# Re-using Twist Top Bottles



## smilinggilroy

Hi all,
Would like to be able to re-use/re-fill twist top bottles, so I don"t loose my good crown seal bottles at outings or 
when I give samples/gifts away.
Is there a particular cap (crown seal) that must be used on twist tops to mate in with the twist?
I have seen available crown seal caps suitable for both pry and twist bottles.
Are these the one to get and do they work (seal) properly?
Does the normal bell on a bench caper fit the appropriate seal?
TIA 
Cheers


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## Rodolphe01

Same capper, same caps etc - they work fine.


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## beerdrinkingbob

smilinggilroy said:


> Hi all,
> Would like to be able to re-use/re-fill twist top bottles, so I don"t loose my good crown seal bottles at outings or
> when I give samples/gifts away.
> Is there a particular cap (crown seal) that must be used on twist tops to mate in with the twist?
> I have seen available crown seal caps suitable for both pry and twist bottles.
> Are these the one to get and do they work (seal) properly?
> Does the normal bell on a bench caper fit the appropriate seal?
> TIA
> Cheers



you can use the same caps and capper, happy brewing!!


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## DU99

used my twist tops a few times..no issues..


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## jzani

Hi BDBob

I have had few issues with twist tops leaking and don't use them any more. On saying that, I use a hand lever type capper, and I have heard in other discussions that a bench capper is better? Others may be able to advise you on this.

Regards


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## brando

Here is a suggestion ... just re-use the same twist top caps that came off the bottles in the first place.

All you need to do is clean and sanitise them (easy), and twist them back on by hand. Or if you have one of those old style twist-off tools that for a while everyone seemed to have on their keyrings, it's even easier.

I've done hundreds of bottles this way, and can't recall ever having a problem.


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## beerdrinkingbob

juzzy said:


> Hi BDBob
> 
> I have had few issues with twist tops leaking and don't use them any more. On saying that, I use a hand lever type capper, and I have heard in other discussions that a bench capper is better? Others may be able to advise you on this.
> 
> Regards



Hey Juzzy,

I do use a bench capper, from what i've heard the hand held one is a bit of an OH&S risk :unsure: 

Bench cappers IMO are worth their weight in gold if you bottle :beerbang:


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## jzani

Yep, I can vouch for that, smashed a few bottle tops in my experiments, but only with screw top bottles. Wouldn't recommend it 
:icon_cheers:


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## Hatchy

I used to use a 2 handed capper & took some chips out of some twist top bottles. If yr only reusing them once & giving them away they should be fine though.


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## Lecterfan

I primarily use twist tops bottles and have always used a bench capper (after once watching a mate use a hand capper).

Just a word of warning in case you are inquisitive - once capped the twist tops require some time to form a tight seal (as the bottle carbonation takes place, a few days is usually fine). They don't instantly have a tight seal like crown seals do (the exception being Brando's suggestion to reuse the cap that came with the bottle and tightening it by hand - I have done this several times also without problem).

Cheers.


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## wildschwein

I've been using a batch of Carlton (VB) and Swan Brewery (Emu Export) thread top long necks for about a decade and have always used an old fashioned hammer-type capper (hit with the flat side of a heavy meat mallet) to put the caps on. I did use the lighter gauge caps from the home brew shop for a while but find the regular heavier gauge caps you buy at Woolies for about $1.70 work great on a threaded seal. I don't actually ever recall getting a bad seal on many, many batches beer.


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## numbnuts AU

I have only just bottled my first home brew but my father has been doing it for about 20 years. He uses the twist top stubby bottles and re-uses the original twist top lid as well - cleaned and sanitised as 'brando' suggests. To get a good tight seal he twists them back on with a squash ball cut in half. Comes in handy to get them off too when it comes time to drink.


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## big78sam

To resurrect an old post (that is slightly OT as you weren't asking how to reuse the same lids without a capper)...

"I have a supply of coopers bottles and screw top lids and all I do is screw the lids back on again each time. No bench capper is required. I've had one uncarbed bottle in the last 20 or more batches. If it looks like there's crap on the lid I just throw it out and I starsan the lids and bottles before bottling. 

I use a teatowel to screw them back on and you'll feel if the lid is slightly bent out of shape so ditch these. Tip the bottle upside down after sealing and you'll also see if it leaks pretty quickly. Obviously if you've used an opener to get the lids off you can't reuse with this method. I have a supply of about 300 bottles and caps that I keep reusing. I try to buy a new carton every 6 months or so to keep refreshing my supply.

Some brands work better than others. Coopers, boags, bitburger and the cheap aldi brand lager work well. I find some of the megaswill bottles, VB etc don't work, but who'd buy them anyway... Try to use the same brand bottle with the same brand lid but I've even used coopers bottles with boags lids sometimes with success. When I'm trying a new brand I test a couple of bottles at the end of a batch done with bottles I know work so that way I'm not risking a whole batch.

I find this much easier than a capper, the only equipment required is a tea towel."


