small whiskey containers

[Dannabis]

Metal flasks aside, What are good options for affordable, small quantity containers for whiskey?

I generally avoid the behind the counter 250 ml and 375 ml retail whiskeys which would make decent containers, I avoid them because the ones I find seem way out of line pricewise.

are plastics suitable for whiskey containers? Like tupperware/rubbermaid style plastic bottles ..ish?

Please excuse if this has been discussed before, I was struggling to find relevant info with the search feature.

So I guess the obvious containers in general that come to mind are: metal flasks, 50ml, 250ml and 375 ml bottles... what else?

Like if I have some friends that would like to sample one of the whiskeys I have, is there a cheap easy container to safely hold a serving so as to not have to transport the whole whiskey bottle?

[dcbt]

I bought these recently to help with premium bottles that start to run low:

http://www.amazon.com/Boston-Round-Bottles-Oz-Pack/dp/B003FXOMSA/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1398018357&sr=8-5&keywords=Boston+Round+Bottles%2C+2+Oz+Pack+of+12

Search for "Boston Round Bottles, 2 Oz Pack of 12" if that link doesn't work.

[Dannabis]

I found 24 4 oz. Amber Boston Round Glass Bottles for 25$ USD from Uline which doesn't seem like a bad deal.

[Dannabis]

Dcbt: that's a nice find! thanks!

I'm looking through this uline website and finding even cheaper deals on clear glass containers than the amber boston rounds .

starting to find some neat options.

[Dannabis]

here's one container that I have adopted/adapted from my homebrewing background. It's the yeast tube that white labs ships their liquid yeasts in.

I dunno if there are any issues with the whiskey interacting with the plastics.

[Harry in WashDC]

Nalgene makes a 12 oz. (350ml) plastic flask that is food-safe @ $9.00. It comes with a 1 oz. measuring cap and a removable plastic sleeve but no funnel. Check Amazon (or elsewhere online) for "Nalgene flask".

If you have a Container Store near you (and can trust yourself NOT to load up on storage boxes, bungy cords, & similar stuff you don't need), browse their kitchen & travel bins -lots of variously sized bottles, vials, etc. - for something that might work.

FWIW, Smirnoff vodka can be found in plastic flasks & bottles from time to time (as can Seagrams 7 - don't laugh, the local college kids will trade hard labor for it) that are 750ml or smaller. Keep your eyes open as even with the booze they may be cheaper than the Nalgene flask.

[wildrnesxperienc]

Specialty bottle has tons of options. I just ordered more of the 2 and 4 oz Boston round bottles. Check them out. Go in with a buddy to split shipping.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[The Black Tot]

I'm looking for a solution to this as well, at present.

The Bostons look like they'll do the job, but I'd like something that might look a bit more attractive. I think I'd like clear glass so that I could compare whiskey sample colors without having to open the bottle and pour, and maybe a rectangular profile that's not going to roll off a table if it gets knocked over.

Just thoughts. I'll report back if I find something awesome.

tbt

[The Black Tot]

Looking at the specialty bottle site, there are some cool options.

I'd like synthetic corks, or at least I think I would - stuff in these sample bottles will probably be going in the car to friends' houses and from what I understand, it's not good to have the liquor sloshing up against a natural cork?

Do the plastic screw tops do a better job of sealing than a synthetic cork?

tbt

[The Black Tot]

here we go:

http://www.freundcontainer.com/liquor-bottles/c/670/

Looks like the business. Even has liquor as the recommended use.

tbt

[benpearson]

I've been using laboratory glass for this purpose for a while. It's nice because every bottle has measurement markings, is safe for chemicals, and usually has a place to write what is inside on it. Not super cheap, but certainly decent quality. I order here. Erlenmeyer flasks make a great wine decanter, but the shape is opposite of what I'm looking for in a whiskey bottle. I have a bunch of 300ml "BOD" bottles that I use for whiskey. The shape and closure is perfect for whiskey.

Also, my nephew thinks his uncle is a "scientist". He's young enough that I can just tell him don't touch the experiments. Someday he'll figure out alcoholic is more like it.

[The Black Tot]

I've been using laboratory glass for this purpose for a while. It's nice because every bottle has measurement markings, is safe for chemicals, and usually has a place to write what is inside on it. Not super cheap, but certainly decent quality. I order here. Erlenmeyer flasks make a great wine decanter, but the shape is opposite of what I'm looking for in a whiskey bottle. I have a bunch of 300ml "BOD" bottles that I use for whiskey. The shape and closure is perfect for whiskey.

Also, my nephew thinks his uncle is a "scientist". He's young enough that I can just tell him don't touch the experiments. Someday he'll figure out alcoholic is more like it.

Hi Ben.

