twist offs

[z987k]

I've been reading some posts, on whether twist off bottles are okay to use to bottle with. I've seen that they may leak during carbonation and you'll have flat beer. Others have said they have no problems.
I've got a huge supply since my roommate drinks a lot of leinenkugel honey weiss. What's the consensus?

 

[DeadYetiBrew]

Usually it's a resounded "why risk it?"

I know from testing that a Sierra Nevada will hold water and with some baking soda and vinegar it will hold that pressure... However, the Sierra Nevada and either Brooklyn of Shipyard (i de-labeled before i realized so i'm not sure) bottles, are my backups in case I break or mis-count bottles... Last resort... And i say again, Why Risk Having Flat Beer?

 

[Onescalerguy]

We use twisters with no problems.I'd prefer pop-tops but we can't get enough when we're brewing once or twice a week.We're practically dumpster diving as is,just to get enough,so we can't be too choosy.
Cheers

 

[Cool One]

I use all twist off bottles and no problems yet. I have some beer a year old in twist off. You should have a good bench capper to get a good seal, without breaking the bottle.

 

[dibby33]

I use twist offs but I am going towards the pulloffs just in case. I have NEVER had a problem with leaking, infact this may account for no bottle bombs?

 

[DeadYetiBrew]

But let's face it... All bottles, twist off and pop off are inferior to swing top...

 

[dibby33]

i just scored 48 grolsch - just posted new thread bragging!

 

[DeadYetiBrew]

i just scored 48 grolsch - just posted new thread bragging!

Oh, you so suck...

 

[z987k]

Usually it's a resounded "why risk it?"

I know from testing that a Sierra Nevada will hold water and with some baking soda and vinegar it will hold that pressure... However, the Sierra Nevada and either Brooklyn of Shipyard (i de-labeled before i realized so i'm not sure) bottles, are my backups in case I break or mis-count bottles... Last resort... And i say again, Why Risk Having Flat Beer?

Thats a great Idea w/ the baking soda and vinegar. I'll have to try that out on em before I try using one.

Thanks,
Zach

 

[eriktlupus]

what about the pet bottles bmc starting to use?

 

[shbrewer]

Oh, you so suck...

I second that.. It sucks that a four pack in Mass is $7.49 without bottol deposit.

 

[swirly_boy]

so twist off bottles just take normal crown caps? I have a decent ammount of pop tops and good old bottles but i think i have a little to much brew for my bottles....if i end up without enough bottles and i just use my regular capper and caps on the twist offs it should work?

 

[MA_Brewer]

so twist off bottles just take normal crown caps? I have a decent ammount of pop tops and good old bottles but i think i have a little to much brew for my bottles....if i end up without enough bottles and i just use my regular capper and caps on the twist offs it should work?

Most of the time...yes. Test it out before you clean/sanitize/fill the bottles - just to be sure.

 

[LIONS_FAN2539]

i used some miller and coors with not a problem. in fact there 16oz,so you fly through a batch. i like em.

 

[Bobby_M]

I just want to reiterate that the twist offs don't work with a regular two handle capper because there isn't that bulge in the bottle for the capper to grab onto. A bench capper obviously squeezes the bottle between the cap and the bottom of the bottle so that should work OK.

 

[zoebisch01]

Yeah I just purchased a case of bottled beer. They are twist offs gah. Unibroue sells twistoffs. heh. But they are bottle refermented so the glass is much heavier. I am going to weigh it and see the difference from a standard bottle. Anyways, hopefully they work, I'll let y'all know if I remember to.

 

[boo boo]

I just want to reiterate that the twist offs don't work with a regular two handle capper because there isn't that bulge in the bottle for the capper to grab onto. A bench capper obviously squeezes the bottle between the cap and the bottom of the bottle so that should work OK.

