To screw or not to screw

[aholloway17]

Couldn't resist, sorry. Just bottling my second batch and realized some of the bottles that friends have been donating (yes because they want a sample) are screw tops. I didn't realize until the bottling had begun so I couldn't sop but the caps don't fit on with the same snap as the other bottles. Is this going to result in a big problem?

Thanks,

Allen

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

Sometimes you can get a good seal with twist-offs, but a majority of the time, you'll end up with uncarbonated beer. My advice is to drink the twist-off's first.

 

[JohnnyO]

Unfortunately, you can't bottle in the screw top bottles. My understanding is that the screw tops allow oxygen to get into the bottle.

How many screw-topped bottles did you use?

Where in CT are you?

 

[XXguy]

If you are using one of those red plastic "wing" cappers, then screw tops are a bad idea. You can cap them, but you don't often get a good, tight seal.

If you use a bench capper, you can get a good seal with screw tops.

For most home brewers - avoiding screw tops is the safe bet.

 

[aholloway17]

Dismal, there are 24 screw top bottles and I am in Milford Ct., and yes its a winged capper.

Allen

 

[XXguy]

The only suggestion I can make now is to try turning the screw tops "tighter" and see if they move easily. You could also see if you could beg/borrow/steal a bench capper & try to re-cap them if it has only been a day since you bottled.

In my experience - you'll still get a few good bottles out of the batch of screw tops. I've done it before myself when I didn't know any better.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

In most situations I would opt for the former.

This is not one of those situations.

Not that screw tops cannot be used. I just wouldn't use them more than once. the glass tend to be too thin.

 

[NorCalAngler]

I wasn't paying enough attention to some donated bottles and didn't realize Blue Moon comes in twist off bottles. I ended up capping at least 3-4 of them. My wing capper is red and metal and it seemed to get a good enough seal, but now I'll pay more attention and weed the twist off bottles out of my rotation. The last thing I want is a botched bottle or, worse, a shattered bottle due to the thinner glass.

I suggest you replace those twist-offs.

 

[JetSmooth]

More importantly, set some ground rules with your friend next time.

Learn them the ropes a little.

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

More importantly, set some ground rules with your friend next time.

Learn them the ropes a little.

I actually stopped giving my friends homebrew. Unless I bring out a keg or they come to my place, they don't get any. Everytime I gave someone beer, I would be clear about not pouring the last 1/4" of the bottle. I explained why and then told them I'd like the bottles back. I never got bottles back and every time I saw one of them drinking my homebrews, it was out of the bottle. They complained about them being yeasty, haha.

If you don't listen, you get cut off.

 

[Wellshooter]

Free beer sure makes a lot of friends.

 

[Jim Karr]

No, No, No!!!Don't tell brewers that they can't use screwtop bottles. I've been using them successfully since 2005. They work just fine.