Beverages That Use Flip-Top Bottles for Brewing Beer and Kombucha
My father and I enjoy brewing beer. I write about brewing beer from time to time. I also grow hops in my backyard to support this hobby.
New Flip-top bottles Are expensive!
My father and I enjoy brewing homemade beer. We like having an impact in as much of the process of brewing as possible. I also grow hops in my backyard to support this hobby. Previously, we have utilized caps and a hand bottle-capper to finish things off. I thought a nice gift would be a large number of flip-top beer bottles to make things simpler and easier. We compared the time and energy to cap a beer bottle to using a swing-top. The swing-top is much easier and quicker, and requires fewer tools. However, I found that new swing-tops are about as expensive per bottle as a 4-pack of Grolsch, which clearly has the added benefit of containing beer when purchased. But I enjoy a wide variety of beer, and I wanted to branch out to other styles. This is a list of beers (and other beverages) that come in flip-top bottles. I have provided links to the specific breweries, if found.
Altenmunster
Style:
- Urig Wurzig: Spicy, sounds like a kellerbier EBC Bitterness: 20, EBC is roughly equivalent to IBU, see notes.
- Hopfig Herb: Fresh and Floral hop notes, 30 EBC
- Maibock Hell: should be an easy to drink beer, 25 EBC
- Winterbier Dunkel: Caramel, berry, sweetness, 25 EBC
Pros:
- Brown Bottle
- 16 oz size / 500 ml
Cons:
- Have not found Altenmunster in my area
Notes:
- EBC Scale of bitterness. EBC Color is a more common scale than EBC bitterness. Assume EBC used for color unless otherwise noted.
- From Germany
Brasserie BFM
Styles:
- La Cuivree (Copper): Amber Ale
- La Brouette (The Wheel Barrow): Unfiltered ale with green tea
- La Salamandre (The Salamander): Wheat?
- La Torpille (Torpedo): Brown Ale
- La Meule (The Wheel): Light Bitter with ginger and sage
- Highway to Helles IPA: 60 IBU
- L'Alex le Rouge (Alex the Red): Imperial Stout
- La Mandragore (The Mandrake): Winter Stout
- La Blonde des Franches: New, unknown
Pros:
- Brown Bottles
- 12.5 oz size
Cons:
- Have not found BFM in my area
Notes:
- Website: Brasserie BFM.
- From Switzerland.
Brasserie Lefebvre
Style:
- Hopus Primeur: In the style of Hopus, but dry hopped for increased hop flavor and aroma. Probably use Cascade or Sorachi Ace based on the description on the website (grapefruit, pineapple).
Pros:
- Brown Bottle
Cons:
- 11.2 oz size
- Not widely available (see notes)
Notes:
- From Belgium, established in 1876.
- Other styles available, but only Hopus Primeur is flip-top.
- Only 1 listed distributor in the United States, in South Carolina, website: Total Beverage Solution
- Brewery Website: Brasserie Lefebvre
Brasserie Des Légendes (Former Ellezelloise)
Style:
- Amber
- Blond
- Bio-Organic (not sure of style)
- Stout "Hercule"
Read More From Delishably
Pros:
- Brown Bottle
Cons:
- small bottles, 11.2 oz
- Have not found Brasserie Des Légendes yet in my area.
Notes:
- From Belgium, 2 locations Ellezelloise and Irchonwelz.
- Not much information online.
- Some bottles appear to be crown caps (Goliath, Saison), not flip-tops.
Fischer (Owned by Heineken)
Style:
- Pale Lager "Tradition"
- Amber
Pros:
- 22 oz size
- Brown Bottle
Cons:
- Still searching for Fischer bottles in my area.
Notes:
- From France.
- Bought by Heineken in 1996 and moved to another facility in the same city, Schiltigheim, north of Strasbourg.
- Possibly available at Whole Foods
Flensburger Brauerei
Style:
- Pinsener 38 bitterness units
- Edles Helles "Noble Bright" 18 bitterness units
- Gold 18 Bitterness units
- Dunkel 28 Bitterness Units
- Radler "cyclist" Pilsener/Lemonade 19 Bitterness units—blue bottle
- Kellerbier Cellar Beer 19 Bitterness Units. Unfiltered.
- Weizen "Wheat" 12 Bitterness Units
- Fruhlingsbock Spring Bock 24 bitterness units.
- Winter Bock 20 bitterness units
- BrauArt Blonde Belgian Style Helles
- BrauArt Dunkles Dark Amber
- Frei "Free" 38 Bitterness units
- Wasser "water" Glacier Water
- Radler NA "Cyclist" Pilsener/Lemonade, but alcohol-free 17 Bitterness Units
- Malz Malt Alcohol free, 5 bitterness units
- Fassbrause Citrone "Lemon" Alcohol-free, 15 bitterness units, clear bottle
- Fassbrause Rhubarb Strawberry Alcohol-free, 12 bitterness units, clear bottle
- Bolkstoff Not much useful info on this one.
Pros:
- Mostly Brown Bottles, some blue, some clear
- Many styles of beer
- Pilsener has 16 oz size (500 ml)
Cons:
- Singles are expensive ($4) for size
- Mostly 11 oz sizes (330 ml)
- Plastic caps, not ceramic
Notes:
- Website: Flensburger Brauerie.
- Singles found at my local Total Wine and More, 4 pack at Leuken's.
Grolsch Premium Pilsner
Style:
- Pilsner, 30 IBU
- Other styles are uncommon, and do not come with flip-tops
Pros:
- Inexpensive (theoretically you could buy grolsch, drink the beer, sell empty bottles on eBay, drink for next to nothing)
- Easy to Find: My Target had it, though less expensive at local liquor store.
- 16 oz, 450 ml size
Cons:
- Green Bottles
- Pretty basic beer
Notes:
- Website: Grolsch.
