O2 absorbing threads

[JimRausch]

Q- What is the general consensus among the scientific bent? Do the O2 absorbing caps work? And what if you soak them in starsan prior to capping- does that deactivate them?
Here's my story- I found 2 bottles of a dopplebock that I bottled 4 years ago and stored in a stryofoam insulated box. One bottle capped with a normal gold cap= awful- stale, oxidized. Dumped it. The other bottle capped with a silver O2 absorber and then waxed. Yes, my procedure is to soak the caps in starsan while bottling. Sometimes as long as 1/2 hour or a little more. 2nd bottle was wonderful- malty, a little note of stone fruit. To my mind as good as a Celebrator that I had last month.
Granted, a sample of one means nothing, but what do the brains think?

 

[kh54s10]

I have use some O2 absorbing caps. You have beat my bu a little over a year on the longest aging. One the one that lasted about 3 years I did not use O2 absorbing caps and they were still good when the last one was gone. The batch I used the O2 caps on lasted almost 2 years. So I didn't really see any difference. I have not used them since.

 

[day_trippr]

I'm also interested in what the brains think, but I think it was one bad seal vs one good one.
Imo, if bottle conditioning results in O2 consumption by the conditioning yeast there's no real benefit from an alleged O2 absorbing cap.
More important are a good crimp and an O2-impermeable cap liner...

Cheers!

 

[MaxStout]

Maybe the wax made the difference, not the cap.

 

[Big Monk]

Unless you sanitize with preboiled and cooled water to deoxygenate, all the oxygen reduction potential of the caps is gone.

IIRC, the manufacturers of those caps specifically say NOT to sanitize them, but rather store them in an airtight container prior to use.

 

[Big Monk]

Maybe the wax made the difference, not the cap.

^^^^
This. Those oxygen caps were toast as soon after the sanitizer touched them.

 

[Vandulus]

I've read numerous articles that saying waxing the cap is the best way to prevent oxygenation. The O2 caps will scavenge O2 in the headspace assuming they haven't gotten wet. StarSan + O2 caps = bad idea.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

Does Iodophor also defeat the O2 absorbing capability of O2 caps?

 

[Big Monk]

Does Iodophor also defeat the O2 absorbing capability of O2 caps?

It's liquid in general. Unless you pre-treat (de-ox) the water, all the scavenging power of the cap is lost.

 

[The_Bishop]

I've been trying to research this and coming up with not much. Have a source?

 

[Big Monk]

I've been trying to research this and coming up with not much. Have a source?

I can try and find one for sure but it’s pretty much common sense. Water used for this application (sanitizer) is oxygen saturated. If you sanitize the caps, you are exposing the absorbing material in the caps to saturated water. The caps don’t have a ton of potential anyway, so the little they do have gets used up before you even put them on.

 

[The_Bishop]

But that's assuming they work instantaneously.

 

[Big Monk]

But that's assuming they work instantaneously.

That’s a fair rebuttal for sure. We have a spectrum. Some people spray and go and some soak. Soakers are obviously worse off.

I’ll try to find the information in my archives of saved literature. It definitely came from the OEM for the caps. The recommendation that is.

 

[The_Bishop]

When I bottle (usually from the keg now, but also in the past when I bottled with priming sugar) I give them a quick dunk in star san, then they go on the bottle.

I've found this in regard to the caps:

"James on Basic Brewing contacted the manufacturer to ask this very question to him. He said that sanitizing is absolutely no problem, because while the caps do absorb oxygen and are activated as soon as they get moist, it takes the caps several days to do their job, so a few minutes before getting crimped is OK."

But not first person. I can't believe this info is so hard to come by.

 

[JimRausch]

Interesting discussion. I know that I've read they 'deactivate as soon as they get wet' posts before, but no one has ever backed that statement up with citations, that I have seen.
I think with my next bottling session, I'll spray the caps with starsan just before capping.

 

[JimRausch]

And oh yeah, I'll continue to wax a couple for long-term storage. But I'm sure not going to do that for them all!
On my local homebrew club FB discussion page someone mentioned using a hotglue gun to seal the caps. I might try that on a couple, but it sounds more difficult than my dunking the tops in melted wax.

 

[WiscBrewer]

And oh yeah, I'll continue to wax a couple for long-term storage. But I'm sure not going to do that for them all!
On my local homebrew club FB discussion page someone mentioned using a hotglue gun to seal the caps. I might try that on a couple, but it sounds more difficult than my dunking the tops in melted wax.

I wouldn't argue against waxing bottle tops, but I thought you might be interested to hear my experience. I have a small collection of bottled beer that comes from my early brewing days. Some bottles are close to 18 years old. Every now and then I open one. I've found these old beers to be nicely carbonated, and even drinkable. Beyond their prime? Yep, but clear, carbonated and drinkable.

 

[Jayjay1976]

What kind of wax do you use for this? I'd be interested in doing that to a batch of dubbel that I'm planning to age. Also acts as a deterrent of sorts against occasionally drinking one for a checkup.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

Your LHBS will sell wine bottle wax.

 

[JimRausch]

Your LHBS will sell wine bottle wax.

I'm cheap (read thrifty). I have a old, clean dog food can filled with old candle wax, a few crayons for color and some glue sticks. Heat it in a water bath, and dip the tops.

 

[Amadeo38]

I can try and find one for sure but it’s pretty much common sense. Water used for this application (sanitizer) is oxygen saturated. If you sanitize the caps, you are exposing the absorbing material in the caps to saturated water. The caps don’t have a ton of potential anyway, so the little they do have gets used up before you even put them on.

So you keep your caps in a nitrogen-flushed bag? I wonder what’s in the air - oxygen? How do they not get “used up” just from that? Pretty sure their potential is based on a long time-exposure.

 

[ClaudiusB]

So you keep your caps in a nitrogen-flushed bag? I wonder what’s in the air - oxygen? How do they not get “used up” just from that? Pretty sure their potential is based on a long time-exposure.

From the patent:
The oxygen absorbent does not exhibit its oxygen absorption ability under a usual atmosphere condition (room temperature, not higher than 70% by relative humidity) and exhibits its oxygen absorption ability under a condition near dew point.