Why Aren't My Flip-tops Working?

I bought a dozen flip top pints from the LHBS, and when I opened the first few, they were flat. I went back to the LHBS to ask them if they had any ideas, and since the other bottles I used (re-used Grolsch flip tops) for the same batch were good, they gave me some carb tabs and some new gaskets. I put in the new gaskets and added 2 carb tabs per bottle, and I just opened two of these and they are still flat!

There is sediment on the bottom, so I think the gaskets are still leaking. The last thing I think I'm gonna try is to make my own gaskets from some silicone gasket material from work.

Any other ideas or things that I missed? Why are these bottles still leaking?

Made in China, badly, I'd guess. The wire has to be formed correctly to work correctly.

I gave away nearly all of my flip-tops - crown caps are much easier and more reliable, given a good bench capper.

D'oh! That's the last thing I wanted to hear.

I don't really want to spend the money on replacing these bottles if there's anything I can do to fix them...do you think I could re-form the wires to seal more tightly?

Maybe to test their seal add more sugar and then place them in a plastic ziplock bag with almost no air in it. If the bag inflates you know the seal is bad.

Kungpaodog said:

do you think I could re-form the wires to seal more tightly?

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To quote Henry Ford - "Whether you think you can or think you can't, you are usually right." That's a bit deeper than it might seem at first. In any case, it's not what I think that matters...

Grab a pair (or two) of pliers and have at it.

Ecnerwal said:

given a good bench capper.

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Dude...You said a mouthful there!

I would bet that a wing style capper has sold more kegs than any salesman out there.

Kungpaodog said:

Any other ideas or things that I missed? Why are these bottles still leaking?

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The quick fix.... pour a small quantity of vegetable oil in a dish, and dip your finger in the oil, rub your finger tip around the lip of the bottletop, then seal the lid down. If you are putting the beers down for aging, it keeps the gaskets from drying out, but it sounds like your new ones need the lube now. It's such a miniscule amount of oil, it won't affect the beer when it is poured.

I learned this from an old timer, I guess the gaskets weren't so good back in the day. I keg now, but when I started all I used were Grolsch bottles, and this always worked for me!

On one of my bottles I think I had to double up on gaskets to get a tight enough seal... It might work if they're really loose.

You could add priming sugar (and maybe a pinch of yeast) to one bottle that seems to be a problem. Stick a balloon over the neck, and keep in a warm place. If the ballon inflates a little, you know you're leaking. Of course, we assume you are. I use Grolsch bottles, and have never had a problem. Those wires hold the cap on TIGHT though. Maybe see if your caps are a little loose.

My Dad and my FIL, both use flip top's with no problems, however they do need some maintenance. Try replacing the gasket, and also take the lever assembly of and bend it so that it takes more force to close the bottle, giving you a better seal.

***EDIT*** I re-read the post and saw that you replaced the gaskets already.

I've never thought the flip tops at LHBS are really worth it - they seem to cost as much as the Grolsch bottles, which come under pressure, so you know they work, and come full of beer, which you can drink.

I just scored on 27 Grolsch bottle which appear to be only once used. My source says they have several more to come soon. I haven't tried to use them yet, but was curious to know how long the gaskets might hold up for use. Should they be lubed up as noted earlier (above post) or can I just clean and sanitize them prior to bottling? What is the long term storing capacity of a Grolsch bottle?

Any feedback is appreciated.

Salute!

Kungpaodog said:

Any other ideas or things that I missed? Why are these bottles still leaking?

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How long are you waiting before checking to see if they are carbed???

bmckee56 said:

I just scored on 27 Grolsch bottle which appear to be only once used. My source says they have several more to come soon. I haven't tried to use them yet, but was curious to know how long the gaskets might hold up for use. Should they be lubed up as noted earlier (above post) or can I just clean and sanitize them prior to bottling? What is the long term storing capacity of a Grolsch bottle?

Any feedback is appreciated.

Salute!

