- Joined
- Oct 24, 2014
- Messages
- 540
- Reaction score
- 52
This is my "useful tips for other newbies" post no.1 (Old Timers already know what I'm still finding out).
Before starting my first brew I put in at least the equivalent of a 40 hr week doing my research with books, blogs and old forum threads.
And it's surprising just how much I still didn't know. I've just bottled my first brew (hooray!), a Coopers Stout. I have this crown capper:
http://www.tesco.com/direct/youngs-beer-bottle-capper-boxed/213-5232.prd?pageLevel=&skuId=213-5232
And a pack of Youngs crown caps. I also had a fistful of different caps, make unknown, that were given to me by an ebay seller when I bought his used fvs. Apart from colour there was no visible dfference from the Young's caps.
The bottles were all Shepherd Neame Double Stout (delicious) which saved me the mind-numbing chore of de-labelling (because I was botttling a stout). Yes, lazy old sod.
Here's what I found:
1) The Young's caps all fitted theShepherdNeame bottles, albeit not always readily. Some went on much easier than others and I often had to try two or three times. And a couple of attempts had to be finished off with a 'hammer' capper, like this one: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/crown-bottle-capper-/121495239038?pt=UK_Home_Garden_Food_SM&hash=item1c49ae397e
As low tech as you could get and you sure wouldn't want to cap 40 bottles with it, but invaluable on this occasion. If you can get one cheap enough it's a useful back-up. Unless you fork out for a bench capper. They, apparently, are the best and work with all bottles and caps (allegedly) but expensive at £30 ish http://www.colchesterhomebrew.co.uk...od_1814636-Colt-Counter-Top-Capper-Black.html
The donated caps could not be fitted AT ALL with my Young's capper and the Neame bottles. Tried many times, no dice, Gave up.
2) The Young's capper worked MUCH better with other bottles. Marston, Theakston, Batemans and McEwans all readily accepted both the Young's caps and the unknown ones when fitted with the Young's capper/.
I've no way of knowing if a different capper would have fared better with the Shepherd Neame bottles (and the unknown caps) but if you're just starting out and getting your equipment together, I strongly recommend that you test your capper and caps with your saved 'empties'. If they don't work together you'll need to change at least one of them. Don't wait till bottling day to find out like I did.
And if you DO do what I did, have some empty Tesco or Asda 2l plastic No Frills water bottle standing by.
Good luck.
Before starting my first brew I put in at least the equivalent of a 40 hr week doing my research with books, blogs and old forum threads.
And it's surprising just how much I still didn't know. I've just bottled my first brew (hooray!), a Coopers Stout. I have this crown capper:
http://www.tesco.com/direct/youngs-beer-bottle-capper-boxed/213-5232.prd?pageLevel=&skuId=213-5232
And a pack of Youngs crown caps. I also had a fistful of different caps, make unknown, that were given to me by an ebay seller when I bought his used fvs. Apart from colour there was no visible dfference from the Young's caps.
The bottles were all Shepherd Neame Double Stout (delicious) which saved me the mind-numbing chore of de-labelling (because I was botttling a stout). Yes, lazy old sod.
Here's what I found:
1) The Young's caps all fitted theShepherdNeame bottles, albeit not always readily. Some went on much easier than others and I often had to try two or three times. And a couple of attempts had to be finished off with a 'hammer' capper, like this one: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/crown-bottle-capper-/121495239038?pt=UK_Home_Garden_Food_SM&hash=item1c49ae397e
As low tech as you could get and you sure wouldn't want to cap 40 bottles with it, but invaluable on this occasion. If you can get one cheap enough it's a useful back-up. Unless you fork out for a bench capper. They, apparently, are the best and work with all bottles and caps (allegedly) but expensive at £30 ish http://www.colchesterhomebrew.co.uk...od_1814636-Colt-Counter-Top-Capper-Black.html
The donated caps could not be fitted AT ALL with my Young's capper and the Neame bottles. Tried many times, no dice, Gave up.
2) The Young's capper worked MUCH better with other bottles. Marston, Theakston, Batemans and McEwans all readily accepted both the Young's caps and the unknown ones when fitted with the Young's capper/.
I've no way of knowing if a different capper would have fared better with the Shepherd Neame bottles (and the unknown caps) but if you're just starting out and getting your equipment together, I strongly recommend that you test your capper and caps with your saved 'empties'. If they don't work together you'll need to change at least one of them. Don't wait till bottling day to find out like I did.
And if you DO do what I did, have some empty Tesco or Asda 2l plastic No Frills water bottle standing by.
Good luck.