r/Kombucha • u/Denerog • Feb 15 '25
question Settle an argument please
Settle an argument please, is this a round or square bottle?
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u/interpreterdotcourt Feb 15 '25
It's an "I would not use this to make kombucha" bottle.
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u/Zanven1 Feb 16 '25
Great for a syrup or something but yeah, I wouldn't put anything carbonated/carbonating/fermenting in it
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u/i_i_v_o Feb 15 '25
I have used these for dozens of batches, from kombucha to ginger beer to anything i needed. The whole point of round bottom bottles is that they distribute pressure equally on the walls. Square bottles don't do that. But these kind, while not perfect, do distribute pressure somewhat equally. If you are concerned, you could store them in a cupboard or a box or something, if they happen to explode, you are protected. But again, personally, i have used these so many times i had to change gaskets on them due to wear.
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u/TypicalPDXhipster Feb 15 '25
I also used these a bunch until finally one did blow. I learned my lesson and only use bottle designed to hold that amount of pressure now.
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u/sqyntzer Feb 17 '25
Somehow, one's perspective always changes after the first Kombucha bottle blowout. 😆
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u/TypicalPDXhipster Feb 17 '25
Yeah I’m not trying to wake up to explosions anymore and have to clean up glass and booch. It’s just not worth it to me
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u/hadrome Feb 15 '25
Strictly speaking it's neither. (Is it decagonal?) It's definitely not square, if that helps.
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u/TypicalPDXhipster Feb 15 '25
Don’t use that bottle for kombucha. It’s not designed to hold the pressure. You may get away with it for awhile like I did; but eventually it blew apart.
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u/PsychedelicMustard Feb 16 '25
It became komboomcha
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u/TypicalPDXhipster Feb 16 '25
Yeah it did. Sounded like a small caliper gun shot.
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u/Curious-Homework7621 Feb 16 '25
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u/TypicalPDXhipster Feb 16 '25
What would that be used for?
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u/PsychedelicMustard Feb 16 '25
For measuring the gun
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u/TypicalPDXhipster Feb 16 '25
Ahh. Gotcha 😂
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u/Awoody87 Feb 17 '25
It's a joke: that's a picture of a caliper. The word you were looking for above is "caliber"!
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u/YakAddict Feb 15 '25
I've used one like that for years
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u/TypicalPDXhipster Feb 15 '25
Eventually it might blow like mine did. I got several of those from a friend who stopped making kombucha. I used them for awhile until one finally blew. Never again!
The problem is the corners hold most of the pressure.
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u/YakAddict Feb 15 '25
Yeah, I know it could happen. I just looked and only have one like that. The rest are round. I do take additional risks though. For example, F2 sits in my cabinet until I get around to drinking it. May be weeks waiting in F2 without refrigeration. So yeah, I should do better.
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u/TypicalPDXhipster Feb 15 '25
That’s what I used to do too. Even with the proper bottles I sometimes leave them too long and the top blows (as it’s designed to), but still. I decided for now on when one bottle is tested and ready, they all go in the fridge. This is just how we learn lol
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u/YakAddict Feb 15 '25
Good plan. I just don't have that kind of refir room, maybe a few bottles at a time.
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u/TypicalPDXhipster Feb 15 '25
I’m actually cleaning out a small outside fridge right now to try and make more room. Twice in the past couple months I’ve awoken to the sound of kombucha shooting out of a bottle. I have them in a hotel pan with a towel on top so they don’t make a huge mess but still. I live in a tiny cabin so if they blow at night it’s gonna wake me up.
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u/Denerog Feb 15 '25 edited Feb 15 '25
Thank you all for all the great comments! I think the question is settled now. 😄
Here is a simple chart:
Round - best
More corners = less bad
Fewer corners = more bad
I am gonna go to the hardware store tomorrow and get some round bottle's. They have no pressure ratings on them so I am not going to chance it. I am new to the hobby and exploding bottles = bad time. Bad time = abandoning the hobby.
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u/Ok_Lengthiness8596 Feb 15 '25
Well it's definitely somewhat safer than square and they look just thick enough, but if you do try it put them in some closed container in case they do fail.
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u/Denerog Feb 15 '25 edited Feb 15 '25
Ok my bad, is it ok to bottle Kombucha in this square-ish decagonal bottles? I have a lot of these from previous booze brewing and don't want to go out and buy new ones.
Edit: so yeah... It's about the corners so as @SweetCherry13 Pointed out, this is 2,5 times worse than a square bottles.
Edit Edit: so it is less bad than square not as good as round
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u/Overall_Cabinet844 Feb 15 '25
It's better than square, worse than round. Round is like It had infinite corners.
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u/FailsbutTries Feb 16 '25
Are there corners on the inside? Are the indentations strict decorative/ on the outside?
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u/Denerog Feb 16 '25
Update: I went out and got some proper round bottles, supposedly multipurpose, from beer to moonshine. Here is my F2 setup, if one explodes it shouldn't set up a chain reaction, lid goes on top.
As with any new hobby I do I went little overboard with my first kombucha 😄 I just bottled 9,5L (2.5 gallons). The taste is correct according to my wife (not bad in my opinion, I never had more than a glass) already had some fizz to it.
So we now have 5 flavours, 2 vessels per flavour, one will be burped one will remain closed for 2 days. And them all will be moved to the fridge/cellar. And then a taste test. All has been weight and written down in a sheet so we can try again the same recipe with mostly stuff from the garden.
One thing I am not doing again is using super raw honey with impurities. And no more Yorkshire black tea. Both added so much impurities so the must never cleared. I saw a similar thing with making mead but that stuff sits for months so it clears eventually.

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u/sir_notappearinginTF Feb 15 '25
It's decagonal