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I don't use that many, but I have 8 of them that I've been using with the original seals for about 3 years. I've never lubed them up. I hear that they do last longer if you flip them each time.

bmckee56 said:

...curious to know how long the gaskets might hold up for use. Should they be lubed up as noted earlier (above post) or can I just clean and sanitize them prior to bottling? What is the long term storing capacity of a Grolsch bottle?

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You can use the gaskets until they deteriorate - examine before re-use. You need at least 2-3 uses to compete cost-wise with capping.

I've never done anything other than clean/sanitize, and replace when cracked/damaged.

As for length of time, I've got some mead bottled with them which I've drunk at 10 years after bottling, and one I haven't yet opened that's 12 years on - for those, it's a one-use deal, as the rubber has pretty much fused to the bottle and breaks when the bottle is opened, but if left alone they seem to stay sealed.

I was talking to somebody at the last club meeting and he described the same problem your having, the beer he bottled in the brand new flip top bottles did not carb. As others above have said, its got to be the bottles, specifically the clamping mechanism.

BigKahuna said:

Dude...You said a mouthful there!

I would bet that a wing style capper has sold more kegs than any salesman out there.

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i bet thats true ! out of the hundereds gallons of brew i have made over the years.
i have only bottled mabe 10 batches ,, by the second time i f-ing hated it and started buying kegging equpment , now i have 20+ kegs, a two tower 4 tap kegerrator and have not picked up my wing capper in 5+years.

but it would be nice to have some botteld beer to ship or travle light with
i may have to try a bench capper

BTW jcb317 do that balloon thing yooper sujested its a good idea , are you sure your yeast arnt just petered out ? to bad you did not get a gravity reading if its the same as after the addition of the priming suger you know what the problem was , and you can easly have some sedimnt after 2 weeks and no fermentaion ,,, even on some of my super bright meads , i will get a tiny bit of sediment on the bottom of the bottle after an exstended stay in a secondry.

if your gaskets are leaking try applying a super think cote of this stuff
Keg Lube (Petro-Gel) For Keg O-Rings (Beer Brewing / Beer Kegs & Kegging)
i use it on my kegs and it keeps everything air tite and food safe.

I thought it was just me too. Grolsch worked 100%, but the store bought flippers were about 98% not carbing. I stopped using them too. Mine were brand new along with the wires, caps and gaskets.

It's not you, it's the bottles.

Revvy- I waited 2 weeks to see if they were carbed.

I think I'm gonna custom-make some new gaskets with a thicker material and see if that works.

As far as Grolsch bottles go, I'd be buying them and using those, but there seems to be a distribution problem around here. About a month ago I bought every last one I could find within a 30 mile radius, and I haven't seen any more yet. The guy at my local liquor store told me there was a problem with the local distributor, and that they should have had more Grolsch in about a week ago. I haven't seen any yet!

bmckee56 said:

I just scored on 27 Grolsch bottle which appear to be only once used. My source says they have several more to come soon. I haven't tried to use them yet, but was curious to know how long the gaskets might hold up for use. Should they be lubed up as noted earlier (above post) or can I just clean and sanitize them prior to bottling? What is the long term storing capacity of a Grolsch bottle?

Any feedback is appreciated.

Salute!

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I have about 7 cases of flippies.

After I empty a bottle I will remove the gasket and wash them. Once dried I place them in a plastic bag until I need to use them.

With the gasket removed from the bottle the cover can be closed without any pressure on the gaskets or wire locks.

Kungpaodog said:

Revvy- I waited 2 weeks to see if they were carbed.

I think I'm gonna custom-make some new gaskets with a thicker material and see if that works.

As far as Grolsch bottles go, I'd be buying them and using those, but there seems to be a distribution problem around here. About a month ago I bought every last one I could find within a 30 mile radius, and I haven't seen any more yet. The guy at my local liquor store told me there was a problem with the local distributor, and that they should have had more Grolsch in about a week ago. I haven't seen any yet!

