R twist tops ok????

[nath76]

I'm very new at this and have many questions that I need answering, first eva brew is in the fermenter as I speek.
1...r twist bottles (tallies) ok to cap??...
2..my 1st brew is very,very basic......it consists of, 1.can of Morgans Queenslander Bitter,1kg of dextrose, 1 packet of yeast (from can) my question is this....will my first brew turn out ok?? I sure hope so

any help would be great
cheers
NATH76.

[rwh]

I'm very new at this and have many questions that I need answering, first eva brew is in the fermenter as I speek.
1...r twist bottles (tallies) ok to cap??...

What sort of capper do you have? If you have a bench capper, they're fine. The hammer-type ones tend to smash the thinner twist top bottles.

2..my 1st brew is very,very basic......it consists of, 1.can of Morgans Queenslander Bitter,1kg of dextrose, 1 packet of yeast (from can) my question is this....will my first brew turn out ok?? I sure hope so

Hang on, didn't I just answer this question?

[nath76]

Thanks RWH for ur reply.........im new at this but am already hooked.

[nath76]

I only have a hammer type one.....and have twist top bottles (750 ml) xxxx.........will that be ok
I also have PET bottles and the caps that came with them, are they ok,im kind of funny about using plastic bottles for beer.

Thanxs Nath76

[rwh]

I only have a hammer type one.....and have twist top bottles (750 ml) xxxx.........will that be ok

It'll work, but like I said, you run the risk of smashing them with a hammer capper. I personally wouldn't do it as I don't want shards of glass flying around anywhere near me. Just go spend $50 on a proper bench capper. It's totally worth it, trust me. Get a superautomatica; they're the best.

I also have PET bottles and the caps that came with them, are they ok,im kind of funny about using plastic bottles for beer.

Yep, they're fine. The only issue is that they don't survive super-long periods (they very very slowly lose pressure), but provided you drink the beer before it's been in the bottles 6 months, you should be fine. The brown Coopers plastic bottles are better than softdrink bottles as they've got extra coatings on them. Also, if you bottle in clear bottles, make sure you keep the beer out of the light as it won't have the same protection that the brown glass provides.

[warra48]

For your first brew, use the PET bottles. They are easy to use and cap. They will keep your beer perfectly well. Even though I brew all grain, I still use them occasionally if I have a concern over my final gravity.

Twist top tallies are OK, but the glass tends to be lighter or thinner than the older rollneck types. I wouldn't use a hammer capper on them. Get yourself down to your local HB shop, and buy a Superautomatica bench capper. They'll set you back about $50 to $60, but will last you a lifetime, and make bottling a lot easier and safer.

[aurelius121ad]

I agree - beer in plastic just doesnt seem right but PET bottles do work.

I don't know if twist tops will work or not with a hammer capper but you can always give it a try now BEFORE your brew is done then decide if you need to invest in something different. Pour some Coke or crappy beer in a bottle and cap it. Then shake it and see if it holds pressure - but do it outside in case it doesn't!

I do highly recomend the bench capper method though. I capped one batch a few months ago when I started before I got my bench capper with a borrowed hammer capper. It definitly worked but was a complete pain in the ass to do. As you hammer sometimes the beer starts to foam and that gets messy, plus I was nervous about hammering glass even though I put a piece of wood under it to help absorb the force of the shock. The bench capper is much easier to to use, I would find it hard to believe if there is anyone who has used a hammer capper for an extended period of time.

[gregb]

Please don't use the hammer capper with twist top bottles.

A bench capper is money well spent on brew kit.

Cheers,
Greg

[KEG]

i'd go as far as saying that if you're going to use a hammer capper, you need to use thick tough leather gloves for safety's sake. if the glass breaks, your hand goes down with it, you've suddenly cut tendons and lost good function of that hand, along with a whole lot of blood. and if you're going to persist with the hand capper, definitely sit the bottles on some soft wood, e.g a piece of pine.

[nath76]

I think I will give the hammer capper the boot,it came with the kit that my misses bought me last friday. After I get her to read how dangerous they are maybe she might go out and get me a bench capper.
Also is it always needed to prime the bottles...like even when i use dextrose in the wort??? Im in nth qld and the fermometer is reading a constant 25' temp...???

[KEG]

unless you're making a super strong barleywine that you plan to age for many years, you need to prime the bottles.

[39Niner]

I agree - beer in plastic just doesn't seem right but PET bottles do work.

Anyhow.

My primary, secondary and bulk primer are plastic.
My racking hose, bottler, airlock & blow off tube (careful with that) are plastic.
My scales, measuring bowls & jugs and stirring spoon are plastic.
I chill my brew water in plastic milk bottles.
I use brown PET bottles and have never replaced a cap in 90 brews.
I decant, if I have to, into a plastic jug and I drink from a plastic (glass).

The only thing I have in glass is the hydrometer.
Also my can opener is part metal and plastic.

If I take the grandkids to a club's play area. I have to drink out of plastic anyway.

Before I get flamed, I do put eight out of each batch in glass bottles to mature.

The rest go in a week anyway.

Everyone to their own.