Oxygen absorbing caps

[Erroneous]

So you mean to say its okay not to sanitizer them? Or is it that they come Pre- sanitizer anyway ? I intend to use them in my current brew!

I don't sanitize mine. There's threads discussing that issue. If you intend to use oxygen absorption caps then don't use a liquid sanitizer if you want them to work as intended, which would be hard tell. If you're worried about the tiny chance of infection in some bottles then there's always oven or UV sterilization.

 

[bottlebomber]

I agree that unless you store your caps in chicken broth there is really no need to sanitize them.

 

[LBussy]

The O2 absorption comes (as a previous poster indicated) from an easily oxidized material, such as iron, present in or under the membrane (Cichello, 2010). To suggest that it will strip O2 from CO2 ignores science. Then again we've only known about yeast's role in fermentation for 156 of the past 3,800 years, so superstition plays a large role in brewing it would seem.

Having judged a good many beers, I can attest to the strong correlation between large amounts of headspace and oxidized taste profiles. It is possible the lack of care exhibited by a sloppy fill is the precursor to the off taste and not the headspace itself, but in my experience a careful brewer makes a lot less bad beer than a sloppy one.

I have tasted a good number of beers capped with these and I have not noted any metallic notes which really would have been my only concern. If it makes people feel better, great. It does no harm, may do some good, and that's a lot better than you can say about some of the gimmicks out there. The science is there for the examination in the food packaging industry so I don't see why it's such a stretch to make the case (excuse the pun) for using it in beer packaging.

Cichello, Simon Ph.D. (2012). "A Guide to Oxygen Absorbers". Wholesale Group International Pty Ltd. Retrieved February 9, 2013 from OxygenAbsorbers.net.

 

[unionrdr]

A prominent member here did a little test with not sanitizing o2 barrier caps. It was something like 1 out of 3 got infected. So I've been doing a quick dunk & onto the bottle. Maybe not filling 12 or so before crimping them would be a hair better? I know from experience that they are an improvement. Just need to maybe improve the ol' process a bit.

 

[cklages]

A prominent member here did a little test with not sanitizing o2 barrier caps. It was something like 1 out of 3 got infected. So I've been doing a quick dunk & onto the bottle. Maybe not filling 12 or so before crimping them would be a hair better? I know from experience that they are an improvement. Just need to maybe improve the ol' process a bit.

That is interesting. My suspicion is that starsan will not prematurely trigger the caps. I think it is only the strong oxidizers like PBW or other percarbonate types that would ruin them. That said if you are worried about oxidation you are likely not using one step as a no-rinse .

 

[eric19312]

There is another thread here somewhere. Star san and iodophor are fine for these caps. Keep them away from one step. PBW and Oxyclean aren't sanitizers. If your caps are dirty I think you should probably get a special cap cleaning brush,
. The are made from synthetic fibers. Avoid the natural fiber brushes, can harbor micro organisms. Doh.. JK if your caps are dirty don't use Them...