Source for soda?

Hello,

Sorry if this is the wrong location for this post but I looked around and wasn't sure where to start.

I've got an older side opening machine, a Cavalier 64 I think (it's in the garage at the moment) and I'd like to put it to use this Summer.

Is there a source for the bottled soda (12 oz, correct?) I need for use in this machine?  I'm not too concerned with having it be Coke or a Coke brand, I just want something cold for after mowing the lawn.  Idealy, something I can buy within driving distance of Madison vs having to ship it across the county.  

Thanks, Kurt

[ZMonet]

A member here, Dr. Galaga, has the best resource for locating local bottlers.  The site has been invaluable to me --> http://www.glassbottlesoda.org/.  Wisconsin has a number of bottlers and I'm sure some of the Wisconsin members can relate some personal stories about their trips.

Thanks!  I'll check that site out

edit:  Excellent site, thank you!  SO it looks like theres a number of source within an easy drive, even a source for coke.

I guess now I have to ask:  Will pretty much any 12oz bottle work in the machine or do I need to be careful with what I buy?  

And I suppose I should also ask - it is a 12 oz bottle I need, correct?

[dr galaga]

Yea, the 10 and 12 ounce bottles should fit in there fine (except the fat deli bottles you may find some places).  Here's my two cents worth on the places by you:
-Celo is close to you, but the only thing I would buy is the Polka Cola (since it is bottled by Twigs).  George seems like a nice gentleman, but I think his pop that is at his place is very old (yuck!).  
-Seymour is very good.  This is my number one choice.  You can also get Sun-Drop from them (they don't bottle it, but get it from Twigs).  
-Twigs is good too.  They are not doing as many flavored sodas now, but they have Sun-Drop and 76.  76 is a little sweeter than 7up or Sprite but is still very good.
The above places use returnable bottles, so make sure that you get the empty bottles back to them, otherwise they have nothing to fill and they go out of business.  Twigs just upped their deposit to $10 a case because they were not getting bottles back.
Point products (non-returnable) are also very good (but around $1 a bottle).   Here are some details of my trip up your way last year.

Thanks for the information.  I have family in Minneapolis, so I'm eyeballing the coke plant in Winona as well.  I'm assuming i can purchase there w/o having returnables that first time by just placing a deposit like the other places, correct?

Lastly, are there any regular off the shelf bottles that work (Stewarts or Jones perhaps?) so I can test the machine before  making a trip for nothing?  As far as I know, it works, but I've never actually put it in use.

[Kilroy]

Buy a six pack of Jones, and give it a try. There are many members with Cavalier 64's who can confirm, but I think the bottle shelves will adjust for short or long bottles (my Cav96  does)

Sam's club carries  Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, and Crush (orange, Grape, Strawberry)  at around $10 a case, a deal compared to the supermarkets here that are charging $3.99 for a six pack of 8oz coke bottles.

Oh, and welcome to the boards

[dr galaga]

(Kurt @ Feb. 21 2007,7:32)

QUOTE

 I'm assuming i can purchase there w/o having returnables that first time by just placing a deposit like the other places, correct?

Nope.  People would try to sell them for $5+ each at antique stores, so you have to have empties to trade in.   The only "Coke" bottles that you can pay a deposit on are the 16 oz. 8 packs at the IGA downtown.  The deposit is 20 cents a bottle, but they are too long for your machine!  '>  
That's what is nice about Seymour and Twig's.
Also, check out your local super markerts like Kilroy said.  In my area some stores have a bunch of stuff in glass bottle (IBC, Stewarts, Boylan's, etc.), and other stores stink (like the Sams by me don't carry glass products).

BTW: Seymour, WI is one of the places battling it out to be known as the birth place of the hamburger!  

[collecture]

I am not certain about the Cav64 since I do not own one, but...
most of the bottle machines I own are limited only by the diameter of the eyelet on the bottle stack faceplate.
"If the bottle fits through the hole, then it must vend"
*** Johnny Cochran voice***  '>

[SIGNGUY]

Kurt, Welcome aboard, good to have another Wisonsinite on the SMC board. If i caught it right your in the Madison area??... if you ever make it up north of eau claire, let me know...I have plenty of the small 6 oz original coke bottles (empty) that you can buy and use as trade ins at winona...
let's see that machine of yours... people round here love them photos!!! :'>

[MoonDawg]

(collecture @ Feb. 21 2007,6:47)

QUOTE

"If the bottle fits through the hole, then it must vend"

Not necessarily.  The section at the very end of the
shelf narrows before the bottle drops through to the vend shelf. Make sure the bottle rolls all the way down.

[beazle00]

Out of curiosity, How tall are the 16oz bottles.  I was also wondering about   acquiring some coke bottles so I could maker a run to Wionna for some coke.  What sort of coke bottles are they looking for , I guess what I'm trying to ask is what should i be looking for when i go about acquiring these bottles from ebay or other places.

Kurt,  I have a lacrosse 120, When I bought it I went out and bought all sorts of bottles of various brands both plastic and glass. just to see what would fit.  Another source for returnable bottles is Ethnic groceries where you may be able to find things such a mexican coke, various fanta flavours all in the  old style glass Latino, indian or carribean graoceries are good places to start.  I found 10z fanta orange from india in an Indian grocery in winnipeg of all places!!When you're visiting family up in Minneapolis drop into nullMarcel's Coffee distribution As that they have a huge selection of glass that is sold individually or by the case. . This thread at BevNet has some shots of inside Marcel's.Credit to Dr. Galaga for turning me onto This place and the links

[dr galaga]

I'll check tonight on the size of the 16 oz. bottles.
Looks like BevNet just changed their forum.  This is the correct link now for my trip last year.

[dr galaga]

Looks like the 16 oz. bottles are a tad bit over 11 inches tall and a hair over 2 1/2 inches wide.

Here's a 6.5, 10 and 16 oz. bottles: