Champagne Bottles

I just bottled a batch of pale ale and I wanted to try using a Korbel bottle as a mass storage vessel, so to speak.

However, I have noticed that the bottle is developing a head of foam inside the bottle -- and a pretty significant one at that.

I was using a wing capper and regular caps, and I noticed that the tip of the bottle had a small chip in it, but I deemed it to be alright for bottling.

I guess my question is this: is it normal for the bottle to develop a head of foam like this? In my experience it isn't, but I could be wrong. If there is a leak, what course of action should I take? Have you guys used these bottles with success?

Any info would be great, thanks.

MT

my 12oz bottles never form a head like that.

any time I've used wine bottles, I cork them...and its mead not beer.

I'm not sure you go them sealed. a bench capper probably would, but wing cappers get finicky if the bottle isn't perfect. there's plenty of beer bottle brands that don't wing cap well at all.

put a balloon or condom over the top and use a zip-tie or something to seal it. if it inflates, you have a leaky cap/seal.

If foam is forming, you have a leak.

malkore said:

put a balloon or condom over the top and use a zip-tie or something to seal it. if it inflates, you have a leaky cap/seal.

Click to expand...

Do you recommend ribbed, studded or plain?

ribbed, for SWMBO's pleasure

They make ribbed balloons??

How did you cap a champagne bottle?

PseudoChef said:

How did you cap a champagne bottle?

Click to expand...

Good question! My wing capper will not cap champagne bottles, the bell needs to be larger to work.

See this web page...


http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=5254

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=5255