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Scoby & Spout

Scoby & Spout

Bottles that hold pressure, and bottles that do not

A second fermentation is a small pressure vessel sitting on your counter. The bottle is the only thing standing between the gas and your kitchen, and most bottles never publish what they can take.

A row of swing-top glass bottles standing on a pale surface in bright daylight
Score8.3no photo yet

Our top pick in bottling & carbonation

EZ Cap Swing Top Bottles, Amber Glass, 16 oz (Case of 12)

The only bottle here with a published pressure rating — 100 PSI — in amber glass, which is the combination a second ferment actually asks for.

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The short answer

Use a bottle with a published pressure rating and a swing-top or crown-cap closure. EZ Cap's 16 oz amber swing tops publish 100 PSI, which is the only number in this category anyone states. Never second-ferment in a jar with a screw lid, a decorative bottle, or a stopper bottle whose maker says nothing about pressure.

What is actually happening in the bottle

The first fermentation is open to the air, so the carbon dioxide the yeast produces simply leaves. A second fermentation is sealed. The same yeast, given a little more sugar — usually fruit or juice — keeps producing gas, and now the gas has nowhere to go. It dissolves into the liquid, which is the fizz you wanted, and it also raises the internal pressure, which is the part people forget.

How much pressure depends on temperature, how much sugar you added, how active the culture is and how long you leave it. Nobody bottling at home is measuring any of that precisely. The margin of safety therefore has to come from the bottle, which is why a published rating matters more here than in any other category on this site.

The one number worth having

Published closure and pressure information, compiled 2026-09-01. A blank means the maker publishes nothing on the subject.
BottleClosurePressure ratingGlass
EZ Cap 16 oz amberSwing top + 26 mm crown100 PSI, publishedAmber
EZ Cap 32 oz amberSwing topNot published for this sizeAmber
Bormioli Rocco Swing 1 LHermetic swing topNot publishedClear
IKEA KORKEN 1 LClamp stopperNot published, not marketed for itClear

Three of those four are perfectly good bottles. Only one of them tells you what it can take. That is the argument for the EZ Cap on a counter doing a second ferment, and it is not an argument against the others for storing finished kombucha in a fridge, which is a completely different job. Swing-top bottles compared goes further.

Swing top, crown cap, or stopper

  • Swing top. A wire cage, a ceramic or plastic stopper and a rubber gasket. Reusable, quick, and the gasket is the wear part — a tired gasket is the single commonest cause of a flat second ferment. See gaskets and seals.
  • Crown cap. A one-use metal cap crimped on with a capper. More reliable than a swing top over months, which is exactly why EZ Cap states its bottles are "designed to be primarily sealed with a crown cap closure for long term storage". The same bottles accept both.
  • Clamp stopper. The IKEA KORKEN style. A storage closure, not a pressure closure. Excellent for finished kombucha in the fridge; wrong for a conditioning bottle on a counter.

Amber or clear

Amber glass filters visible and near-ultraviolet light. A bottle conditioning on a counter for three days near a window gets meaningfully more light exposure than one in a cupboard, and light degrades the drink. Clear glass shows off the color, which is genuinely nice when you are handing someone a bottle. The practical answer is amber for the counter stage and clear for anything going straight into a dark fridge.

Sizes, and how many a gallon fills

A gallon is 128 oz. Hold back roughly 10 percent as starter tea for the next batch and you have about 115 oz to bottle, which is seven 16 oz bottles or a little over three 32 oz bottles. Bottle sizes for kombucha works through the trade-off, which is really a trade-off between bottling effort and how fast a bottle goes flat once opened.

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The short answer

Quick picks

Ranked on the published rubric. Every row jumps to that product's full write-up below; the button goes straight to Amazon.

#ProductBest forScorePrice
1
Score8.3

EZ Cap

Swing Top Bottles, Amber Glass, 16 oz (Case of 12)

The only bottle here with a published pressure rating — 100 PSI — in amber glass, which is the combination a second ferment actually asks for.

Second ferment, one serving at a time8.3out of 10
2
Score8.0

Bormioli Rocco

Swing Top Bottle, 33.75 oz (1 L)

Italian soda-lime glass with a published height and diameter and a hermetic clamp seal — the bottle that looks like a bottle, with the dimensions to check it fits a fridge door.

A bottle you would put on a table8.0out of 10
3
Score7.8

EZ Cap

Swing Top Bottles, Amber Glass, 32 oz (Case of 12)

The same swing top and amber glass at quart size, which turns a gallon batch into six bottles instead of ten and roughly halves the bottling job.

Bottling a gallon in six moves7.8out of 10
4
Score8.1

IKEA

KORKEN Bottle with Stopper, 1 L (34 oz)

A cheap, well-dimensioned liter bottle with a clamp stopper and a published dishwasher limit — good storage, and explicitly the wrong tool for building pressure.

Storing finished kombucha, not carbonating it8.1out of 10
Score8.3no photo yet

#1 · Second ferment, one serving at a time

EZ Cap Swing Top Bottles, Amber Glass, 16 oz (Case of 12)

The only bottle here with a published pressure rating — 100 PSI — in amber glass, which is the combination a second ferment actually asks for.