Those BODs are interesting, the non-air entrapment design is pretty cool. What's the longest you've held whiskey in one of these without it going off?

I think I'd still want the screw top so that I could chuck a few samples in the trunk for a dinner party or such like.

Love the scientist image. Get yourself a lab coat on ebay and you'll probably get a few more years out of it.

tbt

[benpearson]

I've been keeping whiskey in these for several years, and haven't noticed issues. I mostly do this to cut down on the space that so many bottles take up. I haven't done any controlled studies for comparison against other containers...I might get into those sorts of things when I get a lab coat. I've also heard of people putting glass marbles in their bottles. I don't want to get into the age old debate of oxidation...but these are nice containers.

[benpearson]

You might look into one of these for your trunk concerns. http://www.amazon.com/United-Scientific-BODCAR-Bottle-Carrier/dp/B00ET6GII4

[squire]

Very interesting Ben, nice bottles. If my consumption rate ever slows down enough to warrant such things I'll look into them.

[TunnelTiger]

here we go:

http://www.freundcontainer.com/liquor-bottles/c/670/

Looks like the business. Even has liquor as the recommended use.

tbt

Totally cool site tbt, Everything one would need for bottling home distilling!

[The Black Tot]

Totally cool site tbt, Everything one would need for bottling home distilling!

Yeah, TT. I called them today and placed my order. They screwed up their website the other day so case prices and individual prices were mixed up, but they might have fixed it by now. I told the sales girl about the website issue. She put me on hold and came back with "well, THAT got a reaction". Haha.

I ordered 48 6oz bottles and 96 3oz. 65lbs of glass. I'm planning on buying one of each of the 10 4R recipes next month, and will put 'em all in 3oz flasks. At 7 per 22oz bottle, 10x7 is 70 bottles, so that's going to use most of those up. My plan is to take sets of 10 over to friends houses and we'll taste the whole range blind and find out what each of our preferred 4R recipes is. Tough job, but someone's gotta do it! I feel dirty on SB.com until I can recite my 4R recipe of choice...

The 6oz are for the rare birds. Opening a bottle and filling three of these should give me just under 2oz left over for a tasting, and then three party batches for special occasions with close friends, with no further air mingling beyond the initial decanting.

Added two pour spouts to get the bottles into the flasks (one with a strainer for shattered cork issues), and I bought the gold caps, 'cuz this is a class operation, yo.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

tbt

[The Black Tot]

You might look into one of these for your trunk concerns. http://www.amazon.com/United-Scientific-BODCAR-Bottle-Carrier/dp/B00ET6GII4

Hey Ben,

I like your style. I went the flask route in the end just for the ride-in-the-breast-pocket factor, but someday I'd love to see these bottles in action.

The "Don't touch the experiments" line still has my friend and I smiling.

tbt

[rndenks]

Yeah, TT. I called them today and placed my order. They screwed up their website the other day so case prices and individual prices were mixed up, but they might have fixed it by now. I told the sales girl about the website issue. She put me on hold and came back with "well, THAT got a reaction". Haha.

I ordered 48 6oz bottles and 96 3oz. 65lbs of glass. I'm planning on buying one of each of the 10 4R recipes next month, and will put 'em all in 3oz flasks. At 7 per 22oz bottle, 10x7 is 70 bottles, so that's going to use most of those up. My plan is to take sets of 10 over to friends houses and we'll taste the whole range blind and find out what each of our preferred 4R recipes is. Tough job, but someone's gotta do it! I feel dirty on SB.com until I can recite my 4R recipe of choice...

The 6oz are for the rare birds. Opening a bottle and filling three of these should give me just under 2oz left over for a tasting, and then three party batches for special occasions with close friends, with no further air mingling beyond the initial decanting.

Added two pour spouts to get the bottles into the flasks (one with a strainer for shattered cork issues), and I bought the gold caps, 'cuz this is a class operation, yo.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

tbt

Any chance some of those friends live in Ohio!

[The Black Tot]

Any chance some of those friends live in Ohio!

Haha you never know! I have family in Toronto. It's hard to get from Kentucky to Toronto without going through Ohio!

tbt

[HighInTheMtns]

Yeah, TT. I called them today and placed my order. They screwed up their website the other day so case prices and individual prices were mixed up, but they might have fixed it by now. I told the sales girl about the website issue. She put me on hold and came back with "well, THAT got a reaction". Haha.

I ordered 48 6oz bottles and 96 3oz. 65lbs of glass. I'm planning on buying one of each of the 10 4R recipes next month, and will put 'em all in 3oz flasks. At 7 per 22oz bottle, 10x7 is 70 bottles, so that's going to use most of those up. My plan is to take sets of 10 over to friends houses and we'll taste the whole range blind and find out what each of our preferred 4R recipes is. Tough job, but someone's gotta do it! I feel dirty on SB.com until I can recite my 4R recipe of choice...

