screw top bottle seals

[scotruss]

Hi there,
I am returning to brewing beer after a few years, I used to bottle in 'Lemonade' type bottles which I had to ditch the last time I moved house. I have now inherited my father's beer bottles which are very thick glass, just under 2 and a half pint bottles with stone screw tops and really old. I want to make a brew but the bottles rubber seals are either missing or hard and past their best. I remember when I was a child my father making seals for his bottles from a bit of orange gas tubing like you find on Bunsen Burners, he sliced a bit off the tubing and put it in boiling water then put on the screwtop...I have tried this and it is a real struggle to get the rubber ring seal on the top. Has anybody got any ideas? Where the seal sits on the top has a diameter of 0.17 inches or 45mm. Should I go for silicon tubing of slightly smaller to make new seals? and where do I get the tubing? I would really like to use my father's bottles rather than buy new 'grolsch' type bottles or PET, they have sentimental value to me...does anyone have a solution?

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Would these do the job - https://www.home-brew-hopshop.co.uk...ew-stopper-new-style-spare-washers-p-263.html




INTERNAL SCREW STOPPER - NEW STYLE SPARE WASHERS

A packet of approx 50 food grade spare expandable washers for the stoppers which fit the heavy-duty old amber Imperial Pint glass bottles which have an internal thread in the neck of the bottle.

No longer the previous orange coloured expandable tube washers, the current stock is in the form of red durable nitrile rubber rings which fit neatly under the neck of the screw tops.

 

[MmmBeer]

I assume the old bottles have Grolsch type stoppers with a wire clasp. I normally class these as either flip-top or swing-top. Replacement seals for the modern flip-tops are widely available from homebrew shops, but looking at a couple online, they have an o.d. of 25 mm and an i.d. of 8mm, so might not fit securely on your old bottles. You can get bespoke silicone or neoprene washers via ebay quite cheaply, but you may be taking the risk of them not being food grade.

 

[Cwrw666]

My local homebrew shop used to sell the washers but unfortunately they've closed down recently so I assume you can still get them. I remember Bulmers cider in those bottles. They were good.

 

[scotruss]

I assume the old bottles have Grolsch type stoppers with a wire clasp. I normally class these as either flip-top or swing-top. Replacement seals for the modern flip-tops are widely available from homebrew shops, but looking at a couple online, they have an o.d. of 25 mm and an i.d. of 8mm, so might not fit securely on your old bottles. You can get bespoke silicone or neoprene washers via ebay quite cheaply, but you may be taking the risk of them not being food grade.

No they are not the 'flip-top' seals...here is a photo if I can post it

 

[scotruss]

My local homebrew shop used to sell the washers but unfortunately they've closed down recently so I assume you can still get them. I remember Bulmers cider in those bottles. They were good.

Yes, indeed, my fathers bottles seem to be the same ones as Noah used to bottle his beer on the Ark...or out of a bottle museum...looks like I will try to find some suitable silicon type tubing and make the seals...

 

[scotruss]

Would these do the job - https://www.home-brew-hopshop.co.uk...ew-stopper-new-style-spare-washers-p-263.html




INTERNAL SCREW STOPPER - NEW STYLE SPARE WASHERS

A packet of approx 50 food grade spare expandable washers for the stoppers which fit the heavy-duty old amber Imperial Pint glass bottles which have an internal thread in the neck of the bottle.

No longer the previous orange coloured expandable tube washers, the current stock is in the form of red durable nitrile rubber rings which fit neatly under the neck of the screw tops.

I will contact the Hop Shop tomorrow but the illustration is a 'top view' they look like replacement seals for the old plastic reusable bottle tops I had for my Lemonade/IRN BRU type bottles...but my fathers bottles are a lot older than these.

 

[regsmith]

I will contact the Hop Shop tomorrow but the illustration is a 'top view' they look like replacement seals for the old plastic reusable bottle tops I had for my Lemonade/IRN BRU type bottles...but my fathers bottles are a lot older than these.

