Having no luck with bottles

[THRobinson]

Well, decided I want to use glass bottles and having 0 luck finding any.

Tried Kijiji and Craig's list for my region with no luck, even have a 'wanted' ad posted. Called the local suppliers and only 1 place sells glass bottles, but with the twist-off tops.

Some online places in Canada but, costs a fair bit to ship 60 bottles, plus have a batch I need to bottle sooner than later.

So... from what I've read the hand-cappers don't work well with twist-off bottles as far as making a good seal is concerned. Plus some mentions of shattering the bottles because the glass is thinner.

Will the larger bench cappers work well with twist-offs? In the long (and possibly short) run, buying a bigger capper instead of a hand capper may be cheaper if means I can use regular beer bottles.

Can anyone give me any insight from first hand experience? maybe a name/model of some cappers that will work?

Right now I have no bottles or capper so, still time to switch my thinking towards using twist-offs if they work. If I get a bench capper, I'd need one that doesn't need mounted (live in an apartment so no where to bolt it to).

Thanks.

Also, I know plastic is an option, but I want glass.

 

[BendBrewer]

They sell Sierra Nevada up there?

 

[camiller]

From what I have heard, even with a bench capper you could expect a couple to not hold pressure out of every case. Have you thought about drinking yourself into bottles? Buy commercial beers that use pry-off caps and re-use the bottles. Enlist the help of friends if necessary.

 

[SD-SLIM]

Hello...you can re-use anything that is a pop top, but not a twist off...not only are the necks thinner on a twist off, the threads cannot successfully attach to cap....reason being that on a pop top the ridge is verticle and level... on a twist off they go downwards at an angle and this wont allow for the bottle cap to crimp along the ridge evenly.

 

[THRobinson]

I started to do that actually... sadly, bottling this weekend and I'm up to a whopping 12 bottles of the needed 60. Long term it'll work, short term, well... :S

 

[THRobinson]

Hello...you can re-use anything that is a pop top, but not a twist off...not only are the necks thinner on a twist off, the threads cannot successfully attach to cap....reason being that on a pop top the ridge is verticle and level... on a twist off they go downwards at an angle and this wont allow for the bottle cap to crimp along the ridge evenly.

Something has to work though on twist-offs... beer bottling plants all use them and the beer comes off the line just fine. I know they have a bigger capper than what we'd use, but... must be something out there.

 

[BendBrewer]

If you can find some twist on caps, that would work better than trying to force crowns onto them. Call you LHBS.

 

[Bobby_M]

You can cap twist offs with a bench capper. Just be really careful because the glass is thinner at the neck.

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

Guys come on now. He's in Canada. I've posted about this before:

Canadian refillable bottles (Labatt's, Molson etc) CAN be used to bottle homebrew with a handheld or bench capper. The glass is NOT thinner on those refillable bottles.

Just go to the LCBO or Brewers Outlet and ask them if they can sell you empties for the value of the deposit, explain to them that you're homebrewing. In Quebec I used to get cases of empties (in 92-97) for $2.40 per 24 ($0.10 deposit per bottle). Now they WILL be nasty, but if you clean them right, you can use them.

M_C

 

[Puckhead]

I recycled my 15 cases of bottles from a local beer fest after it was over.... Got to try lost of new favorites and keep al the bottles too

Sent from my iPhone using HB Talk

 

[THRobinson]

Ah nice... local brewery here bottles their own stuff with twist offs and sells them for $0.25 each new. They said they had no issues with loss of pressure. They also do home brews for the public (come in, make beer, come back in a few weeks and bottle) but said they used a big capper with the machine type deal.

So, CAN bottles differ from the USA? Would I need to order special caps for twist-off use or just regular ones will work?

I was looking at a capper like this style (if recommended)

http://www.mdhb.com/images/capper-red-baron.jpg

 

[kanzimonson]

How bout finding a restaurant that sells a lot of craft beer and seeing if they'll save the empties for you?

I used to collect bottles from Asian restaurants because I realized that when people go to Asian restaurants, they usually drink the Asian beers and they're almost all non-twist off.

 

[boo boo]

Do yourself a favour and buy yourself a bench capper.
I've been using Canadian bottles for over 20 years and have only broken a handful. The glass in our bottles are a lot thicker than some of the imports and as for twist offs... use them with regular crown caps like I do. I send them to competitions all around Canada and have never had one leak yet.

 

[THRobinson]

Might work, but smaller city, not many of those... plus as mentioned, I need to bottle this batch ASAP. For the next batch sure... but for the current one I'm looking for quicker options.

I even tried the Beer Store, and they said they don't have any of the peel-off top bottles. LCBO (our liquor stores in Canada) was my next bet.

However, if the Canadian bottles work with cappers... problem solved. Just hoping to get a few posts confirming that before I jump in and bottle.

 

[boo boo]

but for the current one I'm looking for quicker options.

I even tried the Beer Store, and they said they don't have any of the peel-off top bottles. LCBO (our liquor stores in Canada) was my next bet.

However, if the Canadian bottles work with cappers... problem solved. Just hoping to get a few posts confirming that before I jump in and bottle.

Have you tried your local bar?

 

[THRobinson]

Do yourself a favour and buy yourself a bench capper.
I've been using Canadian bottles for over 20 years and have only broken a handful. The glass in our bottles are a lot thicker than some of the imports and as for twist offs... use them with regular crown caps like I do. I send them to competitions all around Canada and have never had one leak yet.

I like the looks of the Super Agata bench capper, if regular bottles work I'll use the money saved and buy one... however, from what I can tell, they need to be mounted to a table.

