Pop tops or flip tops?

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BMClark2210

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So I'm fairly new to brewing. In fact I haven't even bottled my first batch (but I have 12 gallons fermenting). I was wondering what everyone's thoughts where on which are best to use. Thanks in advance.
 
Flip tops are very sought after, but in retrospect as someone who has sought them in the past, I can't really see all the benefit, besides them being cool and all. Caps are really cheap and dependable.
 
I like Serra Nevada and Sam Adams, if I need to buy beer it's one of those two. First, I like the beer. Second they use good bottles that the label's come off easy. If I'm bottling beer, it's to give away. Find some college kids who drink like fish and offer some home brew for their empties. Two 20's y/o dudes got all mad at me because after 25 cases, I told them "I'm good, I don't need any more"
 
I have 4 cases of flip-tops I don't use anymore. One of two every batch wouldn't seal right. I even thought it might have been my distribution of priming sugar at bottling day but now that I have switched to caps I realize it wasn't. I kept replacing gaskets and everything.

I used to think it was so much quicker with flip tops, just fill and flip. But its just as fast with a bench capper
 
The beer doesn't care what it's put in. There's no BEST in brewing, just what folks PREFER. Figure out what you want to use and use them, it doesn't matter. It's not going to affect the beer one bit.
 
Revvy said:
The beer doesn't care what it's put in. There's no BEST in brewing, just what folks PREFER. Figure out what you want to use and use them, it doesn't matter. It's not going to affect the beer one bit.

Sure it does. The seals in the flip tops may go bad more often then I think. No one like a flat beer after a month of waiting. Lol
 
I have both and really like the swing tops. haven't had any issues with carbonation yet. when they start looking worn or I get a bad bottle, I'll replace the gaskets. I find them easier on bottling day, because you don't have to mess with a capper. I also like being able to re-seal them and stick the beer back in the fridge between pours if necessary (this is only really applicable to the larger format bottles). also, now that I'm on the road to kegging it'll be a lot easier to grab some swing tops and bottle a few off to bring to a friend's, no capping required.

that having been said, pop tops are essentially free and the caps are cheap, so it's easy to build up a big enough collection to get started. that's what I did, and I've been slowly accumulating swing tops with gift cards, birthday money, etc.
 
SimonHucko said:
I have both and really like the swing tops. haven't had any issues with carbonation yet. when they start looking worn or I get a bad bottle, I'll replace the gaskets. I find them easier on bottling day, because you don't have to mess with a capper. I also like being able to re-seal them and stick the beer back in the fridge between pours if necessary (this is only really applicable to the larger format bottles). also, now that I'm on the road to kegging it'll be a lot easier to grab some swing tops and bottle a few off to bring to a friend's, no capping required.

that having been said, pop tops are essentially free and the caps are cheap, so it's easy to build up a big enough collection to get started. that's what I did, and I've been slowly accumulating swing tops with gift cards, birthday money, etc.

Nice. I just purchased a BeerGun today and my keg is in the mail. I can't wait to give them both a try. Thanks for all the info!
 
I also bottle from the keg. I uses pop tops so I don't have to worry about keeping track of the bottles I give away. They are super easy to use compared to my old Grolsch bottles which were already easy. I use my Fisher swing tops for mini growler fills to take to parties.
 
If you suspect a leaker, lay it partly on side and look for, well, beer.
It's easy to recap, just be sure to cool it, or you get a beer bath.
 
Flip tops are cool, but I would never bottle all my beer in them. First, they are more expensive to acquire. Second, I felt weird about giving them away because some people would just never return the bottles. With regular 12oz bottles, I could care less if they returned it.

I do like them if you keg and you are filling up a few bottles off the kegs...because the already-carbed beer foams a little, it's quicker to just flip the top. So for this reason, I like having a few flip tops around.
 
I prefer drinking pints, which I usually find in swingtop style, but it means buying new bottles.

You can buy a couple cases of beer and enjoy emptying them before you enjoy filling them.

When I bottle, I usually fill 12 x 12oz, 12 x 16oz, and 12 x 22 oz. I also have one 1L and 2L swingtops.

I've only had 1 bad seal on a bottle cap. I've only and two bad seals on swingtops. In 8 years, I've only replaced my swingtop seals once.
 
I prefer drinking pints, which I usually find in swingtop style, but it means buying new bottles.

You can buy a couple cases of beer and enjoy emptying them before you enjoy filling them.

When I bottle, I usually fill 12 x 12oz, 12 x 16oz, and 12 x 22 oz. I also have one 1L and 2L swingtops.

I've only had 1 bad seal on a bottle cap. I've only and two bad seals on swingtops. In 8 years, I've only replaced my swingtop seals once.

I do the same, my swingtops stay home and the capped beers are given away, traded etc. And never had a bad seal on my swingtops in two years.
 
Thanks everyone. I think ill give swing tops a shot. I just got my kegging system yesterday so I'm pretty excited about getting my 5 gallon batch into it next week.
 
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