Capping Heineken Bottles

[AllieLilyDaddy]

Hi,

I'm new to the forums. I recently capped a bunch of Heineken bottles using my wing-style capper. I had no problem with the seal holding and it was a low carbed beer, but when I uncapped them it felt too easy compared to commercial beer. I even worked my way around the bottles a few times double and triple crimping to ensure they were fully seated.

Is this typical of home capped bottles? Or could it be my Heineken bottles causing the weak capping? I knocked over one and it blew off too easy for the distance it dropped IMO.

Thanks for any help you can provide!

 

[estricklin]

I don't know if I've ever capped any Heineken bottles or not. I've had a few odd balls that I couldn't cap properly but not very many. Did you use any other brands?

 

[Beernik]

I think it's Heineken bottles. I think I tried using them before and the crown is slightly smaller than standard 12oz bottles.

 

[AllieLilyDaddy]

I don't know if I've ever capped any Heineken bottles or not. I've had a few odd balls that I couldn't cap properly but not very many. Did you use any other brands?

I haven't tried any other brands yet. It never occurred to me until just now to cap one of my other empties and see if it's any better...


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[AllieLilyDaddy]

I think it's Heineken bottles. I think I tried using them before and the crown is slightly smaller than standard 12oz bottles.

Yup. It's the Heineken bottles. I just tried a random bottle and it capped perfectly. More "difficult" to pry off with a bottle opener. Time to get some new bottles!


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[fastengine]

Yup. It's the Heineken bottles. I just tried a random bottle and it capped perfectly. More "difficult" to pry off with a bottle opener. Time to get some new bottles!


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Or a bench mount capper.

 

[ImNoExpert]

I've had issues with some other European beers (mostly Belgians). Now I just chuck them if they don't look exactly like American bottles.

 

[jpalarchio]

Assuming these are the green bottles, you'd be best to switch to some other bottles anyhow.

 

[Haydn-Juby]

Personally I do 90% of my capping in Heineken or Stella bottles. They're just far easier to come by and I clean out my friends bottle dumps when I need them. Wing cappers haven't worked for me but i have some old ultra heavy metal capper from the 60's-70's that does the job just fine.

Also if you do cap in green bottles remember to keep them out of the light.

 

[AllieLilyDaddy]

So a batch of new bottles was the cure. Didn't mess up one cap and they all crimped beautifully. The guy at the Local home brew shop also said that the smaller crown can be problematic on Heineken bottles.


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[Yesfan]

Do you have the right size bell on the capper? I was thinking my Red Baron capper came with two different sized bells. I can't remember if the second bell was smaller or bigger than the one mounted in the capper. If it's smaller, then maybe the Heiny bottles are meant for the smaller bell.


Thought I would throw that out in case you were wanting to still use the green Heineken bottles.

 

[AllieLilyDaddy]

Do you have the right size bell on the capper? I was thinking my Red Baron capper came with two different sized bells. I can't remember if the second bell was smaller or bigger than the one mounted in the capper. If it's smaller, then maybe the Heiny bottles are meant for the smaller bell.





Thought I would throw that out in case you were wanting to still use the green Heineken bottles.

My capper only came with one bell (beginners kit). I think it's a knockoff of the Red Baron. Good point though, cause Heineken caps don't look much bigger than the crown caps.


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