bruno24

Recipes 

My 1st batch finally is fermenting (49 hours later) and now I am gearing up for the bottling process. What is your preference for bottling capped or flip top bottles?

gigantor

Recipes 

caps, a lot cheaper

Revvy

Recipes 

Our preference really doesn't matter, it's really only YOUR preference that matters. I mean, they both work. Some folks like flip tops, some don't, and some like crowns. It really just comes down to what you want to use.

I've used them both and have no preference. I have a lot more crown bottles than fliptops, they are a lot cheaper (usually free).

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whitebirdfeathers

Recipes 

I use flip-tops because they have so much more style. The one downside though is that you can't paste a label onto a Grolsch bottle due to the raised design.

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TANSTAAFB

Recipes 

Flip top are way easier to bottle with and much cooler. Crowns are cheaper, more of a PITA (but not much), but you get more bottles of beer (15 oz vs 12 oz) so you tend not to drink it all quite so fast. Really your choice. I usually do a few flip tops, more 12 oz, and a couple of 22oz bombers to stash in a closet and save.

Check out Revvy's bottling advice...lots of great pointers. I actually enjoy bottling, kinda meditative!

gratus fermentatio

Recipes 

I'm a fliptop fan, but I started with crown caps & a wing capper; I still use crowns for bottling samplers, but most everything else goes into fliptops. They cost more initially, but they save so much time, for me, it's worth it. And they do add a bit of "old world charm" to a brew. Regards, GF.

str8wire

Recipes 

If you're interested in flip-tops, look around town for a place that serves Grolsch. I go to a burger joint that saves the flip-top bottles and sells them to me for $0.50 each.
One disadvantage (possibly) to Grolsch bottles is that they are green. Some might say it is more likely to get light-skunked beer with green bottles. While I've found this to be true with commercial beer, I've never had a problem with my homebrew.

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maddprofessor

Recipes 

I've never tried caps but I like my flip-tops. I bought a couple cases of them from my LHBS and use it as an excuse to try new beers if they come in a flip-top bottle. I've got some from some French soda too that I use.

I've not made beer yet but have bottled several batches of cider. I like that I can check the carbonation level on a bottle by just releasing the top a little and reseal it if there's no hiss. Also with my 10% ABV cider/applewine sometimes I just want to drink half a bottle and put the rest back in the fridge till another day and the swing-tops are good for that.

DeepSouthGal

Recipes 

I use both. If you use flip tops be sure to mark how many times you use the rubber ring that seals the bottle. When I first started I didn't keep track (bad practice, I know!) and had a few flat bottles in my batch. On a side note, I label them (they usually aren't around long enough to bother, ha ha) using the white, round, "yard sale" stickers. I just write the brew type and stick them on the top!

Hannable1975

Recipes 

I use both. I like the variety - some small SNPA , some regular longnecks, and then the flippers - in 16 oz and 22 0z. As a matter of fact I scored 2 box full of Fischers and Grolsch bottles this week on craigslist for about $0.40 each ...

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