Are there better caps than others?

[Finlandbrews]

I have only used the cheapest caps so far but I was wondering if I should consider any other caps or oxygen trapping caps for improving shelf life of my beers? Any tips, brands, suggestions on what caps are best to use for my precious home brews? Thanks!

 

[JonJazz]

Unless you are capping a beer that is meant to be aged for a while (high gravity like impy stouts, barley wines and the likes), my opinion is you don't need the oxygen trapping ones. As long as you use a good quality capper, pry off crown caps and non twistoff bottles, you should be fine.

 

[kh54s10]

I had a Winter Warmer Ale bottled with cheap caps that got better for 3 years and lasted to 4+ years with nothing bad that I could attribute to the caps. Would oxygen absorbing caps have helped?? I doubt it. But then again... Maybe...

I currently have a Russian Imperial Stout, also capped with cheap caps, At 1 year + they are still getting better. Though these ones are not going to last close to 4 years....

 

[55x11]

I have only used the cheapest caps so far but I was wondering if I should consider any other caps or oxygen trapping caps for improving shelf life of my beers? Any tips, brands, suggestions on what caps are best to use for my precious home brews? Thanks!

the way you handle your beer, the way you transfer it and bottle it is much more important than the bottle caps you use.

 

[Homercidal]

the way you handle your beer, the way you transfer it and bottle it is much more important than the bottle caps you use.

So true.

But also, O2 caps aren't *much* more expensive either.

 

[Finlandbrews]

Thanks all for the comments, when I ll make strong beers I'll buy oxygen trapping caps.

 

[Brewmasher]

I just set the caps on the top after filling while I fill the other bottles. Then I crimp them down. The CO2 being released from the beer purges the lighter oxygen out. i never had a problem. Then again, I never let a beer sit around for over a year.