Grolsch Gasket Replacement........How often??

[Owly055]

I've been having carbonation issues increasingly, so I'm replacing all my Grolsch gaskets. My bottles are ALL EzCap bottles, many of them dating back a year. I will occasionally see a bottle during bottle conditioning that has a few bubbles moving upward.... an obvious indication of a leaking gasket, but I'm sure there are many I missed. I ordered a few hundred gaskets from Farmhouse Brewing, and plan to replace every one as I cycle through them... except for the newest ones. The force that is required to flip the bail is my only way to tell new from older ones. Anything I open that is flat will automatically get a new gasket.... I am getting a few flat bottles.

I know us EzCap folks are a minority here, but I'd like to hear from others on this topic.


H.W.

 

[UpstateMike]

You should be able to get at least 3 uses out of the gaskets.

When my fliptop bottles are empty, I remove the gaskets, boil them, dry them, and then store them in a ziplock bag until I am ready to use them again.

 

[Owly055]

You should be able to get at least 3 uses out of the gaskets.

When my fliptop bottles are empty, I remove the gaskets, boil them, dry them, and then store them in a ziplock bag until I am ready to use them again.

Obviously I have used mine far more than that. I never have more than enough bottles for a brew, and I usually brew at least once a week. That means that removing the gaskets for that time interval would be pointless. I do however frequently flip them.

If three uses is considered typical, it's no wonder I'm having problems.........


H.W.

 

[UpstateMike]

Not sure if 3 is typical, but that's what I'm up to on my fliptops.

 

[UpstateMike]

Found some guidelines from Midwest Supplies.

The rubber gasket seals will last for up to 10 uses or more before wearing out.

Replace the rubber gasket if:
• There are visible cracks
• There is mold growth at any time
• The gasket has become thin
• The gasket has failed to seal on previous use
• If you receive Swing top bottles from someone else and are unsure of the gasket age

 

[Owly055]

Found some guidelines from Midwest Supplies.

The rubber gasket seals will last for up to 10 uses or more before wearing out.

Replace the rubber gasket if:
• There are visible cracks
• There is mold growth at any time
• The gasket has become thin
• The gasket has failed to seal on previous use
• If you receive Swing top bottles from someone else and are unsure of the gasket age

This is really good information....... Thanks.


H.W.

 

[OleBrewing]

You could use some food grade keg lube to keep the gaskets from drying out. Wouldn't take much to rub some in

 

[Owly055]

You could use some food grade keg lube to keep the gaskets from drying out. Wouldn't take much to rub some in

I don't see "drying out" but I do see permanent compression marks.


H.W.

 

[AEL]

I see a thinning and color change (turns a darker, shinier red) on mine when I see loss of carbonation. I typically try to use flip top bottles when I expect to drink it within 4 weeks after the carbonation period (3-4 weeks). That is, within 8 weeks of adding sugar and bottling. I don't get 10 uses, maybe 5 or 6. I wish they lasted longer. I like the flipping suggestion. I'm going to try that. Thanks for the idea, H. W.

AEL

 

[AEL]

By the way, I've been brewing over 30 years, but only started with flip top growlers (1L and 2L) for a few years. I'm reticent to purchase too many gaskets at a time so they don't dry out and get bad before I use them. In a sealed bag, how long have others kept gaskets before using them for the first time?

AEL

 

[Broken Crow]

 

[sibelman]

I used to use swing tops a lot. I only culled gaskets that had become stiff. I had no seal failures. In my experience they can last for years.

 

[Broken Crow]

I see a thinning and color change (turns a darker, shinier red) on mine when I see loss of carbonation. I typically try to use flip top bottles when I expect to drink it within 4 weeks after the carbonation period (3-4 weeks). That is, within 8 weeks of adding sugar and bottling. I don't get 10 uses, maybe 5 or 6. I wish they lasted longer. I like the flipping suggestion. I'm going to try that. Thanks for the idea, H. W.

AEL

Welcome to the funhouse of HBT!
...I gotta ask though: You're the fourth or fifth new person I've seen here, sign up today seemingly to post on a dead thread. Is there some website mirroring old content or something?

 

[AEL]

No. I did a search because I had a 1L seal issue, and wanted to know what others found with flip tops in terms of life. I never checked thread age. But, as a home brewer, I have over 30 years experience brewing (to the accolades of amateurs and professional brew masters, alike). Unfortunately, I'm new to flip tops and their rubber seals. Was looking for information.

AEL

 

[odie]

I have a couple dozen or so Grolsch bottles. Never ever replaced a gasket. They don't get "heavy" use but they are a few years old and still seal fine.

 

[Deadalus]

By the way, I've been brewing over 30 years, but only started with flip top growlers (1L and 2L) for a few years. I'm reticent to purchase too many gaskets at a time so they don't dry out and get bad before I use them. In a sealed bag, how long have others kept gaskets before using them for the first time?

AEL

I bought a bag of 100 about 4 years ago and still have over half of them that were not used. The bag is not sealed. I would have no qualms about using them, they appear perfectly fine. I don't bottle much anymore to offer repeat use averages but I would just replace them when they were cracked, distorted, or thinned out. I did use them more frequently in the past, but in the time between my hiatus from homebrewing, they appear to have changed the composition. They were more rubbery in the past (20+ years ago), although perhaps it is manufacturer specific.