they sell used uncreased bottle caps for glass bottles on ebay for a lot cheaper than new ones. so can you use these for bottling over and over if you don't crease them? guess it shouldn't make a difference if the cap hasn't been bent right?
can you reuse metal bottle caps if you don't crease/bend them?
- Thread starter lovebeer
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
Why on earth would you risk a batch of beer - which probably cost at least $40 (for extract), plus hours of time and lots of energy - to save literally pennies per batch on USED BOTTLE CAPS?
RICLARK
Well-Known Member
Its 7.00 where Im at for 250-300 NewCaps. It just isn't Worth it no matter how much the used caps are.
I get like 300 caps for about 3 bucks at my lhbs...Why would you want to risk ruining your beer to save a penny and a half?
blacklab
Well-Known Member
They are so cheap at my LHBS that they actually sell them by the pound. When you order a kit from AHS they give them to you free.
I've actually heard(on this forum) of a guy getting bad batches/no carb from using caps that were just too old and therefore would not seal properly.
Bottling with used caps seems insane in the membrane to me.
I've actually heard(on this forum) of a guy getting bad batches/no carb from using caps that were just too old and therefore would not seal properly.
Bottling with used caps seems insane in the membrane to me.
Funkenjaeger
Well-Known Member
Think of the amount of extra time it would take to carefully open bottles, and more importantly, teach all of your guests to do the same, so as not to bend the caps. How much is your time worth? Personally, since bottlecaps run in the neighborhood of a penny or two each, it REALLY does not seem worth it for the savings of a buck or less on a batch, especially given the increased risk of contamination from caps that have a dried film of beer on them which you need to make sure gets thoroughly cleaned in addition to sanitizing.
Also, think about it this way: how much does one bottle of your beer cost you? Probably somewhere between 40 cents and a buck... about the same as you save by reusing caps for an entire batch. If you lose ONE beer from a batch due to contamination from your old bottlecaps, it pretty much negates the 'cost savings' of reusing the caps. Is it worth that risk?
Also, think about it this way: how much does one bottle of your beer cost you? Probably somewhere between 40 cents and a buck... about the same as you save by reusing caps for an entire batch. If you lose ONE beer from a batch due to contamination from your old bottlecaps, it pretty much negates the 'cost savings' of reusing the caps. Is it worth that risk?
wow i didn't know they were that cheap. new ones are really expensive on ebay. like 200 can be up to $20, but the new ones they sell are all brand name caps. so many people sell used caps and say they can be used for brewing i just assumed u could. at least after soaking them in some star-san first. can someone give me a site where i can get caps that cheap? dont know where any brewing stores are around here.
blacklab
Well-Known Member
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/
http://www.northernbrewer.com/
3lbs of caps on AHB was like $10, check either one of these sites, I'm sure that NB is similiarly priced. I think the ones you see on ebay are some sort of specialty reproductions or something? All you need are cheapo gold caps. Some people like to use the oxygen absorbing kind, but I don't have any experience with them.
http://www.northernbrewer.com/
3lbs of caps on AHB was like $10, check either one of these sites, I'm sure that NB is similiarly priced. I think the ones you see on ebay are some sort of specialty reproductions or something? All you need are cheapo gold caps. Some people like to use the oxygen absorbing kind, but I don't have any experience with them.
You're telling me that there isn't a LHBS in the greater Providence area?
C'mon!
C'mon!
RICLARK
Well-Known Member
If your going to get some caps off Ebay try to find a deal like this one here.
http://cgi.ebay.com/4-000-LOT-FULL-...ryZ35693QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
But I still suggest getting them from LHBS.
http://cgi.ebay.com/4-000-LOT-FULL-...ryZ35693QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
But I still suggest getting them from LHBS.
RICLARK
Well-Known Member
lovebeer said:
The Moderators Know everything. Fear them!
bigjohnmilford
bigger than most
the_bird said:
+1 caps are so cheap
bigjohnmilford
bigger than most
lovebeer said:
Here's 3 that aren't far from you
http://www.hoppybrewer.com/
http://www.basementbrew-hah.com/
and
Blackstone Valley Brewing Supplies
407 Park Ave, Woonsocket, RI 02895-5339, United States
Phone: (401) 765-3830
happy caping
lovebeer said:
Haha... too funny!RICLARK said:
Similar threads