The 6oz are for the rare birds. Opening a bottle and filling three of these should give me just under 2oz left over for a tasting, and then three party batches for special occasions with close friends, with no further air mingling beyond the initial decanting.

Added two pour spouts to get the bottles into the flasks (one with a strainer for shattered cork issues), and I bought the gold caps, 'cuz this is a class operation, yo.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

tbt

There are slightly more than 25 oz in a 750ml bottle. You'll still be good but plan on 80 bottles for the FR thing.

Also, 6*3=18. You'll have 7+ oz left over after filling three 6 oz bottles.

I gotta suggest you revisit this plan when you are sober . Cheers!

Edited April 25, 2014 by HighInTheMtns

[The Black Tot]

There are slightly more than 25 oz in a 750ml bottle. You'll still be good but plan on 80 bottles for the FR thing.

Also, 6*3=18. You'll have 7+ oz left over after filling three 6 oz bottles.

I gotta suggest you revisit this plan when you are sober . Cheers!

Haha the plan was made fully sober. But I'll allow I'm not used to working in fluid Oz.

The error came from this - the bottles say 6oz/200mL on the manufacturer's website. If this were a correct equal amount (which I had wrongly assumed), 750ml would be 22.5 oz.

As you have correctly pointed out, this isn't the case, and 200ml is actually 6.763 oz.

As such, I really don't know what these flasks will hold yet. It can't be both, and in practice it is probably neither, since there is probably a factored in airspace at the top. There is definitely a significant "wait and see" factor in this endeavor, and I ordered extra bottles to be on the safe side. I would assume the company would be in trouble legally if you couldn't put 200ml of liquid in these, so I have to assume they are in fact at least 200ml/6.763oz, and probably closer to 7oz if filled to the gills.

Either way, I was working in ml, really. The 6oz flasks were said to be 200ml. That's three to get to 600ml, and 150mL to drink amongst friends in attendance (these aren't intended to be "dry" decanting sessions). If there aren't enough friends, then it'll be 3x200, 1x100 and 50ml to drink.

I've got 96 3oz'ers on the way, so I'll be covered no matter what.

In short, one's calculations can only be good as the accuracy of the product specifications. But thanks for motivating me to look up the ml/oz conversion.

tbt

[Josh_NC]

I really appreciate this board for threads like this. I was actually using google searches when I found this thread, and I thought I would share my experience with the rest.

I've read many comments on here about members who wish they still had some of an old bottle that they consumed before they had really developed their taste for bourbon. Since I'm pretty new to drinking good bourbon, I wanted to find a way to save the few gems I've been able to find.

I went with an order from Specialty Bottle in Seattle. I ordered 36 x 2 oz Clear Boston Rounds and 24 x 4 oz Clear Boston Rounds. I'd read about getting a cone-shaped poly liner, but it wasn't an option for a cap on their ordering website. I emailed them about this, and they wrote me back to say the LDPE polylined caps cost a few cents more per bottle, and are only available via phone or email orders. I got a package of heat-shrink bands for each bottle size, at $5 for 250 bands.

With S&H, the whole order came up to just under $80. I felt like Specialty Bottle was much cheaper than other options posted here, and thought some others might like to give them a try as well. Now I just got to find a good hiding spot for the samples.

[dSculptor]

I've ordered from specialty bottle company a few times now, and have never had a problem with them, shipping was fast. I have always ordered the 1.7 oz. sauce bottles (50ml). They are just like the old mini's from back in the day, and I like them a lot. My 50 ml collection keeps on growing, got around 100 now with more bottles (750 ml's) waiting in the shadows. Since I started doing this, every time I go to LS I'm always looking to see what I don't have in my collection and buy them just so I can rebottle them in the 50 ml's. (Pics are posted under the thread -- 50 ml collection.)

I had thought about going as far as putting samples from bottles that were brought over for tasting, if the owner wanted to contribute to the cause, but changed my mind, and I only decant my bottles that I own into the collection.

I had this plastic collapsible flask that came with a very small funnel, it works great for pouring the juice into them, but you still have to be careful , they overflow easily. I do it inside a bowl so that any juice spilled over doesn't go to waste. Some bottles pour very nice .. others dribble.

BTW... a 50 ml pour is a respectable pour, especially if your in it for the long haul.

[The Black Tot]

Update: I don't have any measurements for the containers I ordered from Freund. Too busy to get out the measurement beakers I guess...

...but I love love love these glass flasks, and I'm a die hard fan. They look great, feel great in the hand, and don't roll if knocked over. They tuck into a coat's breast pocket just fantastically.

I'll probably order another big whack of them soon.