Pelikan
Well-Known Member
I was looking at the Sierra Nevada site not too long ago, and they began talking about a type of beer cap that provided an oxygen barrier. They said that the plastic liner in this cap was harder than the standard bottle cap, and thus prevented oxygen from getting it (but, of course, didn't "absorb" the oxygen that was in the headspace).
So this got me thinking. I'm not 100% on this -- and anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong -- but I believe oxygen "absorbing" caps don't actually absorb oxygen, but do a better job of preventing it from leaking in. The plastic lining of the cap is harder and more impervious to oxygen transfer. Kinda like a bucket (standard cap) vs. a better bottle (oxygen absorbing cap). Indeed, Austin Homebrew advertises their caps as "oxygen barrier," not "oxygen absorbing." They appear to be the same silver cap advertised everywhere else as "oxygen absorbing."
Any thoughts?
So this got me thinking. I'm not 100% on this -- and anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong -- but I believe oxygen "absorbing" caps don't actually absorb oxygen, but do a better job of preventing it from leaking in. The plastic lining of the cap is harder and more impervious to oxygen transfer. Kinda like a bucket (standard cap) vs. a better bottle (oxygen absorbing cap). Indeed, Austin Homebrew advertises their caps as "oxygen barrier," not "oxygen absorbing." They appear to be the same silver cap advertised everywhere else as "oxygen absorbing."
Any thoughts?