As I mentioned, I'm in an apartment with no bench to mount to, and I think the landlord would get irate if I drilled into the counters.

Would they be sturdy/stable enough to use if I say mounted it to a 12"x12"x1" piece of wood?

 

[boo boo]

I use my bench capper free standing, but yes, you can mount it to a piece of wood to protect whatever you place it on.

 

[THRobinson]

Ah well, if free stand works I'll just throw a dish towel under it or something and save some wood.

Sounds good... I was going nuts wondering why every brew supply shop in my area sold caps, but insisted no one sells bottles. All the searches I did said you can't cap a twist-off properly, and I didn't know Canadian bottles were different than the USA.

I saw twist-off caps available, but I have about 150 normal caps I bought on clearance once, if they'll work even better.

Now, to find a local place that sells the Super Agata. Harder than it sounds... in this area we have many U-Brew wineries, not many sell beer related stuff, and even then it's usually limited to only Cooper's can-kits and plastic bottles. Toronto has a lot of stuff but, an hour away if traffic is good. :S

Thanks guys

 

[BeerEagle]

I use the Cooper's plastic bottles. I have about 240 of them and they are fantastic. They claim to have a clever formulation that allows oxygen to leech out while retaining the CO2. They are reusable, light and UV resistant. I also use glass bottles, but would be a bit careful using the screw-top bottles as the glass can tend to be a bit thin potentially creating bottle bombs.

To collect a supply of glass bottles, I place a box beside our local recycling bin with a poster on the bin asking people to put their 500ml brown bottles in the box. Check it every few days and reap the harvest.

Even with that size of bottle I have noticed that some of the UK brewers have started using lighter bottles so I weigh them. . 300 grams is too light. 500 grams is probably strong enough.

Please convert from metric to US measurements.

 

[THRobinson]

Please convert from metric to US measurements.

No worries... I'm Canadian, we're metric as well.

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

That's a fine idea, except that in Canada, beer bottles have a deposit, you'd probably not get a whole lot of bottles in that bin, and you'd get long fingers stealing them for the refund!

Canadian (refillable) twist-off's: very usable, very cappable.
Bench capper: Doesn't need to be bolted down at all. If using on a kitchen counter, just put a dish towel to prevent scratching the counter.
Caps: They all work fine.

M_C

To collect a supply of glass bottles, I place a box beside our local recycling bin with a poster on the bin asking people to put their 500ml brown bottles in the box. Check it every few days and reap the harvest.

 

[mikebowman]

That's a fine idea, except that in Canada, beer bottles have a deposit, you'd probably not get a whole lot of bottles in that bin, and you'd get long fingers stealing them for the refund!

Canadian (refillable) twist-off's: very usable, very cappable.
Bench capper: Doesn't need to be bolted down at all. If using on a kitchen counter, just put a dish towel to prevent scratching the counter.
Caps: They all work fine.

M_C

Agree with all this. I use regular Canadian twist offs with a bench capper that just sits on my kitchen table. Works great, haven't had a broken or uncarbed bottle yet

 

[THRobinson]

Does anyone know if a brand called 'The Ferarri' is any good?

I'm after a Super Agata, but locally can only find an Omega (out of stock) and one called a Ferarri which I've never heard of before but costs about $20 less. Though may be $20 less for a reason.

Actually just called another place that carries the same brand for $30, last place was $45... the place that sold the Omega was $60 and looked like a good capper but no stock and no ETA.

 

[camiller]

I believe that Ferarri is the manufacture that makes the super agata.

Edit: also the regular agata, which is manual height adjustment.

Edit2: Ferarri also makes the "colt" capper.

 

[Revvy]

Are there any non alcoholic carbonated beverages that come in crown capped bottles, like Jamaican Ginger beer? Or soft drinks, like often root beer comes in heavier dark glass bottles.

 

[THRobinson]

Yup... Stewarts, Dad's, etc... are all old fashion sodas that come in bottles but, a few people mentioned the Canadian bottles here will work fine, plus like I said, I need to bottle within the week so no way I can guzzle 60 sodas/beers...

Downside too is some of them have silkscreened labels so, can't get them off. Lame I know but I work as a graphic designer so, my own labels is a must.

 

[Revvy]

Starsan will remove some of the silkscreen paint off. Stone bottles in the us come off easily. SOme redstripe bottles as well.

 

[THRobinson]

Well, local beer stores don't sell bottles for legal reason (makes sense, no matter what, if something happens someone out there would sue) but managed to buy new bottles at a local brewery.

Also after calling 8 places, got apparently the last bench capper in the entire area.

Paranoid that the caps won't hold... I pried a few off as a test and they are on but, can't tell how well.

Anyone have any tips? or extra steps to take ensure a good seal?

 

[Deltac]

No worries... I'm Canadian, we're metric as well.

I pickup 24 x 500ml plastic bottles with caps from a store in Hamilton for less than $13 CND. I also Heiken bottles and Brava bottles...about 100

Deltac

 

[VAShooter]

I started to do that actually... sadly, bottling this weekend and I'm up to a whopping 12 bottles of the needed 60. Long term it'll work, short term, well... :S

I had the same problem recently and stepped up my game....Drink more and buy pints or double deuces!! Worked like a champ.

Or...Ask your friends to save their pop off bottles or even invite some people over to drink beers. 2 weeks ago I had a six pack of empties...With a little help from my friends and some dedication on my part I'm currently sitting on enough to bottle up about 7 gallons. :fro:

 

[bovineblitz]

If you get desperate you u can always use plastic soda bottles of any size. Seltzer water is a really cheap source of those bottles.