Screw top bottles

[love6060]

Hi,

I am thinking of getting my wife some wine on the go! Just wondering if you can cork screw top glass wine bottles or better still use the screw tops again?

No such thing as a silly question.

 

[LeithR]

You can certainly re-use the screw tops again, I do it regularly. As long as you are careful they will last for 2 or 3 re-uses but check for leaking each time you re-use them. I would not be surprised if you can use corks on these bottles as well, its a case of suck it and see.

 

[Tim_Crowhurst]

Screw-top bottles aren't suitable for corks as they have thinner glass, which reduces weight but, since the neck is a standard external width, means the internal diameter is wider than on a bottle designed to take a cork, resulting in a looser fit which allows more oxygen in. Some oxygen is good, ut too much will destroy a wine. The thinner glass is also more likely to break when using either a corking machine or corkscrew.

Screw-top bottles with their caps are fine for storing wine short-term, however the caps let in more oxygen than corked bottles so for long-term storage & maturation a corked bottle or (preferably) a glass demijohn with a bung are better. You can also use beer/cider bottles with crown caps for smaller amounts.

 

[Brewtrog]

Screw top bottles are fine for storing wine, I've happily had wine stored in screw tops for several months. The one thing I would say is do not use corks with screw tops, the bottle mouth is too wide and the thin glass can have a chance of shattering from the pressure exerted by the corker.

 

[divingdavey]

I've re-used screw caps a few times with no problems. I find cork bottles harder to get hold of, although I'be got a few new. Anyway I've ordered some of these, they haven't arrived yet but the feedback looks goodhttp://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/v ... 37&t=38330

 

[jasea3632]

I have re used screw tops loads of times but have also successfully corked dozens of screw tops and have never had so much as a crack in a bottle. I did come across some bottles where the necks were just too narrow to cork but these stood out a mile.

 

[tonyhibbett]

For added security, you can cover them with heat shrink capsules, as you would with corks. It helps if the screw cap is used with the same bottle. I have no idea how many times I have reused a cap. I did consider using something like nail varnish or scratch repair paint each time one was reused but... Traditionally bottles were stored on their sides to keep the corks wet, but with synthetic 'corks' and screw caps there is no need and with reused screw caps, rather risky. I always remove the residual metal collar as it no longer serves a useful purpose once the bottle has been opened. It is partly a cosmetic and partly a security (tamper evident) element.