# Dent in bottles

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dent-in-bottles/216475>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 2, 2003, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dent-in-bottles/216475 "2003-12-02T09:10:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![elfje](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19b73/32.png) [@elfje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfje)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dent-in-bottles/216475/1 "2003-12-02T09:10:42Z")

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why do wine and liquor bottles (or is it all bottles over 750ml?, even milk bottles?) have a dent in the bottom? Does it serve a purpose?

has it to do with taste, sediment, balance?

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**Author:** ![Thaumaturge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/858c86/32.png) [@Thaumaturge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thaumaturge)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dent-in-bottles/216475/2 "2003-12-02T09:16:50Z")

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My Wag is that it is for structural reasons. The ‘dent’ makes the bottom into an arch, a naturally strong shape. This allows the makers to use less material and acheive the same strength.

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**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dent-in-bottles/216475/3 "2003-12-02T10:42:53Z")

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I used to work in a bonded warehouse; some of the consignments of wine that we received were packaged in quite thin-walled cartons (and the bottles were upside down to keep the corks moist) - the carton wall was so thin that the neck of the bottles on one layer was able to interlock with the dimples in the bottom of the bottles on the layer below without actually splitting the carton.  
Whether this was intentional, I couldn’t say.

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**Author:** ![quiltguy154](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ad7895/32.png) [@quiltguy154](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quiltguy154)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dent-in-bottles/216475/4 "2003-12-02T13:31:21Z")

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…called a _punt_ in the trade.

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**Author:** ![milk\_milk\_lemonade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecccb3/32.png) [@milk\_milk\_lemonade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milk_milk_lemonade)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dent-in-bottles/216475/5 "2003-12-02T13:36:03Z")

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It also makes them easier to pour, giving your finger purchase on a cold and wet bottle.

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**Author:** ![NoGoodNamesLeft](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8797f3/32.png) [@NoGoodNamesLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoGoodNamesLeft)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dent-in-bottles/216475/6 "2003-12-02T13:39:38Z")

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Here’s [an article by Cecil](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a990305b.html) on this, and a [follow up thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11&highlight=bottle+bottom+concave).

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**Author:** ![elfje](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19b73/32.png) [@elfje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfje)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dent-in-bottles/216475/7 "2003-12-02T13:54:37Z")

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thanks