Have you ever finished a bottle of Eagle Rare or Four Roses and felt a sense of sadness as you place the empty bottle from your grateful hand into a recycle bin, shattering among other relics of beverages once enjoyed?

Recognizing this struggle and feeling that many liquor bottles and their unique designs are small works of art, one beverage enthusiast located in the Chicago suburbs has taken matters into his own hands.

Brandon Eckenrode believes that just because a bottle is empty doesn’t mean it’s served it’s only purpose.

What started as an idea of taking empty Grey Goose vodka bottles and cutting them into rocks glasses for party favors at his wife’s birthday party, Eckenrode turned the project into a small side-business called B-Cycled Bottles that has resulted in up-cycling many different types of bottles with customers from over five countries.

For supplies, Eckenrode started by reaching out to Chicagoland area bars, restaurants, and hotels asking that they save their empty liquor bottles, which he routinely picks up. After cutting the bottles into various sizes and sanding them, Eckenrode lists them on eBay and Etsy.

The bottles range from restaurant size (1 liter), store size (750ml), and even travel/mini-size bottles (50ml) (cut into shot glasses.) The result: beverages can now be enjoyed in former bottles.

Rick from Leawood, KS, who had a set of his empty Eagle Rare bourbon bottles cut into rocks glasses noted, “I love my glasses from B-Cycled Bottles as they tell a story of my personal preferences, made from bottles of my most preferred brand of bourbon. You can always ask someone about their favorite drink but now all you have to do is look on my shelf to answer that question. The uniqueness is something that you cannot by at your local retail store.”

Bal from Schaumburg, IL had several Johnnie Walker bottles B-Cycled and said, “For many years our family celebrates with Johnnie Walker at parties and celebrations. The glasses B-Cycled Bottles helped create have added something new and special to one of our favorite things to do.”

Eckenrode will also accept your bottles and B-Cycle them to your specifications. So, the next time you finish a bottle that you believe would make for a great rocks/tall glass for yourself or a gift for others, Eckenrode invites you to reach out via Etsy for custom cut bottles.