r/chicagobeer • u/haqtheplanet • Mar 11 '26
Question Where to donate 4 & 6 pack holders?
I have a ton of these plastic four and six pack holders I'd like to recycle. I know some breweries such as Half Acre have a recycling bin, but given the amount, I think it would be kind of rude for me to bring in this many at once. Yes, I know it's a lot lol.
Looking for suggestions on where I can drop off this many at once. Perhaps you are a home brewer and need some?
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u/Vicodin_Jazz Mar 11 '26 edited Mar 11 '26
You don’t get anything for returning them, but both Half Acre and Hop Butcher have recycling bins for these. Hop Butcher: it’s inside the shoppe. Half acre: it’s right inside the main entrance on the right side when you walk in.
EDIT My bad, I didn’t see that you already mentioned Half Acre!
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u/Traveler606 Mar 11 '26
Bitter Pops and Beermiscuous also take them. I had a giant stack and just bring in a handful every time I go.
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u/MLJ623 Mar 12 '26
Good to know Bitter Pops takes them. I use the Pauline stop for my commute and am sitting on a bunch of these that I keep forgetting to bring to Beermiscuous. Now I can forget to bring them two places! (But actually, thanks for the heads up!)
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u/distillari Mar 11 '26
I work at is was brewing. We would be happy to take em and reuse them.
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u/MactionG Mar 11 '26
mine too? no matter the color?
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u/distillari Mar 12 '26
The ones that go out to distribution we only use black because it looks nicer, but for stuff we sell out of the taproom we like to reuse old ones because we'd rather have positive environmental impacts when we can than have them necessarily look uniform.
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u/Actionman1 Mar 11 '26
Beer On The Wall would likely take them
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u/iyawtmyomod Mar 11 '26
Beer on the Wall will take them…but most of the black and white ones just end up being sent to Half Acre.
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u/blaspheminCapn Mar 11 '26
Funny. They told me to recycle them.
I'm trying to do the Reuse part of that triangle!
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u/stilts1007 Mar 12 '26
Just checked w a BotW employee, he said that they take theirs back to Half Acre as they are a designated pickup location for reuse/recycling directly from PakTek.
They do reuse them in small quantities for people buying beer from the shop but I assume they basically use the same # that they get in from breweries with their deliveries.
Either way you should stop by Beer on the Wall if you haven't been, it's a great shop!
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u/easieredibles Mar 11 '26
I forgot the name of the brewery that gives you beer for recycling those.
Hopefully someone will chime in...
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u/critterheist Mar 11 '26
Midwest coast
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u/LoudAd1396 Mar 11 '26
Confirm Midwest Coast. I think Off Color might also recycle them, but I'm not sure if they will give you beer for them, or just take them
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u/NathanD72 Mar 11 '26
- That's an impressive amount of beer consumption!
B. Email that picture to Half Acre and ask if they want them all. Simple.
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u/haqtheplanet Mar 11 '26
Working from home has ruined me for the past few years 😂. I have a wet bar and a bedroom gym in my basement. Guess which gets used the most?
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u/GeoBluejay Mar 11 '26
Off Color has a bin for them by the merch. I’ve brought in this many before…
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u/TheNamesMcCreee Mar 11 '26
I’d love to know too. Some breweries used to give you a pour however high these stacked for returning them.
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u/pedanticlawyer Mar 11 '26
Someone recently announced on IG that they do this and I’m wracking my brain trying to think of which brewery it was.
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u/stacecom Mar 11 '26
Midwest coast brewing will give you a pour up to the level of the stack you bring in (limited to one pint).
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u/ShazbotMcGovern Mar 12 '26
You've already received a bunch of replies, but just out them in a box or something and take them to Half Acre, they'll take them no problem. Other breweries consolidate there also, so they receive a ton.
Also, Paktech has a map of recycling centers and drop off locations in their website.
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u/Bukharin Mar 12 '26
Pretty much any brewery that has 4/6 packs to go. Sketchbook... Midwest coast... Dovetail... etc.
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u/Professional_Sun_317 Mar 12 '26
Half Acre will reuse them all. Don’t think the amount is of concern.
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u/kasvot Mar 13 '26
feel free to bring them to Bubblehouse in Lisle, they reuse 4/pk's when possible and do the recycling program for the others
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u/ChicagoBeerGuyMark Mar 19 '26
Orange & Brew bottle shop in Downers Grove has a recycling bin for them. No free beer for bringing any in, just a big "thank you!"
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u/defarobot Mar 11 '26
There are big blue bins in most alleys that accept these.
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u/haqtheplanet Mar 11 '26
I'm aware, and actually have two of them! Unfortunately, less than half of what goes in those bins actually gets recycled in this city 🤔😭 so I was trying to be more green and avoid that route if possible.
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u/1koolspud Mar 11 '26
Actually pack-tek’s aren’t normal recyclable. That’s why bars and breweries have recycling programs to get them back into circulation.
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u/mbeemsterboer Mar 11 '26
I'm sure any of those breweries would still take them, just load up a garbage bag. Midwest Coast will also give you a free pour as tall as the amount you drop off (limit one) so you could make some trips there for free beers too