I use these bottles and make my own seals from silicone tube. Go onto Ebay and search for this .... Silicone-Tubing-Clear-Food-Grade-12mm-ID-x-17mm-OD-in-1-2-meter-lengths
There will only be one result and it is perfect for the tops, I have used them in over a hundred bottles.

 

[scotruss]

Right Reg, thank you I will try that...the IDs of the tops of my bottles seem to be 19-20mm so will the silicone tube seals stretch over that? 12mm to 19mm? I have tried 'Bunsen Burner' type gas tubing and have soaked them in boiling water to make them pliable enough to fit but it is one hellova struggle to get them on before they cool down. Do you have to put the silicone seals you make in boiling water to allow them to fit the tops?

 

[regsmith]

Right Reg, thank you I will try that...the IDs of the tops of my bottles seem to be 19-20mm so will the silicone tube seals stretch over that? 12mm to 19mm? I have tried 'Bunsen Burner' type gas tubing and have soaked them in boiling water to make them pliable enough to fit but it is one hellova struggle to get them on before they cool down. Do you have to put the silicone seals you make in boiling water to allow them to fit the tops?

They will fit perfectly I just use a carving fork prong to wiggle them round to the end of the top, takes seconds , no need to heat them up at all. Your tops are exactly the same as mine and I have replaced all the old red rubber ones. I use a scalpel to cut the seals to length.

 

[scotruss]

Thanks Reg, I have found that only source of this size of silicone tubing on ebay and will order a metre of tubing tomorrow. My father's old bottles are beautiful and hold some sentimental value for me...I remember him filling them with his brew and I am glad I have them to use...thank you again...

 

[regsmith]

Thanks Reg, I have found that only source of this size of silicone tubing on ebay and will order a metre of tubing tomorrow. My father's old bottles are beautiful and hold some sentimental value for me...I remember him filling them with his brew and I am glad I have them to use...thank you again...

My first quart bottles were my mothers from when she made beer, I then got given more from a homebrewers widow, because they simply are the best bottles going for brewing I have since sourced several hundred more and kitted out my sons with them as well for their brewing. Not much kit has lasted as long as these bottles and have more than enough to last out my brewing days!

 

[scotruss]

WoW! 'several hundred' bottles...you are right they are the best bottles for homebrewing, incredible thick glass and almost unbreakable. I have some pint and a half clear 'Grolsch' type bottles that Poundstretcher was selling full of pink lemonade for £1 so I bought 15 of them and emptied the awful lemonade down the sink. I like my beer stored in glass and would not have a PET bottle in the house. I also have quite a few pint crown cappers but prefer my screwtops, I have ordered a metre of silicone tubing from ebay and will get busy as soon as I get it. I love IPA and APA, my favourite being Jaipur and Shipyard, that is the kind of beer I want to make...I have bought a 'Mad Dog' IPA kit...thanks for the advice on the seals Reg...Happy Brewing!

 

[connor7932]

hi scot,
was browsing the bay,seen this.might be what you need.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HOME-BRE...940211?hash=item1cadcc6e33:g:STcAAOSwqu9VSSRc

 

[scotruss]

Hi Conner,
This is exactly what I need but at £17.50 for 50 they work out rather expensive! I managed to get the correct size of silicone tubing from Ebay for about £7 for a metre and with the help of a Stanley knife, made my own for a lot less than 35p each!
Thanks for the post though...much appreciated

 

[Beerwulf55]

I use these bottles and make my own seals from silicone tube. Go onto Ebay and search for this .... Silicone-Tubing-Clear-Food-Grade-12mm-ID-x-17mm-OD-in-1-2-meter-lengths
There will only be one result and it is perfect for the tops, I have used them in over a hundred bottles.

Hello new member here and just spotted this thread...I too have a lot of these old fashioned quart screw top bottles like scotruss and also very keen on continuing to use them (I've also got some pint size ones of the same design)...the ebay post refrred to seems no longer to be there and the silicon tubes now advertised all look rather thin and flimsy to me...can anyone advise?