Capping, I think I suck at it.

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Canadianjag

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I have brewed 2 batches and have had both batches with some bottles carbonated nicely and some not at all.... I have waited 3 weeks and I am starting to think it is my capping skills. I think I was worried about breaking bottles that I did not get all of the caps tight enough on some and just good enough on others.

Any tips that would help me with the next two batches I have fermenting right now?
I am using a double hand "Emliy" style capper

Thank you so much.

R
 
How did you prime? If you used carb drops, your capping technique is at fault. If you batch prime, it could be that you didn't stir the sugar in well enough, or it settled out during bottling. I used a wing capper for dozens of batches, and can't recall having a bad crimp.
 
I think you have a priming problem.

After you crimp a cap grab it and twist it. You don't need to do this with pliers. The sharp points on the cap control how much force you can put on it. If it doesn't move, you're good.

All the Best,
D. White
 
How did you prime? If you used carb drops, your capping technique is at fault. If you batch prime, it could be that you didn't stir the sugar in well enough, or it settled out during bottling. I used a wing capper for dozens of batches, and can't recall having a bad crimp.
I batch primed but did stir it well, as the batch before I did not. Just poured a bottle tonight and the cap was clearly crimped better than the last one and it was carbed perfectly.
 
I batch primed but did stir it well, as the batch before I did not. Just poured a bottle tonight and the cap was clearly crimped better than the last one and it was carbed perfectly.
Sounds like you need to upgrade to a bench capper. Besides being way easier, faster and crimping more reliably, your wrists will thank you.
 
Sounds like you need to upgrade to a bench capper. Besides being way easier, faster and crimping more reliably, your wrists will thank you.
Sounds like I may be adding a bench capper to the Christmas list. Thanks for all the help everyone. I'm new to all this and this forum has been nothing but a GIANT help. Thanks again, and I can't wait to be able to contribute a little more here rather than being the one needing answers.
 
Next time you bottle a batch, include one small twist-off soda bottle. Treat it just like your glass wrt filling and priming, place it with the rest of the bottles during warm conditioning.

Give that plastic bottle a squeeze every few days. When it gets almost too hard to compress, it's ready to chill - and so should your glass.
This not only helps premature uncapping of your bottles, if you find the glass is flat, you'll know it wasn't the yeast and it wasn't the primer...

Cheers!
 
Next time you bottle a batch, include one small twist-off soda bottle. Treat it just like your glass wrt filling and priming, place it with the rest of the bottles during warm conditioning.

Give that plastic bottle a squeeze every few days. When it gets almost too hard to compress, it's ready to chill - and so should your glass.
This not only helps premature uncapping of your bottles, if you find the glass is flat, you'll know it wasn't the yeast and it wasn't the primer...

Cheers!
This is a great suggestion. Thank you very much!
 
Some bottles don't cap adequately because of the way the outside of the neck is made. I had a bunch of Lagunitas bottles I couldn't get the cap tight on. Lip on the utside of the neck was too short for my crimper to get a bite on. Bench capper would probably have done them fine.

All the Best,
D. White
 
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