Martinelli Bottles?

Does anybody use Martinelli cider bottles for beer? Can they be used?

It just struck me that these come with a standard cap under the foil, and they are pretty heavy bottles that withstand the cider pressure. I don't have any on hand right now, but my kids like the stuff and I'd do them a favor and buy them some just for the bottles.

I use them! They aren't as thick as champain bottles but are still thicker than beer bottles.

Plus their 25oz so just a tad more than a bomber. And if you get them durring the holidays at Sams they're like 3 for $5

I think my kids are getting a treat tonight, and for the next few weeks.

My only problem now is that I don't have anything to bottle

And be forewarned, I don't believe they will work with a hand capper. I think you need a bench capper.

Oh good call....I use a bench capper so I've got no idea if they'd work with a regular hand capper or not...

EDIT: I'm pretty sure they will....the very first thing I EVER brewed was a cider that I bottled in Martinelli bottles and all I had back then was a hand capper so....you should be good to go

Alamo_Beer said:

Oh good call....I use a bench capper so I've got no idea if they'd work with a regular hand capper or not...

EDIT: I'm pretty sure they will....the very first thing I EVER brewed was a cider that I bottled in Martinelli bottles and all I had back then was a hand capper so....you should be good to go

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Which capper did you have? I have the red plastic one and couldn't get a good seal on a martinelli bottle... 'course, it could've been the caps that was the problem... or that particular capper... or the bottle... who knows.

Regardless, test them out with your system before you bank on using them...

I was going to test it out anyway. If nothing else I'm only out the cost of the cider, and that won't go to waste. I have a black double handled capper, two of them in fact. One works easier than the other, but both do the job.

Sir Humpsalot said:

And be forewarned, I don't believe they will work with a hand capper. I think you need a bench capper.

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They can work, but I've got a BIG scar that says sometimes the don't. Now I have a bench capper and feel much safer. I love Martinelli's, and the nice big bottle is a nice bonus. I use them all the time.

Martinelli's bottles are awesome! I have a bunch that I use for hard cider when the apples come ripe. I don't use 'em so much for beer simply because (a) they're green, and therefore must be kept in the dark, and (b) 25 ounces is a LOT of beer!

I use a bench capper too. I think these bottles will throw a cap before they'll burst. They are truly hell-for-stout. I did an experimental plum wine in a gallon jug last year and bottled it off too early ...

Some wing cappers won't do Martinelli's because of the thick band of glass around the neck, just below where the cap sets. So, check to make sure your capper (you said two-handled -- wing, right?) will work on it.

Still it's an unbeatable value, especially if you catch 'em at a discount store for a buck-fifty a bottle. Since a case of champagne bottles will set you back $16, you're basically paying a whopping 17 CENTS for the cider inside. These put in a pretty regular appearance at my local Canned Foods Grocery Outlet ... look for 'em there.

I used the red standard one...

Check out ebay for bench cappers...mine is stamped 1920 and works like a dream...picked it up for something like $25 shipped too!

Has anyone tried making a Martinelli's-type drink by mixing some apple cider and force carbonating? Now that I've got a CO2 kit, I keep thinking of new ways to use it ...

bump in case someone is trying to use these bottles. The regular red wing capper will not work. I just tried it. The glass ring wont allow the capper to clamp down, sucks, guess i need a bench capper

I got a 12-pack of these bottles (empty) at a cafeteria and just bottled 2 gals of plum wine in them. Worked fine with standard hammer-on capper. What? I'm cheap and I don't do enough volume to make a real capper worth it! The point is I can't speak to any of the mechanized cappers but the hammer type worked just fine.

I use the plastic wing capper to cap these bottles. They work great for sours.

Does the black capper work? http://www.midwestsupplies.com/black-beauty-bottle-capper.html

I have recently been buying a bunch of Martinelli cider and am hoping I don't have to by a new capper.

Zippox said:

Does the black capper work? http://www.midwestsupplies.com/black-beauty-bottle-capper.html

I have recently been buying a bunch of Martinelli cider and am hoping I don't have to by a new capper.

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Good question. I would think so, but I've never used that capper. I know the red baron capper works well, but can sometimes scratch or chip the glass where it grabs onto the neck. If you reverse the plates so that the 29mm side is facing the glass, it works better, and doesn't chip the glass. I don't know if the black beauty capper has reversible plates or not.

the red wing capper does indeed work. You just need to flip the metal "neck grabber" pieces around. You'll need some pliers and elbow grease to get em out the first time! the other side should be marked 29.

I've used similar bottles for ciders.

I just tried capping with my black hand capper and it worked

andye said:

the red wing capper does indeed work. You just need to flip the metal "neck grabber" pieces around. You'll need some pliers and elbow grease to get em out the first time! the other side should be marked 29.

I've used similar bottles for ciders.

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So are we capping with the 29 clamps but original bell or are you using the Belgium bell? (Asking anyone since this is an old thread)

cannman said:

So are we capping with the 29 clamps but original bell or are you using the Belgium bell? (Asking anyone since this is an old thread)

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29mm grabbers/clamps with the standard 26mm bell.

JuanMoore said:

29mm grabbers/clamps with the standard 26mm bell.

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I tried this with both 29 and 26 bottle caps in the 29mm clamps and 26mm bell and it does not get a solid crimp...

cannman said:

I tried this with both 29 and 26 bottle caps in the 29mm clamps and 26mm bell and it does not get a solid crimp...

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Hmmmm. The 26mm caps with the 26mm bell have always worked fine for me on the Martinelli bottles. The only issue was the inside corners of the metal plates scratching the neck of the bottle when on the 26mm side, but that was solved by turning them around to the 29mm side. Does your set up work on standard bottles?

Finn said:

Has anyone tried making a Martinelli's-type drink by mixing some apple cider and force carbonating? Now that I've got a CO2 kit, I keep thinking of new ways to use it ...

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Yup - for a dry wedding reception. People loved it and it didn't go south to kombucha or north to real cider. I pressed 15 gallons of apples, pasteurized it (~5 minutes at 180F), and then chilled it with a copper coiled heat exchanger (easy to make). After that, it went into sanitized corny kegs. Because of the high sugar content, I bought cony keg lids equipped with carbonating stones. I applied increased CO2 daily (as in every day up the pressure in the keg) up to about 50 psi and a temp of about 34 F. End product was way over carbonated and needed to burp the kegs a bunch before reception. Put all three kegs in a Brute trash can and filled with ice to the top. Dispensed at about 8 psi. The drink was in the kegs for a month and a half before the reception. Next time I'm thinking of adding acid blend and maybe diluting with water because way too sweet for my pallet.