Kombucha Swing Top Glass Bottles Review: The Perfect All Rounder: Excellent For Second Fermentation
If you're a kombucha enthusiast, you know only too well how important it is to find good quality kombucha bottles. The kind that can hold carbonation in all sorts of situations - including for that batch that extends well past its fermentation date.
We've all been there.
It's best if you have kombucha bottles that are strong, stable, and safe so that you can enjoy your brews and experiment safely. Perhaps even more so that you can focus on brewing a perfectly carbonated kombucha batch without having to troubleshoot complications that can arise from low-quality kombucha bottles.
Whether it's kombucha you brew in these bottles or some other types of delicious sounding beverages - one thing's for sure they're convenient. They're perfect for bottling all kinds of liquids and will also withstand the brewing process. That's why we've created this guide (amongst other guides) for you - to help you to find the perfect kombucha bottle to suit your bottling needs.
To review the products fairly, we'll focus on the following eight factors that most kombucha makers want from their bottles:
- 1Carbonation: How well does the kombucha bottle retain fizz afterfermenting?
- 2Cap stability: Are the caps leakproof? Are they reusable? Can the caps hold firm during the fermentation phase especially second fermentation?
- 3Strength: How strong is the glass, can it withstand the fermentation phase? Can the glass withstand over fermentation and general wear and tear?
- 4Cleaning ability: How easy are the bottles to clean?
- 5Longevity: Can these kombucha bottles stand up to multiple brews and second fermentation?
- 6Ease of use: How easy is it to fill up the bottles? Are the clasps and seals easy to open and close?
- 7Value: How many features do you get from one bottle, compared to the price?
There's a lot to cover, so let's get onto it here are the best-rated kombucha bottles according to us.
Best Kombucha Bottles - Overall:
Paksh Novelty glass swing top glass Bottles
We've found that these wide mouth kombucha bottles (beer bottles) hold up to all of the manufacturers' claims and our key considerations - they're the best bottles in this review. The design is attractive and won't look out of place on a beautifully decorated dinner table or as a gift. Furthermore, this flip top kombucha bottle is designed for second fermentation and has held up when fermentation times have accidentally extended.
The Good:
The Not So Good
Who it's best for : beginner and pro, suitable for second fermentation
These items are a great all-rounder - it'll suit all needs. If you're a beginner, you can trust these beer bottles to remain stable as you learn the in's and out's of kombucha fermentation and brewing. Pro brewers and makers of other homemade goodness will also enjoy this bottle, it's a real workhorse, suits all situations and you can rely on them to hold carbonation and to hold up on second fermentation.
Best Bottles for Beginners:
Hemlock Home Brewing, swing top bottles for kombucha
Hemlock offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on these flip top bottles for kombucha - which means they are virtually risk-free. It's a nice touch and one of the reasons why we've ranked these bottles second place - you can't lose if you can get your investment back, can you? You'll also find a funnel and six replacement seals included with this product.
The Good:
The Not So Good
Who it's best for: Beginners & can handle second fermentation
Beginners will appreciate this product; it will give them some breathing space as they learn kombucha brewing methods without having to deal with excessive carbonation.
Best Kombucha Bottles on a Budget:
Chef’s Star Home Brewing Bottle
Chef's Star kombucha bottles appear to be good all-around and a good price. However, there seems to be some manufacturing inconsistencies that are worth bearing in mind if the price tempts you.
The Good:
The Not So Good
Who it's best for
These bottles kombucha or beer bottles are a great choice if you're testing the kombucha brewing waters and don't want to spend too much before committing because they’re the best value.
Best bottles for Storing Kombucha and Liquids - No Second Fermentation:
Yeboda Clear swing top kombucha bottles for brewing at home
The price of the Yeboda bottles is excellent. They don’t appear to leak, and the caps seem to do their job, but these bottles are not so good for fermentation there are some issues with the strength of the bottle.
We’ve included this option in this review because many people don’t ferment their kombucha in bottles, and instead use the bottles to store, gift or transport water or other liquids only. That’s what we’d recommend you use these bottles for and for that purpose, they’re great value and look more attractive than mason jars.
