Why Are My Bottles Breaking When Uncapped?

[txstars15]

I have beer bottled in regular 12oz long necks, and some in 22oz bottles. I use the typical red, two-handled capper with no problems. However, when using a bottle opener, I have had several 22oz and a couple 12oz bottles break off within an inch of the top. Of course, each of those bottles was dead flat which told me there was a hairline crack when I capped them.

Has anyone had this experience? All my bottles are purchased new from online suppliers. Is this just the luck of the draw for some bottles? I thought the capper was spring loaded somehow to prevent excess pressure being applied to the bottle when capping. Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.

 

[jiggs_casey]

How hard are you pressing down with the capper? If you are capping hard enough to leave a 'ring' on the cap, you're pressing too hard.

My guess is that you may be doing damage to the bottles when you are capping them.

Some of the bottles are have are nearly 10 years old. I have never had an issue with breaking the tops off or damaging them at all.

 

[tektonjp]

How hard are you pressing down with the capper? If you are capping hard enough to leave a 'ring' on the cap, you're pressing too hard.

My guess is that you may be doing damage to the bottles when you are capping them.

Some of the bottles are have are nearly 10 years old. I have never had an issue with breaking the tops off or damaging them at all.

I think you're speaking of a bench capper while the OP is using a wing capper. Since wing capper work by levering against the lower neck ring, your capper may be stressing out the bottle necks. Borrow a friend's capper and compare?

 

[Srceenplay]

I have the same type of capper and have broke bottles bottling. I've found a few that didn't break but found hairline cracks in some as I was sorting through bottles to go to a comp.
Most of my problems has all ways been with short necks. Only one tall neck.
Do as I, buy kegs.

 

[Revvy]

It might be your bottle opener. At the Nov. AHA Big brew day I couldn't find my bottle opener so went to the drug store next to the homebrewshop and got, what I thought was a decent combination corkscrew and bottle opener. And all day I was breaking bottles.

It wasn't the bottles, because all the other one's opened from that batch with all the other bottle openers I own, were fine. Just anything opened with that one.

It was this style-

Seems like the angle of the bottle opener might be wrong or something.

 

[txstars15]

I found that my capper is called an Emily capper. Heavy red plastic device with two handles. Does this shed any light on the problem?

 

[Yooper]

I found that my capper is called an Emily capper. Heavy red plastic device with two handles. Does this shed any light on the problem?

Should work fine- that's what I have.

 

[Darwin18]

I use an Emily capper as well, without breaking bottles. I think it might be your bottle opener as Revvy said.

 

[woodstone]

I found that my capper is called an Emily capper. Heavy red plastic device with two handles. Does this shed any light on the problem?

That's what I use and find it works well...you can't gorilla the caps on, however.

I've had no significant problems but...

I too have broken a few bottles during capping...as noted by others, it clamps to the bottom lip if the bottle neck to provide leverage...unless you've got a weak bottle or your cranking down on the levers, it should be fine.

 

[skylor60]

I can say that Heineken bottles broke for me with a wing capper not all but a few and that got me to get recycle the rest. So as other post has mentioned maybe it has a lot to do with short necks

 

[wailingguitar]

I used to use an older, adjustable wing capper. If it wasn't set right it would break the necks off bottles in about the spot OP refers to. It is possible that OP's capper is defective, slightly off true in some way. Bottles could be subject to undue stress, weakening them, producing hairline cracks which then turn into full on breaks when opening. OP, is this a new capper or a new phenomenon with a well used capper?

 

[tennesseean_87]

The only bottles I've broke were Anchor Steam bottles, so I got rid of the rest.