Possible broken glass in bottles (advice please)

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DaveGerard

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Bottling up 5 gals of a honey brown ale kit from Nothern Brewer (smelled real good, nice color, etc). Using the hand capper, put the first bottle on the kitchen counter, capped it, squeezed the capper, and just obliterated it. Glass and beer everywhere. I can't be sure that some glass didn't get into the other 48 bottles that were uncapped and on the floor waiting to go, so I am not sure if I should just chuck the whole batch (everything is now capped, and I am obviosuly reluctant to get rid of 2 cases of what looks like really good beer), or just strain the bottles when I pour them for drinking. Thoughts?
 
The glass will fall to the bottom of the bottle. Just remember to pour slow and look in glass before u drink. I also suggest a bottle tree, this keeps bottles up side down and free of bugs, debree and flying glass.

Jay
 
Thanks, the bottle tree wouldn't have worked this time because the bottles were all full of beer, but I am investing in a bench top capper that I think would have prevented this.
 
One thing I've always done when I bottle is to fill a few bottles and put the sanitized cap on top while I fill the rest and then cap them a dozen or so at a time. This keeps stuff out of the beer you've bottled, and allows the co2 to fill the headspace until you close the cap.

It's too late now, but next time, don't fill all your bottles and then cap them all. At least put the cap over the bottle until you use the capper.
 
YooperBrew said:
One thing I've always done when I bottle is to fill a few bottles and put the sanitized cap on top while I fill the rest and then cap them a dozen or so at a time. This keeps stuff out of the beer you've bottled, and allows the co2 to fill the headspace until you close the cap.

It's too late now, but next time, don't fill all your bottles and then cap them all. At least put the cap over the bottle until you use the capper.

Ditto - I do the same as Yoop does. If you plan to bottle for awhile a bench capper isn't a bad idea.

One question... Where you using twist offs? - They are prone to this problem.


If you keep the beer, I'd strain it in a fine mesh strainer. I would try the gold colored reusable coffee filters, they are conical in shape. Drop one in your mug and pour away. You should have a good head after this!!!

I'd also keep this as my private stash just because of the risk involved.

The whole thing sucks though! Be carefull not to forget to strain after you have 3 or 4.
 
That sux dude. I believe I'd just use a fine mesh strainer. That and toss that wing capper in the garbage.
 
If you are really worried about it, You should go to a hardware store and buy a bunch of paint strainers the paper ones with the screen in the bottom, and set one in your mug and pour slowly theose should filter all small particles of glass out, Also when you are filling your bottles try placing paper towell over them as they sit.
 
Good ideas all, yes, I am definitely straining every beer, and yes, this is private reserve only. I am definitely going to be bottling, no room/$ for a keg setup, but I am sure as hell ditching the wing capper for a bench top.

And not only was it a twist off (which hasn't been a problem for me), but it was a michelob lite bottle, which has a different slope to the neck than a standard bottle. It was late and I was tired and not really paying attention to that, and it only took a slight squeeze before the thing popped like a balloon.
 
DaveGerard said:
Good ideas all, yes, I am definitely straining every beer, and yes, this is private reserve only. I am definitely going to be bottling, no room/$ for a keg setup, but I am sure as hell ditching the wing capper for a bench top.

And not only was it a twist off (which hasn't been a problem for me), but it was a michelob lite bottle, which has a different slope to the neck than a standard bottle. It was late and I was tired and not really paying attention to that, and it only took a slight squeeze before the thing popped like a balloon.

I have had no issues with my wing capper, But one night I popped a top off one of my bottles and the neck shattered in my hand, So it could of been a weak bottle.
 
I've had a similar situation happen to me when I was capping with a wing capper. I was just capping away just as I normally would and all of a sudden out of the blue I went to cap another bottle and with the final little pull down on the wing-thingies the top of the neck of my bottle just about disintergrated and I was left with a crown and a the top of my bottle in the capper and little shards of glass everywhere. Luckily for me the way I bottle prevented me from ruining any other beers, but I was still annoyed enough that I'd wasted one - I'd hate to think that I may have stuffed up a whole batch, I feel for ya.

I think it was due to improper technique when I was trying to sterilise the bottles the batch before by heating them up in the oven. I'm pretty sure that I didn't let the bottles cool down slowly enough, due to it being winter, and so it weakened the bottles :cross:. I'm even more sure of this, cos the same thing happened to me again a few bottles after the first one.
 
I set the caps on each bottle as I go as well. This allows co2 to push any o2 out. I wait to cap until I have cleaned up..I then cap them all. I have gone through many types of cappers..But the best is an old bench capper that was my grandpas..All wood and steel..caps the best!!! It is very old but works better than any capper they sell now.

Jay
 
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