homebrewandbeer.com

Maybe,

Rumour has it they are here to though

(velcro gloves and wellington boots)

Dogger

Being a real novice at this beer brewing (female) and not willing to spend a lot of money on something that may not continue (my man says it will) I collected about 120 twist off caps (used) dunked them in sterilizer, let them dry then applied them to stubbies with a plastic twist-off opener. Gave them a firm tweak to ensure they were sealed. The brew seems to be quite well gassed and not at all flat. I know, all you long time brewers will say "Dont do it on the cheap" and "caps are cheap enough" but $50 is a lot of money when there is only one income (mine) at the moment. When my man gets back to work (hip replacement) maybe we will slurge on a capper.
When I find that the stubbies are losing their gas I will then use the USED caps to make a LAGERPHONE for the kids at the local kindergarten

My wife's cousin has been experimenting recently with reusing caps, and seems to be having no problems.

He's new to brewing and is building up his collection of bottles by drinking commercial beer. He twists off the caps and rinses them, then sterilises and twists them on when he bottles his homebrews.

As the saying goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Carry on.

Oliver

Its the plastic that makes the seal, as long as that is tight all will be good I think. (Look at it as a plastic twist off, we all reuse them don't we?)

Dogger

nanna Gail wrote:Being a real novice at this beer brewing (female) and not willing to spend a lot of money on something that may not continue (my man says it will) I collected about 120 twist off caps (used) dunked them in sterilizer, let them dry then applied them to stubbies with a plastic twist-off opener. Gave them a firm tweak to ensure they were sealed. The brew seems to be quite well gassed and not at all flat. I know, all you long time brewers will say "Dont do it on the cheap" and "caps are cheap enough" but $50 is a lot of money when there is only one income (mine) at the moment. When my man gets back to work (hip replacement) maybe we will slurge on a capper.
When I find that the stubbies are losing their gas I will then use the USED caps to make a LAGERPHONE for the kids at the local kindergarten

Nothing at all wrong with doing that. I've re-used caps quite a few times. Sometimes you will find they bind up on the glass threads and you will need to lever them off with a bottle opener. (I figured any cap was better than the hopeless "hammer" type cappers I was using).

As soon as you can afford a lever action capper you'll never bother re-using caps. They a so easy & simple (not to mention fast).

seeya,
Shane L.

Hi gang. I haven't posted in this forum before, but I discovered that I'm registered. Either my fairy godmother registered me, or I was pissed and don't remember.

Anyway, after my first batch with the PET bottles, I screwed the tops back on my stubbies for about 8 or 9 brews. Occasionally I found a flat one, but not many.

I used to tilt them to see if there was a dribble, and if not, I'd give it about 10 shakes. Sometimes if there was a very slight leak, you would see a bit of froth coming out a couple of minutes later. If one leaks, take the top off and put another one on.

When I started bulk priming, I found that because I wasn't shaking, not all were sealing. I had 10 or more leakers in my first bulk primed brew.

It's easier to prime bottles than it is to bulk prime anyway. When you bulk prime, you have to sanitise the fermenter that you use as bottling bucket, then wash them both out again later.

If you do try re-using screw tops, make sure you rinse and dry them before storing in a jar or whatever. If you don't rinse properly they will mould, and if you don't dry properly they will rust.

Can some one please expalin how it takes longer to sanitize and wash a priming bucket than trying to eye ball 40, 500 ml bottles with a tsp of sugar?

I am thinking we have a different way of sanitizing

Thanks Dogger

> Can some one please expalin how it takes longer to sanitize and wash a priming bucket than trying to eye ball 40, 500 ml bottles with a tsp of sugar?

Sugar container on bench near bottles in cartons, teaspoon in one hand, dry sanitised funnel in the other, work you work systematically around 30 X 750ml bottles: much faster (certainly in elapsed time, and possibly also in actual consumed time) than sanitise, rack onto bulk prime fluid, re-siphon/drain into bottles, wash all after. At least in my experience. Requires two hands, one functional eye, a degree of manual dexterity and sobriety, ....

Not trying to change anyone's mind, but you asked.

peterd

Sorry,

I can sanitize and transfer inside of 10 minutes especially as I use the same pail that I sanitize bottles in for transfering the beer to. The bulk prime material is added during the transfer so it mixes, there is no requirement to have it there before the transfer starts. I don't see the re syphon part, you can fill straight from the pail.

The transfer into the bottles is equal, we both have to do it.

Just me. I like my way and have it to an art it, you have obviously perfected yours. Still love everyone, and we all get carbonated beer



Dogger

Dogger Dan wrote:Can some one please expalin how it takes longer to sanitize and wash a priming bucket than trying to eye ball 40, 500 ml bottles with a tsp of sugar?

I am thinking we have a different way of sanitizing

Thanks Dogger

I have a lever action sugar measurer. You just dip the end of it in each bottle and twist the lever. It deposits the exact amount of sugar in each bottle with great ease.

What I do is boil the kettle, rinse about half the bottles in boiling water (at which point I run out of boiling water). Chuck the kettle back on to boil, prime each cleaned bottle with the sugar dispenser ..... Go sit down and watch some telly until the kettle has finished. Clean the rest of the bottles and prime them ..... Seriously the priming adds no extra time to the steralising of bottles (none at all). IMO this is MUCH faster than steralising another fermenter and racking into that.

However the beer comes out more consistant if you rack it into a second fermenter ...... I guess which ever way you personally find easier is the best.

seeya,
Shane L.