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I had the same problem. I tried them twice and they still didn't carb..Brand spanking new from my LHBS. I was so friggin pissed. That was the last straw with bottling. I went to kegs and never looked back..

I did one batch with flips.. That was the last.. Had the same problem with new bottles..

Either cap, or keg is my advice..

Thanks to all who responded on the Grolsch Bottles. I have removed the gasket, washed them and vacuum sealed them for future useage. I only have one homebrew completed at this time and I kegged that one. I will be bottling a few to take along with me to friends and family functions.

I can see myself becoming addicted to this hobby as I have been to wine making.

Salute!

My mom found three cases of used Grolsh bottles at a garage sale many years back and bought them for me (for $3). I use the bajeebers out of them and have never had a problem. I bought a pack of 100 new seals at my LHBS and replace the ones that start looking cracked. Much easier than capping IMO and even though I keg - I alway bottle about 6 flip tops so I can check the conditioning and know when to refridgerate the keg, and also to keep a few back to longer aging testing.

Those aftermarket flip top bottles are the problem. Buy some Grolsh - pretty good beer AND you get to re-use the bottles (plus - the glass is thicker to help protect against bottle bombs).

Dan

My dad had the same frustrations with the flip tops. He found that actual grolsch bottles work great, but the ones that he bought at LHBS wouldn't hold pressure. He tried bending the wire, using two gaskets, and he finally found it: The plastic cap has a little raised seam where the mold came together. He started filing those off, and now they seal.

I had the same problem with mine and also had to file the seams.They work great now.

Thanks guys! I just checked, and my caps have the seams. Time to get out the file.

My caps are ceramic, is it the same deal with them? Anyone want to buy them, I have 24, used only once and cleaned thoroughly.

Ceramic caps are the good ones. Those are the ones I referred to as the actual grolsch bottles. They actually work pretty reliably.

Coastarine said:

Ceramic caps are the good ones. Those are the ones I referred to as the actual grolsch bottles. They actually work pretty reliably.

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These are not Grolsch - I have some of those. They are store bought new flippies with ceramic caps and they did not carbonate. I think I had 1 or 2 out of 24 that carbonated.

Ugh, never mind. That sucks. You might try some of the other things I mentioned. I had high hopes for using two gaskets.

Slipgate said:

These are not Grolsch - I have some of those. They are store bought new flippies with ceramic caps and they did not carbonate. I think I had 1 or 2 out of 24 that carbonated.

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Are the bottles EZ-Caps brand? I have a ****load of those, and my beer has been slightly lower carbonated than I would hope. They are under pressure and holding carbonation, but not as carbonated as I'd like... Hoping that it's not the bottles. Maybe I just need a tad more priming sugar.

Mike

My bet would be that it is the bottles. I just opened two more of the store bought flippies, and one was pretty well carbed, and the other was flat. We got two OK glasses by mixing them half-and-half in mugs, so we both got semi-flat beer.

I made some home-made gaskets out of thicker silicone, and they seem to hold pressure. I tested them with baking soda and vinegar, and they don't seem to leak (tested in a plastic bag), and they give a good "pop" when I opened them. I think I'm also going to try bending some of the wires that seem suspect, since some need more force to close than others. Wish me luck on my next bottling!

Kungpaodog said:

My bet would be that it is the bottles. I just opened two more of the store bought flippies, and one was pretty well carbed, and the other was flat. We got two OK glasses by mixing them half-and-half in mugs, so we both got semi-flat beer.

I made some home-made gaskets out of thicker silicone, and they seem to hold pressure. I tested them with baking soda and vinegar, and they don't seem to leak (tested in a plastic bag), and they give a good "pop" when I opened them. I think I'm also going to try bending some of the wires that seem suspect, since some need more force to close than others. Wish me luck on my next bottling!

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+1 - that was exactly my thoughts, bend the wires for a tighter fit. The tops are pretty loose, MUCH looser that Grolsch. They are VERY poorly designed. I am not going to mess with them at all, I will get rid of them, if no one wants them, they will be trashed. Life is too short.