Capping

[CaptainMediocre]

Hi Folks,

I've been reading this forum for well over a year now, and just brewed my first batch on Tuesday. The site so far has answered many questions with just a quick search.

My only question I haven't found the answer to is regards capping. My plan is to reuse Heineken bottles. I have an Emily capper and am not sure the caps are tight enough. They are water tight, and I cannot remove them or twist them by hand. However, they seem to come off "too easy" with a bottle opener. How will I know they are tight enough?

 

[jwalk4]

It is an honor to serve you, Captain Mediocre, Sir.

Yeah, Emily Capper's aren't the best because not all bottles have the same lip sizes. (See this link)

So I suggest buying a bench capper, and save yourself the worry. They are a pretty cheap investment for peace of mind's sake.

 

[CaptainMediocre]

It is an honor to serve you, Captain Mediocre, Sir.

LOL the name is an old gamer tag.


As for the Emily capper I think I'm stuck with it, I live in a fairly small space and my wife will already kill me when she sees the next batch of equipment I buy. Is there a better type of bottle to use? or any way to know that these have sealed well enough?

 

[dmashl]

I use the red baron capper. Use either New belgium, Sam Adams, or Goose Island bottles. Never had a problem.

 

[Calder]

I have 3 of the red cappers (not sure what type they are), each set-up for different types of bottles:

- Standard American
- European Champagne bottles 29 mm caps (needs different bell and turn around plates)
- American Champagne bottles (turn around the plates)

I bought the first one about 20 years ago. I've no problems with any of them. Work fine. Give the bottles a little more time to carb up.

I've not used Heineken bottles, so I don't know if there are any issues with using them. General recommendation is to use brown bottles rather than green or clear bottles to keep out the light.


I use the champagne bottles because they take more pressure; some beer styles need higher carbonation levels (Sours, Bretts, Belgians). ........ and yes, I know, most Champagne bottles are green.

 

[mongoose33]

Do you really want to package your hard-earned homebrew in GREEN bottles? Buy some brown ones and be done with it.

 

[C-Rider]

I really like S. N. beers and I have bought enough that all my home brews are in S.N. bottles. I turned all the other bottles in for the 5 cent refund. P.S. I use a red wing capper but have no idea who made it. Never had a problem and it fits nicely in a drawer when not in use.

 

[PADave]

Do you really want to package your hard-earned homebrew in GREEN bottles? Buy some brown ones and be done with it.

Better yet, buy some brown bottles full of good beer, drink beer, save bottles. That's about the only reason I buy commercial beer anymore, for the empties. Was really pissed a few weeks ago when I bought a case of Shipyard, only to find out they are twist offs!

 

[jwalk4]

Is there a better type of bottle to use? or any way to know that these have sealed well enough?

Hmm, I'd say go stop by your LHBS and ask what they recommend. Maybe you can mod it somehow? Locktite or solder a coin on the plunger for extra length?

Some one on Reddit posted a technique using Heineken bottles, specifically. It seems you have to rock the bottle back and forth to put more pressure on one side of the bottle, and then the other. https://www.reddit.com/r/Homebrewin...s_bottle_capper_doesnt_work_well_on_hertiage/
So you can give that a shot too.

Or, like others have said, buy some different beers to get a handle on what bottles work best for you.

 

[LBF]

Look for an older "antique" bench capper. They work really well if you find one in good shape (I did) and you can play the card on the wife that you're putting something old to good use again and how it's a nice antique and all.

I have a few Heineken bottles and some clear New Castle bottles that I use. Every batch I bottle I use one or two of those bottles so that I can check and see how they are carbing up. I've had a lot of people argue that I should just bottle in a plastic soda-pop bottle, but I don't drink that fizzy sugar stuff and I've had some well-meaning friends give me the green and clear glass bottles so I use 'em. And they are usually the first to get consumed so no worries on spoilage from light.

 

[jonny24]

I really like S. N. beers and I have bought enough that all my home brews are in S.N. bottles. I turned all the other bottles in for the 5 cent refund. P.S. I use a red wing capper but have no idea who made it. Never had a problem and it fits nicely in a drawer when not in use.

After reading the abbreviation "SNPA" so many times on here, I realized the other day that I've been referring to them as "Snappa bottles" in my head.

There's a brewery near my place that uses non standard bottles that the beer store won't take and they're not set up to wash and reuse yet, so I've been using those for the bulk of my bottle fleet.