hallucination? If so, I have to get some more of the glass because they're great to re-use for travel, and the labels peel off easily under hot water. BB

[mozilla]

I really don't see what all the fuss is about plastic handles(1.75). I have purchase many of them and not had any problems.

The older handles seem to be disformed because the distillate inside the bottle is consuming the air, within. If the seal is good...then the bottle will shrink inward. It will even happen to glass bottles...have y'all not heard the bottle breath inwards when you open it, before?

I do keep glass handles around the house incase I buy a plastic handle and want to slowly work on it over a year or more...therefor I decant it. I do think the glass bottles look better on the barshelf. Any plastic handle that is being stored is kept out of sunlight, for sure.

[kickert]

I picked up a 1.75 of Benchmark the other day and it is in the plastic. I gotta tell you, I am not impressed. I have gone through 2 750 of Benchmark and did not find it objectionable, but this one is really rough. I gotta blame it on the plastic.

[dean_martin]

I apologize for going off topic. This thread was started before I joined. While going through it, I noticed some of you prefer soft drinks with real cane sugar. Here's a link to the Dr. Pepper bottling co. in Dublin, TX. I'm not affiliated with them but I have ordered a case. My whole family enjoyed it and I plan to have some more in house when my boys come home from college for spring break.

http://www.dublindrpepper.com/

[theDon]

I apologize for going off topic. This thread was started before I joined. While going through it, I noticed some of you prefer soft drinks with real cane sugar. Here's a link to the Dr. Pepper bottling co. in Dublin, TX. I'm not affiliated with them but I have ordered a case. My whole family enjoyed it and I plan to have some more in house when my boys come home from college for spring break.

http://www.dublindrpepper.com/

I am lucky enough to live close enough to Dublin that it is sold in Grocery stores and gas stations.

Anyway back on topic, I have been buying EW plastic travelers that are 7 year. All the glass bottles will be new, but I guess because more people avoid the plastic, the travelers are still the older juice.

You can't beat Tom Moore BIB plastic handles for a cheap fix. $18.99 My chrystal decanter is always filled with TM BIB.

[ratcheer]

I have seen Old Forester in plastic bottles, but I always opt for the glass.

Tim