Here are the pros and cons:
The good: Leakproof, air tight kombucha bottles.
The not so good: unstable for second fermentation
Who it’s best for: storing liquids.
If you’re looking for well-priced jars or glass containers to store liquid and brew in and you’re not concerned with fermentation in the bottle, this is the one for you.
Key Considerations: Characteristics of Good Kombucha Bottles.
These are the considerations we recommend you make before purchasing your kombucha bottles:
Swing Top Cap Stability
To avoid leakage, you should expect your caps to be secure, airtight and easy to open and close. Keeping your drink as fresh as the day you made it.
If you're storing water, you need it to stay fresh for safety purposes
Carbonation
Suppose you're on your first or second fermentation, or if you're storing your kombucha or other types of carbonated liquids in the bottle, in that case, you'll want the liquid to retain carbonation (stay fizzy).
Even though for most containers the caps do not leak, they can still lose carbonation - brewers should look for caps that hold carbonation well.
Strength
Make sure to look out for a sturdy container that can withstand pressure from the fermentation process - (especially second fermentation) and maximise use while reducing risk. Don't buy bottles with defective glass - they are at risk of cracking or exploding during kombucha fermentation which will ruin your brew.
Cleaning ability
We recommend looking out for bottles that you can easily clean with a bottle brush (and checking that there's a bottle brush that will fit the bottle before buying).
Longevity
Your kombucha bottles shouldn't be single-use - ideally, you should look for bottles that are known to last for at least six brews.
Ease of use
The bottle mouth and neck should be wide enough for you to pour your kombucha into (and clean) easily.
The bottles should be sturdy and not prone to wobbling around.
Safety
There are risks associated with brewing kombucha. You should pay attention to safety guidelines. Taking care not to push the bottle's limits will lead to safer, reliable and consistent brewing process and the bottles will last longer.
Swing Top Kombucha Bottle Brands
Most of the brands featuring here in this review are up and coming Amazon private label brands, dipping their toes into the world of brewing items, or glassware. For this reason, we don't have a considerable amount of information on the brands included here.
Here's what we know so far:
Paksh Novelty Store
Don't be swayed by the brand name here; this brand is far from a novelty. They're a private label brand specialising in glassware like jars and bottles.
Their feedback score on Amazon is already an impressive 4.8 to five stars. Their brand image appears to be very professional.
Hemlock
Hemlock is niching in on the brewing at home market and steadily building a well-positioned home brewing portfolio, starting with glassware like glass containers, glass jar, mason jars, brew container and wine bottles and glasses - everything for your bottling needs.
Yeboda
Keeping their sights locked on flip top beverage bottles, like those required by home brewers.
Yeboda is another private label brand. You'll find clear and amber swing cap vessels and replacement caps and seals at the moment, hopefully with more products coming soon.
Chef's Star
Enter the cookware crew. Chef's Star is an up and coming cookware and kitchen utensil brand rather than selling homebrew items specifically. They have a good portfolio of branded items already. The products so far appear to be good.
However, we recommend reading through their product reviews before purchasing because there are some inconsistencies in quality and you need to make sure that your brew jars stand up to pressure.
Maintenance: How to Care for your Kombucha Bottles
Vessels for brewing don't require too much maintenance - the most significant issue you'll need to watch out for is how you store them. Ideally, you should always store your glass bottle carefully when they're both in and out of 'brew' because it's critical to keep the glass free from hairline cracks. Avoid placing these bottles near glass top stoves.
We do not recommend placing your bottles on top of each other without protection and an even weight distribution. It would be best if you handled your kombucha bottle with care at all times, avoiding knocks to the glass - to prevent unnecessary wear and tear.
Conclusion: There's a swing top kombucha bottle for every occasion.
You don't need to purchase a well-known brand of flip top kombucha bottles to guarantee and enjoyable kombucha brew.
Instead, you can find plenty of very well rounded beer bottles, like those listed above, that not only look great for gifting and presentation but are also practical, they hold up well in second fermentation and are a pleasure to drink from making your homebrew experience successful and enjoyable.
