Bargain ales

[porter]

Hope this is in the correct section.
Just popped into my local Rythm & Booze store and picked up what i believe is a bit of a bargain.
How about a box of twelve ales from Wychwood?
Hobgoblin,which i rather like.A nice ruby number.
Goliath
Scarecrow
and Wychcraft.
3 of each type .I'm not familiar with the other three(2 are blonde types) but i'm looking forward to trying 'em.
It's almost worth the price of £11.99 for the empty bottles,the beer is a bonus! :

 

[whiter shade of ale]

Sounds good. Might check my local. Although i know some R&B shops are now franchises so have they're own individual offers. Also I've always had trouble with capping the Wychcraft bottles and i know others on here have had similar with the other Wychwood bottles. Just a word of warning, good price either way though... :

 

[oldbloke]

It's the same price, or close, to what Costco do when they have Wychwood boxes on offer. Dodgy capping with the 2lever ones, but fine with a bench capper. And I do rather like most Wychwood ales.

 

[porter]

Thanks for the heads-up on the bottles. Just my luck as I've got a two lever type capper. Not sure if I ought to get the other type of capper or not. Might come in handy in the future though. I don't want to be in a situation where I've filled a bottle and can't cap it.

 

[porter]

Ps. On a plus note, the few ales I've had so far are really interesting. The pale ales are really quite hoppy.
Different to my usual type of beers but nice. Variety is the spice of life and all that.

 

[oldbloke]

The only time I snapped the neck off a bottle was a Wychwood with a 2-lever capper.
But it was only one out of a whole batch - just take care! Scary when it happens though...
After that I switched to a cheap hammer-on capper until I could get hold of a bench capper.
With a bit of cushioning under the bottle and a rubber mallet, the hammer-on felt perfectly safe.

 

[sotonjack]

With the two lever one I put it on the best I can which doesn't secure it, then rotate the bottle through 90 degrees and repeat which seems to secure it. Did end up getting rid of those bottles though, even though I do like their shape and markings!

 

[porter]

Thanks for the tip.
I was thinking of sacrificing a few caps to try the rotating method but maybe i would be best forgetting about the Wychwood bottles and just carry on building my bottle collection with another tipple.
Are there any more unusual bottle types out there that don't suit the homebrewer?
Damn shame about those Wychwoods tho'.

 

[sotonjack]

With the twin level capper the badger brewery beers are no good either

 

[oldbloke]

Seriously, if your budget won't stretch to 30 quid for a bench capper, think about a fiver for a hammer-on. It felt just as safe (with suitable precautions) and was just as quick as the 2lever job. I always had to do the cap, rotate, re-tighten and it was hard work after the first gallon's-worth, I found it actually easier with the hammer-on.
And then you can use any bottles you like!

 

[porter]

Thanks for the tip on the hammer on type.I didn't realise they were about a fiver,not too bad but i'm regretting giving away or slinging all my old tackle years ago.
I'm now well onto the slippery slope of amassing more and more tackle now the hb bug has gotten hold of me again

 

[oldbloke]

Cheaper if you have the right kind of boot sales round your way. Never see owt good round here.