- Originally from the Netherlands, now owned by AB Inbev, a Japanese company.
- Four varieties available. "Premium Pilsner" is the only one with swing-top bottles.
Hacker-Pschorr
Styles:
- Munchner Gold
- Weissbier "Wheat Beer"
- Kellerbier "Cellar Beer"
Pros:
- Appears to be 12 oz bottle
- Brown Bottle
Cons:
- Not widely distributed/Not found in my area yet
Notes:
- Website: Hacker-Pschorr.
- From Bavaria (German)
Hirschbrau
Styles
- Holzar: Dark, 21 BU
- Huttenbier: Cottage Beer, bright export, 21 BU
- Doppelbock: Double Bock 19 BU
- Doppel-hirsch: Doppelbock dark 22 BU
- Helles Export: 21 BU
- Marzen: 20 BU
- Radler: "cyclist" Probably beer/lemonade, similar to lemon shandy with low ABV
Pros:
- Brown Bottle
- 16 oz/500 ml size
Cons:
- Difficult to find, have not found in my area.
Notes:
- Website: Hirschbrau.
- From Sonthofen, Germany.
- Only flip-top varieties listed. Crown caps of other varieties also available.
Kapuziner
Style:
- Hefe-Weiss
- Hefe-Dunkel
- Winter Weiss
- Kristal Klar "Crystal Clear"
- Alkoholfrei
- Kellerweizen
- Hefe-Leicht
- Hefe-Radler
- Hefe-Bock
Pros:
- 16.9 oz size
- Brown Bottle
Cons:
- Difficult to locate, have not found in my area.
Notes:
- Website: Kapuziner.
- German Beer. Part of Kulmbacher brewery.
- Appears to specialize in wheat beers.
Monchshof
Style:
- Original: Light and delicate
- Radler: Naturally cloudy, another lemonade/beer mix
- Bayerisch Hell: balanced and mild with malt
- Lager: "slim," finely aromatic with delicate hops notes
- Bock: strong, complex roast malt aroma
- Maibock: aromatic, elegant malt flavor, copper-colored
- Kellerbier: Mild, cloudy, amber
- Naturtrub Alkoholfrei: less than 0.5% ABV, unfiltered
- Landbier: mild, full-flavored (??) export beer
- Schwarzbier: mild(this was not mild, see notes) velvety roast malt, dark beer
- Weihnachtsbier: fine wort aroma, understated hoppiness
Pros:
- Brown Bottle
- 16 oz size
Cons:
- Uncommon
- Moderately expensive
Notes:
- Website: Monschof.
- Many of these beers have descriptions that start with "mild" on the website, perhaps a translation issue. I was able to find schwarzbier locally, and it was definitely NOT MILD in flavor. I ended up mixing schwarzbier 50/50 with blue moon and it was excellent, really bringing the flavor out. I would consider purchasing schwarzbier again with intent to mix with a wheat beer.
Moosbacher/Scheuerer brewery
Style:
- Lager
- Wheat
- Pilsener
- Leicht Weiss Light Wheat
- Schwarzel Weiss Dark Wheat
- Kellerbier
- Zeigl Bavarian export beer
Pros:
- Brown Bottle
- Lager was good
- 16 oz size
Cons:
- Moderately Expensive
- Uncommon, I have only found lager beer
Notes:
- Website: Moosbacher.
- From Bavaria (Germany) near Czech border.
- Lager was good and would drink again.
Nero's
Style:
- Apecchio: American Amber/Red Ale IBU unknown
Pros:
- Available at Trader Joe's
- Brown Bottle
- 16 oz size
Cons:
- Purported to be pretty bad. Very sweet with fruity notes.
Notes:
- Brewed for TJ's by Steinhaus Brewing / JosephsBrau.
- From: California, United States
Rogue XS series
Style:
- Imperial Stout
- Imperial Pale Ale
- Old Crustacean Barleywine 105 IBU
Pros:
- Interesting dark colored bottle
- Large 25 oz/750 ml bottle
Cons:
- Pricey!
- Uncommon
Notes:
- From United States.
- Seems limited release XS series.
Schwaben Brau
Styles
- Das Natürtrübe, unfiltered lager.
- Original: southern German style 330 ml only
- Das Echte Märzen.
- Meister-Pils filtered lager
- Das Schwarze, dunkel/dark beer
- Das Helle Helles.
- Das Weizen unfiltered wheat beer.
- Das Urtyp Export export beer, usually light
- Zwickl Cellar beer
- Volksfestbier: Available around Thanksgiving
- Weihnachtsbier: Christmas beer
- Hellesbock: Brewed only in colder months
- Das Landbier: Spicy beer 330 ml size only
Pros:
- Mostly 16 oz/500 ml
- Brown
Cons:
- Not widely distributed in my area/Have not found in my area
Notes:
- Website: Schwaben Brau.
- From Stuttgart, Germany
Staropolskie
Styles:
- Dworski
- Chmielne
- Kozlak
- Miodne
- Porter
- Pzenne
- Rezane
- PRL Light
- PRL Full
- PRL Dark
- Baltic Porter
- Jasne
- Pelne
- Bawarski
- Triple Honey
- Chmielowe
- Miodowe
- Swiadomie Lekkie
- Premium Lager
Pros:
- Chmielne found at nearby Polish deli
- Easy to drink
Cons:
- No other varieties found
Notes:
- About half the styles are swing top, half not. I am unfamiliar with these styles, so I do not have a lot of input as to which would be best for your taste.
Sterkens Brewery
Style:
- Bokrijks: Belgian Blonde/Golden Ale
- Hoogstraten Poorter "Dark and Strong"
- St. Sebastian Dark: Dark Ale
- St. Sebastrian Grand Cru