I'll have you know that I have bottled aprox. 500 dozen beer with a wing capper using local twist off type bottles. I now have a bench capper and do admit it is easier to cap with and I now use as many pop top bottles as I can get.
Another thing to consider is that here in Canada, our bottles are slightly thicker so breakage isn't as much an issue. Over that peroid of time I did cap with the wing capper, I broke the neck off of 3 or 4 bottles.
I can also say that in all that time I have never had a flat beer due to a cap failure.

 

[z987k]

Well I can possibly see where the problem comes in with the wing capper and twist offs.
I capped 4 bottles tonight that I poured some pop into, and I'll check tomorrow morning if there are flat. I noticed that with the twist off's, I can unscrew them extremely easy, so I'm leary about it.

 

[z987k]

Ok, all 4 bottles held the carbonation from the pop over 24hours, so I'm guessing they will be alright. This was done with that red barron wing caper. Also, I couldn't twist them off nearly as easy today. Like it pressurized a bit and made them not come off as easy. I'm going to go ahead and use them with my first brew.

 

[Alamo_Beer]

good luck........i'd be REALLY scared about being able to unscrew it so easily...

I mean your not just running the risk of flat beer but contaminated nasty ass weird chunky beer


ok i made most of that up but still I don't know if i would trust it

I know your probubly jonesing to try your first brew but you can leave it in secondary for a while longer while you collect or buy more bottles...just don't wait TOO long


why not go out and buy some swingtops? the 1 liter ones are dang cool and would make bottling to REALLY quickly

take it easy and good luck

 

[z987k]

I know, but it can be so hard to find non-twist off's. I've been saving bottles for awhile now, but all the bottles are twist off except the sam adams. I've got blue moon bottles, sierra nevada, tons of liney's. Might stop by the lhbs and see if they have any, $10 for 24 i guess isn't bad. Plus if I get a large supply, I could get another one in the primary soon, not having to worry about not having enough bottles come time.

Oh and I just racked to the secondary yesterday so I have time.

 

[eriktlupus]

does il. have bottle deposit? if so go to your local beer shop that carries micros and ask if you can pay back deposit on some! mi is $.10 per bottle i go in and walk out with 3-4 cases most anytime.:rockin:

 

[z987k]

No they don't.

 

[zoebisch01]

Ok my findings for those that are interested:

Standard American Brown pop-top (12 oz) ~ 208g
Unibroue Brown twist-top (12 oz) ~275g
Orval (11.2 oz) ~375g

I would have wieghed out my 16 oz returnables but everything else is 12 oz.

 

[z987k]

Out of curiosity is there such a thing as a twist-top bottle caper, like to put twist off's back on?

 

[brewman !]

I'm going to bottle tonight. To my horror, I looked in my bottle stash and found a bunch were twisties. It just test capped some and the caps turn off really easy. I've got a bench capper like this one:

http://morebeer.com/product.html?product_id=15676

I think these things are junk or maybe I am too strong. I can see the upright flex against the base. And then when I go to take the bottle out, it sticks in the head and I have to wrestle it out. And still the cap loosens easily.

HELP !

 

[jdcoffman]

Quick, drink a couple cases of Poptops! lol, that's my advice for ya brewman

 

[brewman !]

Quick, drink a couple cases of Poptops! lol, that's my advice for ya brewman

Me "Hey, wife... I'm going to the liquor store."

Her "What for ?"

Me "I need some non twist off bottles for bottling tonight."

Her "I didn't think they sold empties"

Me "They don't. We'll have to empty them !"

*laughs.

 

[jdcoffman]

ha! yep that's what I was thinking. I'm alone this weekend so I'm dipping into my strategic reserves while the gf is away ;-) (think she'll notice that some of our oldest wine and beer is gone?)

 

[brewman !]

*chuckle. Strategic reserves. Thats funny.

I scrounged around and found 30 identical pop off bottles. I need to buy a bunch more and return my cleaned screw top bottles. Too bad, because they are all nice and clean too, ready to use.