First Time bottling, broken bottles

[WhiskeyR]

Maybe we need a sticky listing all the bottles that can't be capped. I know that Czech Pilsner can't as it has only one lip. Same for one of the Mexican stubbies, can't remember the name though. Had some trouble w/Stella's also but most went ok.

I agree, that would be helpful. I'm going to take the info people have offered in this thread for what bottles do seem to work well and put it to good use for sure.

 

[topend]

I agree, that would be helpful. I'm going to take the info people have offered in this thread for what bottles do seem to work well and put it to good use for sure.

...then make sure you add Paulaner to that list. They work great. Also the Boulevard pry off bottles, and Red Seal. Thx...

 

[malkore]

Wing cappers just kind of have limits...i've had caps not crimp hard enough on tons of new beligium bottles.
I got a $35 bench capper and it is AWESOME at capping anything.

 

[Whut]

Wing cappers just kind of have limits...i've had caps not crimp hard enough on tons of new beligium bottles.
I got a $35 bench capper and it is AWESOME at capping anything.

That's an interesting point you make there. The last time I tried using my wing capper was with my nephew and he had Heineken bottles that we struggled to get capped. Think I'll pick up a sixer this evening and give it a wirl.

Trace

 

[Shaneoco1981]

MGD and Corona bottles have broken on me on occasion with a wing capper. These bottles seem to have thin glass, especially at the neck. I agree with what the others said above with too much downward pressure - I believe that was my issue.

Well, everything I have heard is to never use twist off bottles... I believe that is why you have broken half of the bottles from MGD and Corona... The caps that they sell in your LHBS are designed for pry off bottles.

 

[Whut]

Update: I was able to cap Heineken bottles last night with my bench capper with no problems. Not that I'd use them, but was able to cap them.

 

[zilch]

Well, everything I have heard is to never use twist off bottles... I believe that is why you have broken half of the bottles from MGD and Corona... The caps that they sell in your LHBS are designed for pry off bottles.

Yeah I've heard that too, but both were pry offs.

 

[unionrdr]

...then make sure you add Paulaner to that list. They work great. Also the Boulevard pry off bottles, and Red Seal. Thx...

I added that in post #39 on page 4...just sayin. Boulevard sounds familiar to some of the used bottles I picked up. I save many myself. Ijust happened to like the Paulaner's amber colored glass,& the bearded monks on the shoulder. You can actually see the color through them.

 

[davidcradic]

I would say the metal against the glass isn't helping matters. Might try to fold some paper towels, or place a rag between the metal and the glass bottle to see if that helps. If so, you can run to hobby lobby or wal-mart and pick up a sheet of foam used in scrap-booking and cut it to fit your needs. Then just glue it to your capper. If that isn't the problem, my best guess would be the bottles you were using weren't suitable to be recapped.

So, I was pretty bummed out when I started bottling my very first brew, and every bottle would break at the neck as I would cap it (I have a few hundred Abita bottles saved up.) I went through about six bottles before I decide to hit the internet. As I read through these posts, I almost gave up hope until I found this one. I didn't think it would work, but as a last ditch effort, I gave it a try. --I DIDN'T BREAK A SINGLE BOTTLE!!--

You can bottle with Abita bottles as long as you put a paper towel between the cap and the capper!