Swing tops, plastic gaskit, no carbonation?

[Canuck137]

Ok, soooo, I just did a cardamon brown ale. Actually pretty happy with it, except, many of the bottles did not seem to carbonate up.

I use mostly swing tops. I purchased these swing tops filled with a German beer (not Grolsch) they worked fine for my previous first three beer brews. Now the beer bottles in these specific bottles are flat.

I have a few other swing top growlers I got from a local brewery here in Ottawa. They are fine, so it cant be the plastic gaskets, as they are the same gaskets. I have a few plastic bottles simply "capped" with a simple plastic cap. They are fine, so it cant be the priming sugar amount.

I just don't understand why these specific swing tops crapped out on me after only 3 uses. Visually they look fine and look tightly sealed... I guess they will be out of rotation, that's about 50% of my bottles. EUGH!

This pain has made me think I will start capping. I guess I have answered myself in this thread as I believe for some reason these bottles are inferior. If anyone has a suggestion or thought please let me know. Thanks and cheers.

EDIT: For the record the guy at the home brew store did recommend to replace the gaskets after every batch. Some research did leave me to believe I could easily get 7-8 minimum batches out of the gaskets, . I removed the gaskets and let them sit for several days, also put them back on the bottles in reverse to allow for a possibly better seal. Maybe I should just replace the gaskets after every 2 batches? Anyway just frustrated.

 

[IslandLizard]

Sorry to hear, you could try to recarbonate.

Take a look at the gasket, if there's a strong indentation odds are they won't seal right. I always flip them over each batch and that seems to work fine. Heck, I put Saison in some used Grolsch bottles with many year old original seals, and the pop at opening was reminiscent of a Champagne bottle, quite scary.

Also inspect the rim, it should be smooth and even, without a mould line.

 

[Leithoa]

Many have had that experience. Swing-tops a bit finicky. Some common suggestions are:
- Don't store them clamped shut
- Wipe the bottle mouth and gasket prior to sanitizing to remove anything tha would
interfere w/ the sea.
- Don't store the gasket on the stopper
- Flip the gasket over every time you bottle so you aren't using the same side twice in a row.

I've started flipping them every batch and storing them off the stopper and haven't had any issues. I also don't use them for long term storage (+2 mo) just to be safe.

 

[Canuck137]

I found another thread where someone is saying they get 50 uses out of a gasket before they replace it lol.

I actually have an extra large Grolsch bottle that has a permanent non-removable gasket on it. I clean it well and it is working fine.

Seems weird that they worked for 2 batches perfectly and then crapped out.

 

[dand]

Many have had that experience. Swing-tops a bit finicky. Some common suggestions are:
- Don't store them clamped shut
- Wipe the bottle mouth and gasket prior to sanitizing to remove anything tha would
interfere w/ the sea.
- Don't store the gasket on the stopper
- Flip the gasket over every time you bottle so you aren't using the same side twice in a row.

I've started flipping them every batch and storing them off the stopper and haven't had any issues. I also don't use them for long term storage (+2 mo) just to be safe.

I would say this is the best advice. I always store them open and not clamped so that the rubber can spring back. If it's always clamped down it's always compressed and the longer it is compressed the less likely it is to spring back to shape.

 

[Canuck137]

Is it possible for certain bottles to take longer to "carbonate up" than others? Just curious if I wait another week if those specific bottles, for some other reason, take longer to "carbonate up."

 

[Rootski]

Some swing tops have a ceramic stopper and most of the modern ones have plastic. Sometimes the plastic stopper can develop a crack or a dimple and not seal properly between the stopper and the gasket. A ceramic stopper could be broken as well. I only use plastic gaskets (not rubber) that are shaped to fit the stoppers, so they don't like to be flipped over.

 

[Canuck137]

Maybe flipping them over actually was a mistake lol.

All this seems to point to the fact that I will move to capping my next batch probably, at least taking those specific swing tops out of rotation anyway. Although I'm sure that comes with its own bumps as well.

Thanks for the info everyone.