caps that turn after capping

greetings all,

when I finished bottling I notice that some of my caps were twisting after I turned them myself. this is the second time this has happend. The first time I thought that maybe i got some bum caps. I use sierra Nevada bottles. So I am wondering, What do you think the best solution (other than kegging) would be?

Should I get a new capper? I have the emily capper.
get new caps again?
Get new bottles?

I have had that capper for about three years. Could those plastic parts be wearing out. is there a better hand capper? Should I look into the bench capper? Swing top bottles? Very frustrating.

Thanks for the imput everyone,

Mike

It's probably not the capper, but the bottles. Using recycled bottles, I came across ones that wouldn't cap tight every once in a while. I'd just pour back into the bottling bucket and throw out the bad bottle.

I rarely bottle anymore but what I do I do into new bottles from the homebrew store. Never had a single loose cap since.

Back when I bottled I don't think I ever came across an instance where the caps turned like that. I'd actually lean towards it being the capper, and not the bottles as I'd think there'd be obvious signs on the top of the bottle if it was worn enough to not cap properly. I could see a capper not putting enoug pressure or gripping properly after years of use.

Though I suppose you could check by finding a bottle that spins, take the cap off, put another cap on and see if that spins too. If you get a couple different caps on it that spin then it looks like that would be an issue with the bottles or the caps.

I know caps come in different sizes and as I'm typing all this out I'm wondering if maybe where you got the caps from somehow mixed the sizes or sent you the wrong size. The European bottles and some of the 750ml bottles have slightly larger neck sizes... So maybe if some caps for those ended up mixed in with your other ones that could be a cause. I don't know, just rambling and thinking out loud.

My first instinct is to try replacing the bell on the capper (the metal part), they wear out over time although i have no idea how long that may be.

LordUlrich said:

My first instinct is to try replacing the bell on the crapper (the metal part), they wear out over time although i have no idea how long that may be.

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Bottling on the crapper brings up a whole host of sanitation issues!

Test the theory's - go buy a sixer of a known good capping bottle (Sam adams works fine for me every time) and drink one, then cap it with your capper, and check whether it spins or not; Note you do not need to put beer in it to check if it works. If the cap doesnt spin - its the bottles, if the cap spins, its the capper or caps. next step is to borrow a capper from someone that you know works, OR mail out some of your current caps to friends and have them test em out.
edit: wychcraft brewery 22oz bottles DO NOT cap properly for me, so I do not re-use them

Thanks for the imput. I think I will test some bottles and see if I can come up with a case. like Jkarp I too do 3 gallon batches. from my mr. beer days. then my next set of bottles will be bought from the brew store.

Hey Jkarp, are you still using your tap-a-draft?

happy brewing mike aka. newtobrew

Oh, hey there N2B!

Naw, I built a kegerator early last year and handed off my TaD kit to a friend.

Back to the capping - if the capper were really the issue, all your caps would spin. I promise it's the bottles. I've also never heard of a capper bell wearing out, though I suppose perhaps there are really REALLY cheap ones out there. My bench capper was made WELL before I was born and the bell is so thick a sledgehammer wouldn't put a dent in it.

jkarp said:

[...]My bench capper was made WELL before I was born and the bell is so thick a sledgehammer wouldn't put a dent in it.

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No doubt.

But, when you look around the present day world, you really don't see a myriad of examples of things you remember from Days Of Olde having been "solidly constructed" now being built incredibly flimsily?

I have a Super Agata Bench Capper - a pretty well respected unit - and while I've run literally thousands of cap cycles on it without issue, I'm pretty sure its bell could be totally flattened with one good hammer blow...

Cheers!

after testing some bottles. It seems that many of them are twisting. so I think I will get some bottles from the homebrew shop and some type of bench capper. More beer has a metal wing capper. any of you ever try it? Thanks for the imput. or I may just get some swing tops. or maybe start kegging? oh, the choices
mike

Some cappers have a small magnetized stem INSIDE the bell. Sometimes that stem is mis-adjusted, and will result in a poor capping. Have a look at that, see if it's adjustable.

If your caps have a dimple from that stem, then the stem is adjusted too low.

M_C

yeah that stems seems to pretty loose. it doesnt seem to be adjustable. i'll look again.

mike

alemonster said:

yeah that stems seems to pretty loose. it doesnt seem to be adjustable. i'll look again.

mike

Click to expand...

Sometimes the stem doesn't adjust, but the bell does.

M_C

Possibly you got some Belgian caps? They are slightly larger than standard.

I bottled 10 gallons today, and I can say that I like to see that dimple. I used to have some Paulaner bottles with a very narrow lip/shoulder. Caps would look like they were fine, and maybe even pass a tip upside down test, but not hold pressure. They all got dumped.
I hate pouring dead beer almost worst of all.

well I started looking at my bottles. these are all recycled sierra nevada bottles. I was amazed how different the openings were. I don't know if they are using different bottles lately but I could see why I could turn some of the caps. So I took my capper and some caps and headed to the brew shop. I bought a couple of cases of bottles and tried my capper on those bottles at the shop. (if I had to get a new capper I did not want to make a second trip...I mean its CLEAR across town) Capped a couple of bottles and I could not turn them. So we will now see. I am going to bottle my AG celebration ale Clone today.

Thank you all for your imput. I will post more as they get done carbing.

Happy Brewing,
mike

I have a lot of SN bottles because I like their beer. I have noticed differences between some of the bottles, similar to the Paulaner, but never had a problem with any of them.

update. i bottled and they were turning. but after 2 days carbing couldn't turn any of them. maybe its the star san and its lubing up the bottles. anyway the beer should be well carbed. we will see.

maybe I just need to RDWHAHB

i need to brew my american wheat today anyway. then I will forget about those bottles

Happy Brewing,
Mike

I am curious about this as well. I have noticed some of my bottle caps can turn a bit after bottling. However, after they are capped a few days I can't turn any of them. Every batch ,except for one, that I have brewed have been well carbonated. I noticed today that the bell on my capper was a bit loose. I always get an indention from my capper on the tops of the caps. Is this indention normal?

Get a bench capper. WAY better.

Beer bottle openings are shaped different below the open top. some are a smooth taper and some are bubble shaped, I'm not sure of the Sierra Nevada bottles. I'll see if I can get a picture of the different style necks.

Here is a bad photo of what i mean about the neck difference. The one on the left usually causes no problem capping. the one on the right might cause a problem.