why can't we use twist off bottles?

deranged_hermit · Mar 3, 2006

hey all... my roommate has made this supposed mistake twice now. we're trying to up our bottle count, and i've always understood that the only bottles we can use are the standard 'pop-top' bottles. not the twist offs that the big breweries use. he just went to buy some beer, and got some JWD Amber Lager (twist-off top). not knowing until too late, i decided to see if we could reclose it with an unused cap. using our big italian benchcapper... it appears at first glance that it capped it with no problems. it even has the diagonal grooves where the twists are.

what are the problems that people have faced to have this preconceived notion that twist-off bottles are a no-no. does the carbonation process cause too much pressure for the cap to hold? does it leak after long periods of time? any input would be appreciated, thanks!

Lounge Lizard · Mar 3, 2006

I don't think there is a problem, since you have a bench capper. That's what it takes to cap twist-offs. A lot of guys (and gals) just don't have one...

Igorstien · Mar 3, 2006

Before I collected all of my pop-top bottles I used the twisted off type. Normally in a batch I would lose 1 or 2 due to a bad seal. Not to bad of a ratio from 60 or so. A lot of people here will say "DON'T DO IT", Why there not "ALL" crazy, I believe everone feels more sercure with the pop-top type.

Also, just as an add on, one of the guys here at the office, goes down to the bottle return and ask to go through the bottles there. He finds Grolsh, and quart bottles that have not been returned back to the manufactures and they charge him 20-25 cents per bottles depending on the type..........You may want to give this a try as well.

IGOR

Mr_Turtlehead · Mar 3, 2006

Not to start another debate here...but the glass at the threads is thin and can chip and crack under pressure of the capper and metal cap. Many people have done it without ill effect. I just don't take the chance. Besides, I've heard that using this type of bottle causes alzheimer's

cowain · Mar 3, 2006

I have an Italian bench capper as well. It is not what you need to cap those things. The require a special capper and a special cap. The Italian capper will do a decent job capping, but you'll lose a certain amount of the beer to bad seals - possibly all of them. I'm not gambling on it, so I won't use them.

Go to http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_356_62&products_id=992 and buy 5 cases. That way the shipping will be free and for 69.95 you'll have 120 bottles. Just kidding.

david_42 · Mar 3, 2006

Twist-offs are just a little harder to seal. As far as breakage, non-twist-offs are less likely to break. They still do.

bitsmith2k · Mar 3, 2006

i had to use a case of twist off for my second batch.. my roomate broke two necks capping, any ive broke about 5 tops off uncapping.. we've since stocked up on grolsh bottles.. much easier..

Lou · Mar 3, 2006

bitsmith2k said:
i had to use a case of twist off for my second batch.. my roomate broke two necks capping, any ive broke about 5 tops off uncapping.. we've since stocked up on grolsh bottles.. much easier..

holy crap....are you "uncapping" by smashing the top of the bottle on a cinderblock?

xpoc454 · Mar 3, 2006

I was wondering the same thing .

Jim Karr · Mar 3, 2006

Every batch I've brewed, I've used one or two of the twist-off bottles. I wanted to test and see just what happened.

I have yet to see one fail, and one batch is seriously over-carbonated. No failures yet!

Boston · Mar 3, 2006

I won't buy commercial beer in a twist bottle. Well, except for Sierra Nevada, which I would buy even if it came in a plastic ****** bottle with flowers & rainbows embossed on it.

Jeff

sheephrdr · Mar 3, 2006

here in Canada it is very hard to find affordable beer with non twist tops, mostly imports are pop tops, I wish I had saved all those smithwicks bottles I drank in the past.

Pilsner Pete · Mar 3, 2006

deranged_hermit said:
and got some JWD Amber Lager (twist-off top).

Must be a common disease (or stuff on sale) as I also just bought some JWD... Honey Lager...to have something and for the bottles. Examined the necks as best as you can through the handle openings in the cardboard carrier (people look at you funny if you do this for too long) and they looked like poptops. Anyway, screwoffs.

I'm low on bottles and am bottling this weekend. I did the same tests of recapping and checked them the next day. Everything seemed OK...at least for one day. Unless I come up with more good ones tomorrow, I might end up using 10 screwtops in the batch.

Noticed the Guinness mini-kegs (1.3L) for $19.99 - - tempting use the mini-kegs instead of bottles plus you get the brew (vs buying the $9 empty ones). It came with a handpump too.

Spoonta · Mar 4, 2006

Mate I use **** loades of twist top no wuken fures :tank:

wee stu · Mar 4, 2006

Spoonta said:
Mate I use **** loades of twist top no wuken fures

Maybe our Ozzie screw top bottles are made of sterner stuff

Seriously, a decent bench capper, like a super automica, will seal twistie bottles no worries. Hand held cappers are a different story all together.

Drunk Monkey · Mar 6, 2006

I have successfully capped twist offs with a hand held capper. I haven't done a lot, maybe 20 total, but no problem so far.

sudsmonkey · Mar 6, 2006

BOSTONBREWIN' said:
I won't buy commercial beer in a twist bottle. Well, except for Sierra Nevada, which I would buy even if it came in a plastic ****** bottle with flowers & rainbows embossed on it.
Jeff[/quote

That's a hell of an accolade for Sierra Nevada ! Don't be surprised if their advertising department calls you . I nearly choked when I read that !

El Pistolero · Mar 6, 2006

So I guess now we're gonna have to have a thread on ****** Brew?

bitsmith2k · Mar 7, 2006

Lou said:
holy crap....are you "uncapping" by smashing the top of the bottle on a cinderblock?

nope, if we applied any more pressure than it took to break the initial seal, the top would snap off.. that being said they were lucky lager bottles (its the only 24 beer for 24 bucks that doesnt give me the runs)

why can't we use twist off bottles?

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