Switching to regular beer caps.

[PitRow]

What I have always wanted to know was when does this oxygen absorption occur? In my experience the package never come vacuum sealed, and I have never vacuumed sealed package after using a few for bottling. Does this mean that the caps are compromised? It all seems a little vague to me.

That's what I've been curious about as well. Exactly how much oxygen can these things absorb before they're bad? Seems like all the time sitting in unsealed containers is just wasting their ability.

Anyway, I guess the only real way to tell if they do any good is for someone to brew a batch of beer and bottle half with regular caps and half with oxy caps, and do a side-by-side test at various intervals and see if there's any noticeable difference.

 

[unionrdr]

They have to be wetted to activate. So after crimping the cap on the bottle, I tip it once to wet it. I've noticed hoppy beers keep a couple weeks longer with the o2 caps versus regular ones. I used up my regular caps when switching to the o2 ones on a pale ale & they worked out as described.

 

[GHBWNY]

They have to be wetted to activate. So after crimping the cap on the bottle, I tip it once to wet it. I've noticed hoppy beers keep a couple weeks longer with the o2 caps versus regular ones. I used up my regular caps when switching to the o2 ones on a pale ale & they worked out as described.

I put a batch of crowns in a bowl of StarSan immediately before bottling. My understanding is that if they are wetted too soon before using, it will de-activate the O2 feature.

 

[myelo]

Does anyone have any links to some data that O2 absorbing caps actually make any sort of difference? I haven't been able to find any good studies on this.

 

[Hoppity]

When I was a kid, the premium imports (Beck's, Heineken et. al.) were sold with cork caps and foil covers. Domestics and lesser imports were moving toward twist-off technology, but it hadn't become mainstream yet. Many people would return the bottles in the sturdy cardboard cases for credit in the absence of a $0.05 government-mandated deposit. Brewers would get their bottles back and the customers would just pay for the beer (think keg deposits now) it may have been $0.10/bottle surcharge IIRC.

When I was really young, I witnessed the transition from Church-key to pop-top canned beverages, although I was drinking soda then. I remember being disappointed when Beck's stopped using corked caps. I have no idea if O2 absorbing caps work either, but thought I'd take this stroll down memory lane.

 

[unionrdr]

I just dunk'em in starsan right before placing on the bottle. Then crimp the cap, tip the bottle once & into the box. I found this PDF y'all might like to read; http://cdn.intechopen.com/pdfs-wm/38354.pdf
****Here's a kicker, an excerpt from the PDF I listed. " The
increasing popularity of oxygen scavenging polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, bottle
caps and crowns for beers and other beverages has greatly contributed to this impressive
growth (Anon., 2005).
Overall, oxygen absorbing technology is based on oxidation or combination of one of the
following components: iron powder, ascorbic acid, photosensitive polymers, enzymes, etc.
These compounds are able to reduce the levels of oxygen to below 0.01%, which is lower
than the levels typically found (0.3-3%) in the conventional systems of modified atmosphere,
vacuum or substitution of internal atmosphere for inert gas (Cruz et al., 2007). A summary
of the most important trademarks of oxygen scavenger systems and their manufacturers is

 

[DennisinIowa]

Fishing lures aren't meant to catch fish, they are meant to catch fishermen.
D

 

[jrowland74]

I wish I had a lhbs. Where I live, I wouldn't be able to brew if it wasn't for the online retailers. And for them I am grateful. The closest thing to a lhbs is 60 miles away. It is the home brew section of a Liqueur Barn.

Lexington also has a LHBS, Lexington Beerworks. The store is above a bar, and is open anytime the bar is open! It's a small store, but they carry the essentials. If you are making the trip, I would suggest calling first to make sure they have what you need. If they don't, they will order it for you. The Liquor Barn home brew section is ok, but I wouldn't personally buy my grains there, as I don't see them selling a lot of it, so what they have is probably pretty old. If you go there, make sure you go to the Beaumont Centre location... for some reason they are the only one out of, I think, 4 Lex locations with home brew supplies.

 

[C-Rider]

I wish I had a lhbs. Where I live, I wouldn't be able to brew if it wasn't for the online retailers. And for them I am grateful. The closest thing to a lhbs is 60 miles away. It is the home brew section of a Liqueur Barn.

I have to drive about 36 miles to the only one on the island. Given the traffic on this little rock it's like an hour each way.

Back to topic, I've only use regular gold colored caps.

 

[Chadwick]

I've received my order of colored caps. It's final, I'm making the switch. At least for the next 6-7 batches. Can't remember how many colors I ordered. I think one of each plus the ones that looked like flags. I figured each bag of 50 would just about do one full 5 gallon batch. There may be some left over, eh. I'll use them somewhere eventually.

I'll still be wetting them with star san before I cap them on the bottle, so the process I have will remain unchanged. It will be nice to not have to hunt the sharpie to mark all the bottles before I put them away. I can color code it now! :rockin:

 

[fuelish]

Yeah, the whole "moisture activated" thing sticks in my mind from the past, they're inactive until wet. My lhbs only has the oxygen absorbing caps, price is fair enough, only a couple miles away (his supplies are pretty basic, it's a microbrewery in town with a sideline of homebrew supplies....have to drive up to "the big city" to get many things (lhbs doesn't cater to wine/mead makers), but that's only like a 25 minute trip each way (local place is about 2 miles, and I can always try one of their beers when I "shop").....they only have )2 absorbing caps as well...I patronize both of them for various things, as I prefer to contribute to a local business to help them be in business when I truly need something due to lack of foresight on my part on a brew day, or something. You know, like when you NEED a hydrometer NOW, and your son dropped it in the sink and broke it, or something

 

[GHBWNY]

Fishing lures aren't meant to catch fish, they are meant to catch fishermen.
D

I've been hooked by a lot of lures over the years