Who it is for. Anyone doing a second ferment who wants a bottle with a number behind it rather than a shape that looks strong.

Published specifications

Capacity
16 oz
Glass color
Amber
Pressure rating
“Pressure rated to 100 PSI which means they can easily handle the carbonation of soda pop and hard seltzer”
Case quantity
12 bottles, includes 12 swing tops
Closure
Reusable swing top; also accepts a 26 mm pry-off crown cap
Maker’s note
“These swing tops are designed to be primarily sealed with a crown cap closure for long term storage.”
Dimensions
Not published

Source: MoreBeer published EZ Cap product specification (capacity, pressure rating, case contents, crown cap compatibility), morebeer.com/products/ez-cap-swing-top-bottles-amber-glass-16-oz-case-12, fetched 2026-09-01

Rubric — 8.3 / 10

  • Materials9/10 · weight 28%
  • Documentation9/10 · weight 22%
  • Capacity fit8/10 · weight 16%
  • Cleaning7/10 · weight 18%
  • Value8/10 · weight 16%

What it gets right

  • A published 100 PSI rating is the single most useful number in this whole category, and almost nobody publishes one
  • Amber glass blocks the light that degrades a bottle sitting out on a counter through a second ferment
  • The dual finish means you can crown-cap a batch you want to leave for months and swing-top the ones you will drink this week
  • 16 oz is one serving, so a bottle gets opened once and drunk rather than losing its carbonation over three days

What it costs you

  • Swing-top gaskets perish, and a tired gasket is the commonest cause of a flat second ferment
  • No dimensions published, so fitting twelve of them on a fridge shelf is a measuring job when they arrive
  • Crown caps are sold separately if you want the long-storage option the maker recommends

Skip it if. You want to see the color of the finished drink. Amber hides it; the clear version of the same bottle does not.

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Score8.0no photo yet

#2 · A bottle you would put on a table

Bormioli Rocco Swing Top Bottle, 33.75 oz (1 L)

Italian soda-lime glass with a published height and diameter and a hermetic clamp seal — the bottle that looks like a bottle, with the dimensions to check it fits a fridge door.

Who it is for. Someone bottling a lightly carbonated kombucha for the table, or storing finished kombucha in the fridge rather than conditioning it on a counter.

Published specifications

Capacity
33.75 oz (1 liter)
Height
12.13 inches
Diameter
3.5 inches
Glass
BPA-free and lead-free soda-lime glass
Origin
Glass and components made in Italy
Closure
Hermetic swing top: metal clasp, stopper and gasket
Care
Dishwasher safe without the swing top. Hand wash the metal clamp, stopper and gasket.
Pressure rating
Not published

Source: Bormioli Rocco published Swing bottle specification (capacity, 12.13 in height, 3.5 in diameter, soda-lime glass, hermetic seal, care instructions), retailer specification listings retrieved 2026-09-01

Rubric — 8.0 / 10

  • Materials8/10 · weight 28%
  • Documentation8/10 · weight 22%
  • Capacity fit8/10 · weight 16%
  • Cleaning8/10 · weight 18%
  • Value8/10 · weight 16%

What it gets right

  • Height and diameter both published, so you can check a fridge shelf before ordering
  • Lead-free soda-lime glass is stated, which matters for a container holding a pH-3 liquid for weeks
  • The bottle body is dishwasher safe, and only the small parts need hand washing
  • Genuinely presentable — this is the bottle to hand someone

What it costs you

  • No published pressure rating, which is the one number a second ferment cares about most
  • Clear glass, so light gets to the drink
  • A liter is a lot to open at once

Skip it if. You are chasing hard carbonation. Without a stated pressure rating, a bottle you are deliberately building pressure inside is a bottle you are guessing about — use the rated EZ Cap instead.

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Score7.8no photo yet

#3 · Bottling a gallon in six moves

EZ Cap Swing Top Bottles, Amber Glass, 32 oz (Case of 12)

The same swing top and amber glass at quart size, which turns a gallon batch into six bottles instead of ten and roughly halves the bottling job.

Who it is for. An established brewer bottling a gallon a week who is tired of filling ten bottles.

Published specifications

Capacity
32 oz
Glass color
Amber
Case quantity
12 bottles
Closure
Reusable swing top
Product line
Same EZ Cap swing-top line as the 16 oz
Pressure rating
Not published for this size; the 16 oz in the same line is rated to 100 PSI

Source: MoreBeer published EZ Cap 32 oz amber listing, same product line as the specified 16 oz, morebeer.com/products/ez-cap-swing-top-bottles-amber-glass-32-oz-case-12, retrieved 2026-09-01

Rubric — 7.8 / 10

  • Materials9/10 · weight 28%
  • Documentation6/10 · weight 22%
  • Capacity fit9/10 · weight 16%
  • Cleaning7/10 · weight 18%
  • Value8/10 · weight 16%

What it gets right

  • Six bottles per gallon instead of ten is a real reduction in a job most people find tedious
  • Amber glass, same as the 16 oz
  • A quart is the right size for a household that drinks kombucha with dinner rather than alone
  • Fewer closures means fewer gaskets to keep track of

What it costs you

  • The pressure rating is published for the 16 oz in this line but not stated for the 32 oz — do not assume it carries over
  • Once opened, a quart goes flat before most people finish it
  • A quart of over-carbonated kombucha is a bigger mess than a pint of it

Skip it if. You are new to second ferment. Learn what your kitchen does to carbonation in 16 oz bottles, where the consequences are smaller.

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Score8.1no photo yet

#4 · Storing finished kombucha, not carbonating it

IKEA KORKEN Bottle with Stopper, 1 L (34 oz)

A cheap, well-dimensioned liter bottle with a clamp stopper and a published dishwasher limit — good storage, and explicitly the wrong tool for building pressure.

Who it is for. Someone who wants somewhere tidy to keep finished kombucha in the fridge, cheaply.

Published specifications

Capacity
1 L (34 oz)
Height
11.4 in (29 cm)
Diameter
3.54 in (9 cm)
Weight
1 lb 5 oz (0.60 kg)
Materials
Glass body, polypropylene lid, stainless steel wire
Care
Dishwasher-safe up to 158 F (70 C)
Pressure rating
Not published, and not marketed for carbonation

Source: IKEA published KORKEN product specification (capacity, 29 cm height, 9 cm diameter, materials, 70 C dishwasher limit), ikea.com KORKEN product page, retrieved 2026-09-01

Rubric — 8.1 / 10

  • Materials7/10 · weight 28%
  • Documentation8/10 · weight 22%
  • Capacity fit8/10 · weight 16%
  • Cleaning9/10 · weight 18%
  • Value9/10 · weight 16%

What it gets right

  • The cheapest liter bottle here by a wide margin, and the dimensions are published
  • A stainless wire and a polypropylene lid are both fine against kombucha’s acidity
  • A stated dishwasher temperature limit is unusually specific for a bottle at this price
  • Excellent for cold storage of finished, already-carbonated kombucha

What it costs you

  • No pressure rating and no carbonation claim anywhere in the product information
  • Clear glass
  • The stopper is a storage closure, not a pressure closure — treat it that way

Skip it if. You are doing a second ferment on the counter. Nothing published about this bottle supports holding carbonation pressure; use a rated swing top instead.

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FAQ

Questions people actually ask

What bottles are best for kombucha second fermentation?
Bottles built to hold pressure: swing-top or crown-cap glass bottles designed for beer, soda or cider. The EZ Cap 16 oz amber swing top publishes a 100 PSI pressure rating, which is the only such figure stated by any bottle on this site.
Can I use mason jars for a second fermentation?
A standard mason jar with a two-piece screw lid is not designed to hold carbonation pressure and is a poor choice for conditioning. Mason jars are fine for the first fermentation, where the vessel is covered with cloth and open to the air.
Can you put kombucha in plastic bottles?
For a short conditioning period, a food-grade PET soda bottle is genuinely useful because it goes hard when pressure builds, which tells you when to refrigerate. For anything longer, glass is better: plastic scratches, and scratches hold what you cannot scrub out.
How many bottles does one gallon of kombucha fill?
About seven 16 oz bottles. A gallon is 128 oz, and roughly 10 percent is held back as starter tea for the next batch, leaving around 115 oz to bottle.
Why is amber glass recommended for kombucha?
Because amber filters light, and a bottle conditioning on a counter for several days gets a lot of it. Light degrades the drink over time. Clear glass is fine for finished kombucha going straight into a dark fridge.

Sources

Everything in bottling & carbonation

The full set

A swing-top glass bottle with a flip cap, photographed in bright daylight

Best bottle for a second ferment

Swing top bottles for kombucha

Which swing tops publish a pressure rating, which are storage bottles wearing the same shape, and how to tell them apart before you fill them.

Top pick · EZ Cap Swing Top Bottles, Amber Glass, 16 oz (Case of 12)

Check price on Amazon
Bottles of fruit-flavored kombucha standing on a bright kitchen counter

Best second-ferment setup

Bottles for a second fermentation

Which bottles are built for pressure, which only look like it, and how to run a second ferment without cleaning kombucha off a ceiling.

Top pick · EZ Cap Swing Top Bottles, Amber Glass, 16 oz (Case of 12)

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Glass bottles of several sizes arranged on a white background

Guide

What size bottle for kombucha

How many bottles a gallon fills at each size, and the real trade-off: fewer bottles to fill against faster loss of fizz once opened.

Top pick · EZ Cap Swing Top Bottles, Amber Glass, 16 oz (Case of 12)

Check price on Amazon
A plastic bottle and a glass bottle side by side on a white background

Best pressure indicator

Plastic bottles or glass

Glass for serving and storage, plastic for exactly one job — and why a PET soda bottle is the best pressure gauge a home brewer has.

Top pick · EZ Cap Swing Top Bottles, Amber Glass, 16 oz (Case of 12)

Check price on Amazon