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bottling with plastic screw-tops
i bottled a generic ale that i had brewed for summer drinking pleasure in platsic 1-litre screw top bottles. my reasoning was that this was going to be the beer i would guzzle after wokring all day in the hot sun, when i didn't really want something to heavy or strongly flavored. the homebrew equivalent of slamming a cool black label 16-ouncer after weed-whacking the yard.
i opened one yesterday that was completely flat, the top came off the bottle without breaking the seal. the cap came off in it's entirety. my quiestion is: what is the proper capping procedure witht these screw tops? anyone have any experience/tips?
did i fail to put the cap on fully, locking the seal? i would like to use these bottles for my fast-consumption brews, but would like to make sure i get the capping correct in the future.
I use A&W rootbeer bottles if I have over 2 cases and usually use these bottles as a guage as to how my glass bottles are carbonating....usually try one after a week. I've never had the problem you are experiencing....I even bought some extra caps, but haven't used them yet.....make sure you tighten them as tight as you can get them.....
GOODBREWING.....
Sometimes that plastic layer thinging under the cap gets screwed up during cleaning or whatever.
Just check that you still have it in there.
Extra caps like dartgod says would probably be a good idea.
this is my first experience with the plastic screw tops, so i was alittle light-handed in screwing the tops on. i was trepidacios, i didn't want to crack the seal in capping and have a busted out bottle of beer from the get-go.
next brew, i am putting those caps on using the kung-fu grip, baby!
Do the HUSTLE....the KUNG-FU hustle......
GOODBREWING......
I've had consistently bad luck with the 500ml amber plastic bottles. They just don't seem to keep nearly as tight a seal as glass. Consistently the beers I bottle in the 500ml plastic bottles are less carbonated and taste very flat compared to the glass. Now I only use the plastic for test bottles (about four per batch) so that I'll know for sure when the whole batch is carbonated and ready to drink.
How do the folks using these plastic bottles gauge proper head space?
As you know too much headspace can lead to over carbonation or bottle bombs. While to little headspace leads to under carbonation.
i leave an inch to an inch and a half of headspace, glass or plastic.
I had bought a pizza the other day and due to not having any cold beer on hand I decided to slum it and picked up a 6 pack of Miller Lite to wash it down......anyway they had it in brown 16oz plastic bottles and I figured what the heck I might be able to use these homebrewing......I'm kegging up some beer tonight and decided to try bottling with a couple of them......I've used other plastic bottles but these are heavier plastic and they take the new caps I have, and the labels came off nicely in some Oxy'Clean.....I might have to slum on a case or two, I sort of like these bottles, and I can take along some of my beers I bottle condition places I normally wouldn't and not have to worry about them breaking........ 
That is a good find. Maybe I can water my lawn with the Miller lite.
I really just don't like drinking adjunct beers like the classic american light lager. I have nothing against the style or the companies that produce it. I just don't like the taste of it.
Just like I also don't really care for dopplebock. See I am not playing favorites.
brewchez wrote:
That is a good find. Maybe I can water my lawn with the Miller lite.
I really just don't like drinking adjunct beers like the classic american light lager. I have nothing against the style or the companies that produce it. I just don't like the taste of it.
Just like I also don't really care for dopplebock. See I am not playing favorites.
I'll drink the beer for you for $1 a bottle!
brewchez wrote:
That is a good find. Maybe I can water my lawn with the Miller lite.
I really just don't like drinking adjunct beers like the classic american light lager. I have nothing against the style or the companies that produce it. I just don't like the taste of it.
Just like I also don't really care for dopplebock. See I am not playing favorites.
Since I started making my own beer I won't drink, Miller, bud or any of thos mass produced crap. I do drink Sam Adams (like it and I can use the bottles), and other micro brews. If the choice is mine when I take my wife out to eat it's to a brew pub so I can get some REAL beer.
DC
What about using the 1/2 gal growlers for bottling? Is there a trick for ensuring that the cap is on tight enough, or do you just have to wing it? I'd like to get some bigger bottles to take to parties or to use as gifts, but the thought of a plain ol' 22oz just doesn't seem to have the panache I am looking for. A growler, on the other hand, seems perfect. Except for the screw on cap thing. I've always been told to avoid these like the plague.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
DG
A growler is very enticing, and most LHBS will carry growler caps. Throw them in boiling water and screw them on real tight with a rubber jar opener/closer. Then hope like hell your beer is not overcarbed. I have done several using growlers and had 1 bomb, look at 1n1m3g,s pics and know the dangers do exist. That being said if you have a properly carbed non-infected beer all should be fine.
you can also get the 1/2 gallon growlers with the flip-top (grolsch style).
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