Judging a beer by its bottle
Rogue Imperial IPA has won the title of best-looking bottle of beer. Technically, this 750-milliliter black ceramic vessel of Imperial India Pale Ale just won a gold medal at Beverage World's 12th annual Best in Beverage Packaging contest.
This made me wonder, do I judge a beer by its bottle?
I confess I liked the feel of the old Michelob beer bottle. Also, I was irritated recently when the bottles of Pilsner Urquell would not fit on the top shelf of my fridge. They are, it turns out, just a hair taller than normal bottles.
Then again, some people are attracted to the stubbies, the sawed-off bottles, like the 7-ouncer from Schoenling Little Kings.
What are your feelings about beer bottles? Does the shape or color affect your purchase? What are your favorite bottles? What are the ones you hate?
I recall battling a bottle that had a " wide mouth," about as big as a half-dollar. Might have been Falls City, brewed in Louisville, or Weidemans from Newport, Ky. It had a foil top you pulled off. Anybody remember this bad bottle?
Comments
The only widemouth bottle I know of is Mickey's Fine Malt Liquor in the little grenade shaped bottles.
Michelob always won for best bottle shape - worst was definitely Miller's line of craft beers.
Posted by: bryanintimonium | February 27, 2009 8:34 AM
I hate the foil on top of Sam Smith's Nut Brown Ale. It's a pain to pull off. But I loved a bottle of a beer I havent seen in forever called Oberdorfer. It had the pop off cork in it. Just looked cool.
Posted by: mikepcfl | February 27, 2009 8:35 AM
The "wide mouth" was Mickey's Malt Liquor. I do prefer a brown bottle, don't know why...Sam Adams, Sierra Nevada. Nothing like the good 'ol "bar bottle" that you get when you go out.
Posted by: TC | February 27, 2009 8:48 AM
I once got a six pack of Schmidt ("The Brew that grew with the great Northwest") in brown, Mickey's-style wide-mouth, finger-lacerating pull-top bottles in North Dakota.
Ultimately, though, the beautiful Orval bottles are my favorites:
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/37/129
Posted by: Volker | February 27, 2009 10:45 AM
Good thing about those Rogue Bottles is the stopper. Easy to re-use if you home brew.
Posted by: SHJ | February 27, 2009 2:44 PM
We always asked for a "Micky's Big Mouth."
Posted by: Luke | March 1, 2009 1:50 PM
I liked the original Lite beer bottles Miller used. If I remember correctly, Bud switched to them from the stubbies, but a few years later went to the disposable longnecks.
Posted by: PCB Rob | March 2, 2009 2:13 PM
OK Rob ... so the bottle looks good, but I have to ask. How did the Rogue IPA taste??
Posted by: john | March 2, 2009 2:51 PM
Delierium's Trenum's and Nocturnum both have neat bottles, that are white.
Posted by: Steve | March 3, 2009 8:09 AM