Starsan Caps $uck!

[stonebrewer]

Mine broke about a couple months in and I, like others have stated, found a substitute (soda bottle cap) and it has been in place for many years. I bought a gallon jug which I have used to refill my 32 ounce bottle (when it was about half empty) once in the last 6-8 years. I use mine until the PH goes out of range or gets crud in it (too many crickets for instance...before we got cats that is ) then pitch it and make a fresh batch...always have 5 gallons and a spray bottle on hand. Great product, packaging not so much.

 

[Thorsbrew]

The star san caps are those child proof ones. You're only supposed to tighten them until they click then you turn back the other way and make sure they're spinning freely and not loosening and that's that.

 

[jcav]

Oh they break alright, and I don't torque them down to tight either. I also store every new container in a zip lock bag just in case the new caps break. One time the container itself cracked and I poured the contents into a left over plastic Chinese take out soup container. I put that into a zip lock bag as well, just in case!

 

[schematix]

This has happened to every bottle of star san i've ever bought too. I don't do anything more than tighten to snug. I just figured the acid was corroding the plastic. I started to store the star san in a bag inside of a bin because it leaked and has ruined so many things in my houses.

 

[cbier60]

The star san caps are those child proof ones. You're only supposed to tighten them until they click then you turn back the other way and make sure they're spinning freely and not loosening and that's that.

As someone said earlier, the child-proof caps must be a relatively new introduction. I have had a 32oz bottle for a few years, and both caps have been broken for quite a while. I also have an 8 oz bottle I got in Feb this year that Starsan donated as prizes for our club's competition, and it does have the child-proof caps. Sounds like 5 Star has addressed the problem, but the old caps DO suck.

 

[helibrewer]

Yep, the top "disk" of the cap broke on my bottle long ago

 

[Singletrack]

Yeah, I broke mine too. I am, however, incredibly strong.

Here's my interesting side note. The caps from those old White Labs vials and the caps from 2 liter soda bottles both work the same, because those vials are actually preforms for the soda bottles. First they injection mold the preforms, then they blow mold the preforms to make soda bottles. White labs wisely latched onto those premade vials to store their yeast. Then, recently, they un-wisened with their new packaging.

Now that reminds me. I took a course in college that had one of those guys who thought the class was just a 2-way conversation between him and the prof. He was always asking stupid questions (yes, there actually ARE stupid question) and interrupting with worthless tidbits. Anyhow, one day, this guy interrupts the prof by saying, "Here's an interesting side note...," and the prof says, "I doubt it." I about choked.

...Hmmm. Not sure what reminded me of that.

 

[Yeastieboy]

My caps crack on every bottle before it's gone. Maybe cause I keep it in the garage where it gets in the 100s during summer.

 

[TX_Brewing]

Mine have cracked too.

 

[IslandLizard]

Now I too thought I was the only one...

I've long replaced the 2 caps from my 32oz dispenser bottle with better ones.

BTW, I measure the amount much more precisely than with the dispenser, using with a small graduate. Or with my newest discovery, an old clear (Fuji) film canister. Exactly 1 oz up to the "snap" line, very close to the top.

 

[Knkbrand]

My last 2 bottles the caps broke, the caps weren't over tightened. Funny thing is the cap is fine when placed on the bottle and stored. It's the next time I grab the bottle in 2-4 weeks I notice the top of the cap is cracked.

agreed, I had two caps break, but not when I tightened them. I can back a couple of weeks later, and the cap was cracked. maybe temp changes or atmospheric pressure i dunno, but I agree with OP.

 

[bionut]

Mine didn't brake, but the safety system won't let me open the cap again. I need to try a few times before it will open.

 

[Hanglow]

Yes they break easily, the old style caps were worse though

 

[mjdonnelly68]

Absolutely an issue. Always happens to me even when I try to be careful.

 

[Hackwood]

Happened to mine as well. I never REALLY tighten the cap, but went to get it a while back and it was broke. I, like others, thought it was just me......

 

[CrystallineEntity]

Mine broke too. The childproof caps must be somewhat new.

The caps on the small bottles of rubbing alcohol and peroxide are good substitutes.

 

[bobby4]

I thought it was just me, happens to me all the time. They always end up ringed in duct tape to hold them together.