Anyone ever had a bag of bad caps?

Just wondering if anyone out there has had a bag of bad bottling caps - after 3 weeks at 71 degrees in my closet my irish red clone looks like cranberry juice with the same ammount of carb to boot. i used cooper's tabs (yes the right ammount) and literally it looks like it just came from the bottling bucket. i soaked the caps in a solution of star san with warm water for sanitation. bad caps or maybe my bottler isnt sealing them tightly?

How long has the beer been sitting in the bottles? (if < 3 weeks, you need more time)

The beer you opened, had the tab dissolved?

Try capping a bottle full of water, turn it upside down.....does it leak?

they are dissolved, and it's been 2.5 weeks - even if its not PERFECTLY carbed, there should be a huge evidence of carbination, not beer that looks like it belongs in a bottling bucket.

Could you have done something to kill the yeast?

Did you use the O2 absorbing caps? I seem to recall that Forrest (austin homebrew supplies) said not to spray those with starsan as it can ruin the little gasket inside the cap. That may be a concern.

Did you use the O2 absorbing caps? I seem to recall that Forrest (austin homebrew supplies) said not to spray those with starsan as it can ruin the little gasket inside the cap.

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I store mine in vodka before using. So far it's all worked out fine.

Liquid activates the O2 absorbing seal. You are doing yourself a disservice by soaking them in anything before capping.

Forrest

Twist offs? How hard do they twist off? If not twist off's, how hard is it to twist a cap? Maybe your capper is not getting them tight enough.

How would you suggest sanitizing them with out soaking in anything?

just standard crowns not the oxygen absorbing ones

You do not need to sanitize them. Most breweries do not sanitize the caps. Obviously keep them clean before you use them but go ahead and use them straight out of the bag.

In twenty years I have never sanitized the caps and I have only had 3 batches have a problem. But that problem was before I capped them.

I still bottle all of my beer.

Forrest

Austinhomebrew said:

You do not need to sanitize them. Most breweries do not sanitize the caps. Obviously keep them clean before you use them but go ahead and use them straight out of the bag.

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I used to disagree with forrest on this point, and sanitized in star san. Lately, mainly because I am lazy, I have adopted this method. I haven't had any problems and don't anticipate any. I buy caps in bulk and keep them in ziploc bags.

I'm astonished!
I buy caps, like everyone from the LHBS and I would have bet on
an imperative need to sanitize.
What about cheap caps? Non o2 absorbers?

beersydoesit said:

I buy caps, like everyone from the LHBS and I would have bet on
an imperative need to sanitize.
What about cheap caps? Non o2 absorbers?

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I sanitize my cheap caps in starsan, iodophor, bleach-water-vinegar, or whatever I happen to be using that day. Anything but boiling.

Is there a book out there that tells you to sanitize caps? Or is this just an assumption. I understand that it makes sense to think you should have to but you don't.

Forrest

Forrest. The Joy Of Homebrewing does tell you to sanitize the caps. Either
by boiling or soaking in vodka.

You can sanitize them but there is no need and you comprimise the O2 seal on the O2 caps if you do. Breweries don't.

Forrest

I believe you. You asked if there was a book that said to sanitize them and there is.
I'll screw my courage to the sticking place and try it. It is a pain.

My first two batches did not seem to carbonate very well. The instructions that came with my kit said to sanitize. Right before I bottled the first time I looked for a step through of the process on youtube. The one I found had the caps boiled then sanitized, so this is what I did. It seems that most people think the boiling is a bad idea, is it what caused my carbonation problems? I will follow the advice from Forrest going forward, thanks.

Austinhomebrew said:

Is there a book out there that tells you to sanitize caps? Or is this just an assumption. I understand that it makes sense to think you should have to but you don't.

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John Palmer says: "Prepare your bottle caps. Bottle caps must be sanitized before use, and the best way is to soak them in sanitizing solution."

Anything that comes in contact with my beer, post-boil, gets sanitized.

OLB said:

The one I found had the caps boiled then sanitized, so this is what I did. It seems that most people think the boiling is a bad idea, is it what caused my carbonation problems?

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It has been reported on HBT (anecdotal evidence) that boiling caps can distort the soft sealing surface on the underside. We cannot know with any certainty that this played a role in your lack of carbing. I boiled for years and did not have any sealing problems.

Another cap related question: my bottles are almost two weeks old. I just turned checked on a few and when I turned them upside down and then back and sniffed I could faintly smell beer. I could just be from when I capped them or it could be a slight leak. After flipping them I could see carb bubbles so they seem to be carbing up ok. Is a slight smell normal?