Swing top bottles

[BamaProud]

I picked up 128 16-oz Swing top(Grolsch-style) bottles for 50 bucks. (Craigslist) I have never used them, but it seemed like a great deal. Gonna be bottling in style this Spring.

Anyone have any do's/don't when using them, pro's/cons as compared to regular bottles/crowns.

 

[slym2none]

I'll take the obvious one - don't leave them full of beer in the sunlight.

 

[Moose_MI]

2nd most obvious.....don't try to use your red wing capper....it will just frustrate you

 

[seabrew8]

Looks like an awesome deal! I have 2 dozen swing tops myself with 12 - 32oz bottles which take longer to carb but you shouldn't have that issue.

 

[EDF713]

I had a similar CL find last July, I can remember the joy you are experiencing! One other thing to check is the gaskets. Over time they wear out and leak, leaving flat beer. My LHBS had replacement gaskets and they don't cost much.

 

[shelly_belly]

Don't soak them in oxy-cleaner for days like I did - it will knock the shiny off of the metal. I don't believe the bails are stainless. But mine are the 1 liter blue ones.

 

[Yooper]

Check out the gaskets and if they seem worn, buy new ones, or turn the ones on them over. Of course, sanitize them at bottling.

 

[TaylorT]

Perhaps another obvious thing: How you open them can matter. It might be obvious to someone who's bought beer in swing-tops before, but I had never dealt with them until I started home brewing.

I didn't really know how you were supposed to opened one when it was carbed, although I knew not to point the top at anything/anyone.

The first few I opened by tilting the bottle away from me, with the wire bail facing away from me (so it would swing open away). Then pushed on the bottom of the wire with each thumb....don't do that! Even on beers that didn't seem to be overly carbed, it sent the entire top flying across the room :smack:

A better way seems to be holding the bottom of the bottle in one hand, with the wire facing the opposite side. Then use the other hand to slowly rotate the wire upward. I haven't had flying swing-tops since!

 

[BamaProud]

Love the bottles so far. It took less than 20 mins to bottle 6 gallons of Apfelwein: