Bottling Beer In Champagne Bottles

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BeerClaw

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Hi, I am about to start my first homebrewed ale after my cider finishes up. I am starting to think about bottles and wondering if anyone bottles in Champagne bottles? I'd rather not use plastic, I have no bottles on hand to reuse and these seem to be a good option. I can source them fairly inexpensively and they are 750ml(25oz) so it will make bottling faster. Does anyone know if standard champagne bottles can be capped with a standard beer cap?
 
I get them mixed up as to which is which, meaning what's standard and not, and if they are different in different countries, but I have a bunch of Champagne bottles (some were even from N/A sparkling cider) that indeed does take a standard crown bottle cap, and works quite well, especially for Blegian Beers.

I don't know which are standard on your side of the border though.
 
I thought I was going to score a few bottles yesterday but noticed some of the cheap sparkling wine comes with screw off corks.
 
Now, don't forget that in order to cap them, you'll need a bench capper. The ol' wing capper isn't going to work to seal a champagne bottle. This is yet another advantage of a bench capper...
 
Some of the champagne/sparkling wine/sparkling cider bottles I've gotten in Canada have worked with a standard crown (some even sealed easily with my old wing capper) and some not. My LHBS carries some plastic champagne "corks" that when combined with a wire cage work pretty well for beer in 750/1500 ml champagne bottles that won't take a crown though. The insertion end is kinda ribbed and forms a good seal which holds pressure. Not sure if it'd work for long aging, and doesn't look as classy as real cork or even a crown, but open it in the kitchen, and your guests will never know. You may even be able to reuse the plastic ones after a good sanitizing, as they don't deform at all haven't tried this yet though.
 
Thanks for all the reply's. Champagne bottles will definitely be used, really what's better then two beers in one right. I have no capper so I will make sure to pick up a bench capper. I'll also pick up a bunch of plastic champagne corks as well, I will need them for the sparkling cider anyway. I am going to buy cases of the champagne bottles at a u-brew wine place so I would guess they will be standard bottles most likely from the States.
 
Champagne bottles come in two varieties, 26mm caps (standard beer bottle size), and 29mm caps. Either size works, you just need the proper size caps, and the proper size bell for your capper.

Now, don't forget that in order to cap them, you'll need a bench capper. The ol' wing capper isn't going to work to seal a champagne bottle. This is yet another advantage of a bench capper...

I use my standard red baron two wing capper on champagne bottles all the time. You just have to reverse the neck grabber inserts to the 29mm side, even on 26mm champagne bottles.
 
Champagne bottles come in two varieties, 26mm caps (standard beer bottle size), and 29mm caps. Either size works, you just need the proper size caps, and the proper size bell for your capper.



I use my standard red baron two wing capper on champagne bottles all the time. You just have to reverse the neck grabber inserts to the 29mm side, even on 26mm champagne bottles.

Yes, I use my wing capper, too, no problem.
 
Now, don't forget that in order to cap them, you'll need a bench capper. The ol' wing capper isn't going to work to seal a champagne bottle. This is yet another advantage of a bench capper...

Actually that's not true at all. I have been capping champagne bottles with my wing capper for several years, with NO problem whatsoever.
 
Thanks for the tips. So the wing capper is just as good as the bench capper?

Either one works, and they each have their own pros and cons. Bench cappers are much quicker to use if all the bottles are the same height, but they are typically much more expensive. Some of the bench cappers are easy to adjust the height for different bottle heights, and some are a PITA. The wing cappers take a little more time, don't require adjustments for different height bottles, and are less than half the cost.
 
The answer to the question of cappability is- it depends entirely on the bottle you get. My experience is that most champagne bottles have an mouth that's too wide for a standard crown cap, but some will. I just got several containing Boulevard's special release beers, and, sure enough, you can't cap them.

My favorite 750 ml is the bottle originally containing Martinelli's Sparkling Cider (this stuff is strictly non-alcoholic). My supply is assured, because it's what my teetotaling son and his family drink on special occasions. Bench capper only, of course.
 
The answer to the question of cappability is- it depends entirely on the bottle you get. My experience is that most champagne bottles have an mouth that's too wide for a standard crown cap, but some will. I just got several containing Boulevard's special release beers, and, sure enough, you can't cap them.

My favorite 750 ml is the bottle originally containing Martinelli's Sparkling Cider (this stuff is strictly non-alcoholic). My supply is assured, because it's what my teetotaling son and his family drink on special occasions. Bench capper only, of course.

That's the brand I have found as well, I think Loblaws/Superstore carried it. The stuff's not too bad either.
 
I just saw this post and have a quick newbie beer maker question. I am a winemaker and recently started brewing beer. Since i had champagne bottles and plastic corks with wire hoods i have been bottling this way. I seem to have good carbonation and see no OBVIOUS reason why this wont continue to work welol. But i have noticed all the posts i have read do not mention using anything but bottle caps. So does anyone know of any reason why corks would not work??
 
Corks would be fine, specially for aging. Just store them sideways like any other corked drink rather than upright.

It's just convenient that Champagne and Cava bottles come with lips for 29mm caps. I've seen some other sparkling wines that come with 26mm cap lips but they are very very rare here (might have actually been American sparkling wine? or Australian?).
 
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