Bottling concern

Well, I just bottled my first batch this past Sunday, and I think I have a problem.

My question to everyone is, how secure are the caps suppose to be? They don't appear to be on there very well. I even had a couple bottles that I guess I didn't line up properly, or apply enough pressure to, as their caps came right off when I happened to grab the top of the bottle

Additional info:
I'm using on old bench capper that my dad used when he homebrewed, so it's pretty old. It probably hasn't seen use for at least 15 years, so I made sure to grease it up. It seemed to operate as it should anyways.

The bottles are a mix of generics from the LHBS and Warsteiner bottles. Standard gold colored caps.

they should be secure enough that you can't pry them off with your fingers for sure. I also always check one day after bottling by putting my ear to each bottle and carefully listening for any 'hiss' caused by escaping CO2.

I HATE capping bottles. I always feel like they are not on securely.

I expect that you'll soon be buying some EZ Cap flip-top bottles. No doubts with those.

-walker

Right now I'm pretty tempted to skip the EZ's and find some cornies (fridge space be damned.)

I'll have to wait until I get off work before I can test one of the more secure looking bottles.

When I first started bottling I always was afraid of cranking down too hard on my capper. After I broke the one I got with my kit(a wing style capper) in the middle of bottling a batch I started using this old bench style one that I had found when we bought our house. Never bought a new one. Just crank down firmly, you should feel a little pop when it seals.

Like everyone else said...batches smaller than 5 gallons are more trouble than they are worth.

You can always use 22oz. bottles...only takes 24!! I usually use the 22oz or the 16oz Grolsch bottles.

Well, I "tested" one of the more securely capped bottles. I started to pry the cap off, but stopped when I heard a little hiss. It was holding pressure (as little as there is at the moment), but I'm still wondering just how well it will be able to hold once fully carbonated.

Ah well, guess I'll just go back to brewing up some more

Some commercial bottles have smaller diam. tops than others, i.e. corona bottles. Make sure you aren't using twist off bottles as well.

You guys are missing the boat...after you cap just lay the bottle down on its side. If it's loose it'll leak.

I've never had a problem with my butterfly cappers...knock on wood.

homebrewer_99 said:

You guys are missing the boat...after you cap just lay the bottle down on its side. If it's loose it'll leak.

I've never had a problem with my butterfly cappers...knock on wood.

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Funny you should mention that. I did find a bottle that somehow *gasp* was laying on it's side. No leak They just aren't on as securely as a commercial brew would be.

I use a wing capper also, with no problems.I lock it down hard, release, turn the bottle ~90 degrees and lock it down again. Seems to do the job just fine. I think I broke 2 bottles in like 200 or so doing this. Not a big deal.

kenmc said:

I use a wing capper also, with no problems.I lock it down hard, release, turn the bottle ~90 degrees and lock it down again. Seems to do the job just fine. I think I broke 2 bottles in like 200 or so doing this. Not a big deal.

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I press down hard also. I've only broken 1 bottle since '93.

Capping sounds like a hassle. I'm still using screw- top 40 oz. bottles. Never had a problem. They don't look as cool as capped bottles, but the upside is that they are cheap and resealable. If you don't feel ( for whatever reason) like drinking 40 ounces ( or 40 more), you can twist the cap back on and it'll be waiting for you when you come back. What more could you ask for in a bottle ? Maybe more homebrew?

I use a bench-capper, and it's brilliant. Just make sure you lower the thing right down over the top of the bottle before you pull down on the lever. You'll feel the cap give way; now you have a perfectly sealed bottle (it seals screw-cap bottles perfectly as well).

I bottled yesterday and today with an old bench type capper after reading this thread. I noticed that if I pushed down until it absolutely stopped - the cap was secure. Also, using oxy-caps, the cap flat on top, had a very distinct depression in the center the approx diameter of the bottle opening about 1/32 " deep after capping. Maybe unique to my capper but I now inspect visually and recapped a couple that didn't show that depression.

I get that ring also. It's an indentation caused by the magnet.