Growler cap "torquing"?

ebj5883 · 09-19-2011, 12:27 PM

So I toured a local brewery just recently, and because I've had issues with my growlers keeping carbonation, I asked the tour guide after the tour how they fill growlers. I guess I did everything right by running a line to the bottom of the growler and capping on foam, but another thing he mentioned was having the right torque on the cap. Stupid me didn't ask how they did that lol, but anyways I'll ask here I guess. How is torquing a growler cap achieved?

wetzie · 09-19-2011, 05:39 PM

Just taking a guess here but the carbonation is leaking from somewhare. It could be an old washer that needs to be replaced as it may be too pourous. As far as torque goes if the metal ring is bent out of shape it will not apply the propoer pressure on the washer.
You could get a slightly thicker washer or bend the metal clamp for a tighter fit. Be careful with the metal not cracking the glass though.

**TopherM** · 09-19-2011, 07:12 PM

I don't think the OP is talking about a Grohlsch style bottle, I think he is talking about a normal growler with just a screw on cap.

First, note that these types of growlers are generally not designed to hold carbonation for more than a couple days either way.

Second, look at the cap, and there is a thin rubber seal that will seat with the lip of the glass on the top of the growler. I would assume that it works just like the seal on a bulkhead fitting works - if it isn't tight enough, it leaks, and if it is too tight, it leaks. You have to find the correct tightness (twist it with the correct torque), to properly seat the seal without compressing the rubber too much.

I think you just need to do some trial and error. Just remember that no matter what, a growler is meant for short term storage, not long term.

Just as importantly, remember that when you FILL the growler, add a piece of tubing to your tap and fill from the BOTTOM UP. If you introduce too much disturbance into the solution when you are filling it, you are losing lots of the CO2 that's in solution right there. The disturbed CO2 comes out of the solution and creates foam. Even if you seal on top of the foam, the CO2 is now out of the solution and will disipate out of the growler everytime you open it. The more CO2 you can keep in the solution by filling it with minimal disturbance, the more is going to stay in the solution even if the top has a slow leak.

You need to fill from the bottom up, not from the top of the growler.

ebj5883 · 09-22-2011, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TopherM

I don't think the OP is talking about a Grohlsch style bottle, I think he is talking about a normal growler with just a screw on cap.

First, note that these types of growlers are generally not designed to hold carbonation for more than a couple days either way.

Second, look at the cap, and there is a thin rubber seal that will seat with the lip of the glass on the top of the growler. I would assume that it works just like the seal on a bulkhead fitting works - if it isn't tight enough, it leaks, and if it is too tight, it leaks. You have to find the correct tightness (twist it with the correct torque), to properly seat the seal without compressing the rubber too much.

I think you just need to do some trial and error. Just remember that no matter what, a growler is meant for short term storage, not long term.

Just as importantly, remember that when you FILL the growler, add a piece of tubing to your tap and fill from the BOTTOM UP. If you introduce too much disturbance into the solution when you are filling it, you are losing lots of the CO2 that's in solution right there. The disturbed CO2 comes out of the solution and creates foam. Even if you seal on top of the foam, the CO2 is now out of the solution and will disipate out of the growler everytime you open it. The more CO2 you can keep in the solution by filling it with minimal disturbance, the more is going to stay in the solution even if the top has a slow leak.

You need to fill from the bottom up, not from the top of the growler.

Yeah I neglected to include the details on how I was trying this, sorry

Anyways, I would run a line into the growler with enough length to make about a half circle around the bottom of the growler, then run a low serving pressure to fill the growler to the top. It won't hold carbonation for 20 minutes. My only goal in this is to bring homebrew to my Tuesday night poker games, I have kegs for long term storage

**TopherM** · 09-22-2011, 05:00 PM

Maybe you have a bum cap. I have a whole growler collection, and take them all over the place, and mine hold carbination fine. I've never really figured out how long the carbonation lasts, because the beer is usually gone pretty quickly, but at least a few days.

I've never used them personally, but do a search for FIZZ GIZ GROWLER CAPS. These are growler caps that have a hookup for the paintball sized CO2 cartridges to give your growler beer a CO2 boost when it starts fizzing out.