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## bear09

As an inherent tight arse I do love reading some of the stuff that comes out in these posts...

Seriously people, a bench capper can be bought on ebay for ~40-50 bucks and 8500 brand new crown seals is $190. Twist tops, crown tops - makes no difference and its easy as (and very safe) to put the caps on.

I am tight but I invested in a capper and 1000 lids (well back when I used to bottle) and NEVER looked back. Sanitizing lids? Who the heck could be bothered including that amongst everything else you have to do when bottling.

My $0.02.


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## Braumoasta

bear09 said:


> Sanitizing lids? Who the heck could be bothered including that amongst everything else you have to do when bottling.



Somone who uses PET bottles... h34r:


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## jonwantsbeer

Was just about to post asking about bottles when I stumbled across this thread..

Was thinking of getting some grolsch style bottles but they looked pretty dear..I get through plenty of twist-tops and didnt realise you can just screw them back on to seal.. thats my bottle worries sorted then .. bonus!


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## J Grimmer

I have always found that using a bench capper a you get a tight seal on either twist top of crown seals and would highly reconmend them to any one home brewing, I have never reused lids as i figure the price they come for its not worth my time to clean sterilase and re use. plus the used ones can make a great musical instrument.

Jan


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## Yob

bear09 said:


> Who the heck could be bothered including that amongst everything else you have to do when bottling.



I certainly do.. its as hard as tipping the lids in a clean container with starsan (or similar) and letting them drain on a clean tea towel... (edit) upside down... why would you go through the process of cleaning and sanitising everything else in the brewing procedure but stop with the lids? To me, and I didnt do this from the start, im happy only when _"everything" _is as clean and sanitary as possible..

lids that have sat around for a while could have almost anything on them. I do store opened packets of lids in a container but my eyes cannot see what may possibly be living there...

starsan gives me a warm fuzzy kind of comfort... dont fear the foam!!! 

edit edit: Ive a Bench capper and never really thought of reusing twist tops.. but then again my 160 (personal) bottles are all Coops Longnecks.. I dont often use twist tops.. I have 4 grolsch bottles I use for my "tasters" from each batch.


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## smilinggilroy

Report Back Time:-
Have bottled 2 batches of beer using the twist top bottles (amber 375ml Cascade).
I Used a mix of cleaned recycled caps and new crown seal caps.
I have a bench capper (there great, e-bay, pre-used, as new, cheap, bargain)
The caps sit in a bowl of idophor solution so that both the caps and my fingers a sanitised when handling/capping.
The recycled twist caps are screwed on and then tightened with a tea towel, I then give them a go with the bench capper just to be sure.
The new crown seals just get the bench capper.
Happy to say all are sealed well so far.
Hope this info. is helpfull.
Cheers.

P.S. have also used a mix of recycled caps (Cascade, Hann, Etc.) with good results.


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## Camo1234

When you cap them with crown seals do they twist off or do you still pop them off? Silly question I know but I can't picture if they can then twist off or not?


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## stux

Camo1234 said:


> When you cap them with crown seals do they twist off or do you still pop them off? Silly question I know but I can't picture if they can then twist off or not?



They twist off.

A Crown Seal or Screw Top is determined by the bottle, not the lid.

I don't know, but I would assume that a bottling line at Tootheys etc is pressing the lids onto the bottles, not screwing pre-formed lids on...

(and I would like to be corrected if I'm wrong )


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## bradmccoy

I've just thrown a bunch of twist-top bottles out. They don't seal well in my experience. Not worth the trouble.


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## MartinOC

bradmccoy said:


> I've just thrown a bunch of twist-top bottles out. They don't seal well in my experience. Not worth the trouble.


Using a bench-capper? If so, there should be no problems. You just chucked a bunch of perfectly useful bottles, man!


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## mondestrunken

Can't say I've had a problem sealing screw tops, but they are definitely thinner glass than the crown seals in my experience.

After too many broken bottles while capping (with one of those hammer-powered cappers) I chucked out all of my screw tops... as well as the hand capper and invested in a bench capper.


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## Grott

> Can't say I've had a problem sealing screw tops, but they are definitely thinner glass than the crown seals in my experience.
> 
> After too many broken bottles while capping (with one of those hammer-powered cappers) I chucked out all of my screw tops... as well as the hand capper and invested in a bench capper.


For screw tops you shouldn't use a hand capper let alone the "hammer" style (dangerous)- bench capper only or proper twist tops using a hand tightening ring.
Cheers


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## sponge

I've had a couple of issues with twist tops getting the lid on properly with a bench-capper, but normally is just one lid and the second attempt will go on fine.

In saying that, I have about 90/10 crown/twist in my collection, as I much prefer the crowns.


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## mondestrunken

grott said:



> For screw tops you shouldn't use a hand capper let alone the "hammer" style (dangerous)- bench capper only or proper twist tops using a hand tightening ring.
> Cheers


Correct. I just like learning things the hard way. h34r:


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