Flip-Top Bottles: Yea or Nay?

Hi folks. New to this forum (much more familiar with the beer side) and had a couple of questions.

I'm looking to try my had at wine making. I figure that I've already got most of the equipment I'll need with the exception of the bottling/corking side. Now I suppose I could just bottle my wine in 12 oz bottles and use crown caps, but that doesn't seem right. So I guess I'm going to need wine bottles and corks and a corker.

It looks like it will cost me roughly the same to buy (30) - 750ml bottles plus corks and corker as it would to by (36) - 1L Flip top style bottles.

So my question(s) are ... Aside from aesthetics, is there any reason NOT to use the flip-tops? Do they hold up as well as corked bottles? (I see corks/screw caps claiming to be good for up to 5 years). Are screw tops better than corks?

Any bottling recommendations at all would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Flippies would be great for still or flat wines.

I think highy carbonated wine pressures may break the thinner glass.

Let's see what other people think.

homebrewer_99 said:

I think highy carbonated wine pressures may break the thinner glass.

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I've only got 12 but they are REALLY thick, thicker than any other bottles I've got. Seems they would hold quite a bit of pressure...

At least the ones I've got.

I think 1L flip tops would be pretty cool for wine. Make a nice simple lable and you'd be good to go.

Good Luck!

Well, corks are traditional. So you definitely have the snobbishness factor there. I have bottled my "hooch" wines (the Welch's Concord) in Grolsch bottles. Since I drink them early, it works out great. I think if you were aging wines, a cork is probably best as it allows the wine to breath a bit without oxidizing. For early drinking wines, a beer bottle and cap or flip top is probably perfect. If your wine is carbonated at all, a cork should NOT be used- it'll blow for sure. For carbonated wines, a flip top or cap is mandatory (unless you're using champagne corks and cages).

I think screw tops are iffy- they may work ok, but you're taking a chance.

I agree with Yooper Chick and don't use the screw tops! They tend to leak. Flip tops are great for smaller personal drinking and hold a bit of pressure. If you are not use to carbing wines however I wouldn't go with the flip tops. Most beers will range between 14 to 20 psi. Sparkling wines and Champagne can range up to almost 40 psi. I made a couple bottles of carbed mead that would almost take your finger off years ago. Aging is better with a cork!

Thanks for all the tips folks. It turns out that I didn't really have to worry about the decision. Seems that SWMBO has very strong views on this. Something about the satisfaction of pulling the cork and hearing that "pop". Apparently there was never really a choice, I just didn't know it.

madscutter said:

Thanks for all the tips folks. It turns out that I didn't really have to worry about the decision. Seems that SWMBO has very strong views on this. Something about the satisfaction of pulling the cork and hearing that "pop". Apparently there was never really a choice, I just didn't know it.

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Try my apple juice wine receipe under the wine section. I don't have time to even let it age. The wife keeps wanting me to make it. I will add a cinnamon stick closer to fall and add cinnamon and some cloves for the Christmas batches. It is great warm also.

Thanks, I'll be sure to try your Apple Wine. Looks like a good recipe.