Alcohol Stoves (Fuel bottles)

Whether you use a canister stove, a petroleum fuel based stove, or an alcohol fuel stove you must transport your fuel.

Years ago, I purchased two red Nalgene fuel bottles, a 500ml and a 1000ml bottle.  The year was 1978, and I had just purchased my first stove and I was looking for a way to carry fuel for that stove. The Nalgene fuel bottle label states "You can safely store white gas, kerosene, gasoline or stove alcohol in this fuel bottle".  The bottle has a pour spout that stores inside the bottle mouth. Nalgene no longer produces these bottles which to me is sad, because they make excellent alcohol fuel bottles.

Apart from the now unavailable Nalgene fuel bottles, I have never seen a fuel bottle labeled for alcohol available in my area. In my area I can purchase MSR fuel bottles or Optimus fuel bottles.

MSR fuel bottles

First, alcohol and aluminum do not mix well.  Alcohol causes the aluminum to corrode to a white powder.  MSR bottles are unlined aluminum.  Do not use MSR fuel bottles for alcohol!

Optimus bottles

While made of aluminum, these bottles are lined, much like soft drink cans. For an experiment, I placed some alcohol in one of the fuel bottles and left it for six months. When I opened the bottle, there was white powder around the O-ring seal, and the green outside paint was bubbled around the mouth.  Apparently there is a gap between the interior coating, and the exterior paint.  I would not use Optimus fuel bottles for alcohol.

Plastic

I have seen disposable water bottles used to carry alcohol.  While this works, those bottles are now so thin that I would not feel comfortable using them.  I suppose that you could use sport drink bottles since they are a bit more sturdy.  But I have found a bottle and a cap that I like better that any alternative that I have found, and the cap is the reason.

Trangia makes a plastic bottle specifically for alcohol. The Trangia bottles come in 300ml, 500ml, and 1000ml sizes.  What makes the bottle different than the Nalgene bottles, (besides the fact that you can still purchase them). The pour spout. Every time you use your alcohol stove, you must pour fuel into your stove. The ability to pour without spillage is extremely important. The Nalgene bottle was great because of the included pour spout. The Trangia bottle is better.  For the Nalgene, you opened the bottle and pulled out the spout, reversed it, and placed it back in the mouth of the bottle. You always got some fuel on you hands. With the Trangia bottle you turn the top nob, to pour you depress the top. When the stove is filled, you release the top, and turn the top nob to tighten the seal.  No spills, no mess.

Note that the opening of the Trangia bottle is the same thread pattern and diameter as the MSR and Optimus bottles. I have never broken the Trangia cap, but for the more paranoid you could use a more rugged cap, and carry the Trangia cap for pouring. Plastic is the way to go, find what works for you.  For me, I will use a Trangia bottle.

300ml, 500ml, and 1000ml bottles
placed on a 8.5" x 11" carbon felt
to show relative size