I recently bought a vintage Climax bottle capper on ebay because my Red Barron will not grip certain beer bottles. I had used one and I like the old school, solid metal design of the Climax. The capper came with a box of vintage Gold Bond caps with the cork lining. The printed price on the box of caps is 49 cents. I bottled 3 gallons of a pale ale on Sunday (American pale malt, caramel, and Safale Yeast, but Saaz and Tradition hops. 5.9%. Euro/American Pale Ale? Yes…I digress). Anyway, I used 2 caps with the cork lining just to try them out. I would hate to mess up too much of a batch. I’ll see the results in 12 days. I have other caps, but if these work I might as well use them. Is there a verdict out there on using old cork bottle caps for new beer?
Gold Bond Cork Caps
- Thread starter Brewhandy
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My concern would be the possibility of getting off flavors or aromas that could possibility be absorbed into the cork material then released into your beer. You are testing them properly IMO by only capping a couple of bottles as a test. I don't think I would use them on anything like a delicate pilsner either way. Should be OK on a bigger beer but I wouldn't age anything with them for an extended period of time.
Cork does dry out. Does it still feel springy? Crumbly? Does a small fingernail impression self-heal?
Good point @DBhomebrew , I assume they are soaking them in a sanitizing solution prior to using them. We use corks for wine and some other beverages also. I always soak my corks in a starsan solution over night before use.. Your advise is spot on..
@Brewhandy the Climax capper is a rock solid unit, its built well and does a fantastic job. I got a box of those same caps with mine as well.
@Murph4231 So you are saying, you are a self admitted cork soaker? lol
@Murph4231 So you are saying, you are a self admitted cork soaker? lol
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Caps are cheap. The new caps have a plastic seal that when wetted with beer after capping is supposed to absorb O2 from the headspace.
Whether it works well for that or not I don't have any way to tell. But I sure don't have to worry about any off flavors or aroma's the old cork might impart.
But ultimately it's your choice. And there aren't that many beers to cap with that box so you potentially could use them up before this thread finishes the if's and's and but's.
Whether it works well for that or not I don't have any way to tell. But I sure don't have to worry about any off flavors or aroma's the old cork might impart.
But ultimately it's your choice. And there aren't that many beers to cap with that box so you potentially could use them up before this thread finishes the if's and's and but's.
Toss them. Caps are cheap. Those look old and could be full of microbes that could infect each bottle. Don’t risk good beer on old caps that you have no history on, they could have been stored in somebodies moldy old garage for years and years!
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