# Home Made Version Of Oztops At Virtually No Cost



## Bubba (12/11/11)

Seriously, if you have wanted to try something like Oztops, or have but want to try to do it yourself you should try this.

I went to Bunnings and got a few cistern washers (only $1 each), that are the perfect size for fitting under a 2 or 3lt juice lid.
All I did was with a sharp knife put a very small slit in the rubber washer.

I went to the shops and bought my apple juice, apple and blackcurrent etc, and then drilled a small hole in the 2 lids and popped a washer with a cut slit in it under each juice lid.

All I do now is use these insetad of Oztops, and wash and sterilise and reuse all I want.

I buy my own yeast for my beer, so whenever I buy a kit I keep the packet yeasts in the fridge and just use a quarter of the packet of dry yeast into my bottle of juice, pop in a little honey or dex and put on my washer and lid with a hole in it (the washer fits snuggly inside the lid and gets a perfect seal). I still pour off a little of the juice for head space, but find I get activity within 24 hours at room temp, and ferment to a good level in 4 or 5 days, and the carbonation is great!

I find the packet beer yeast does not ferment as dry as a wine or champage yeast, it stays a little sweeter, and the rule of thumb I use is about 4 days gets you 4 to 5% alc vol, 5 days gets you about 5 to 6% and so on...not a perfect science but I have had no issues at all and it has made some great brews.

Total costs...
washer $1.00
3l juice $3.00
yeast nothing as I already had packet yeasts and I drop a little honey or dextrose in for added fermentation.

When ready, I pop in the fridge.

If I want I transfer it to PET bottles and add a little dex as primer, leave at room temp for another couple of days (you can feel the PET swell), then put in the fridge so I have 4*750m bottles from my 3l of juice.

Seriously, it tsates just as good as Oztops, and costs the price of the juice you use!

Try it, have some fun.


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## gasbag (8/2/15)

Bubba said:


> Seriously, if you have wanted to try something like Oztops, or have but want to try to do it yourself you should try this.
> 
> I went to Bunnings and got a few cistern washers (only $1 each), that are the perfect size for fitting under a 2 or 3lt juice lid.
> All I did was with a sharp knife put a very small slit in the rubber washer.
> ...


For sometime now I've been wanting to come up with my own DIY home made OzTops, just as you suggested. From reading your post, I can't quite figure out exactly what you've done. I don't know exactly what type of cistern washer you used, and how you cut it - what/how/angle, etc. Are they a solid disc of rubber, or a hole in the middle?

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=Cistern+Washer&biw=1366&bih=634&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=C-bRVN-dO5O58gWFgIHQBQ&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ

Also, exactly where did you drill the hole on the lid? Centre/off-centre? Size of the hole? Does air flow freely in/out of the lid, or only once pressure builds up? etc.

The main thing is, I want to ferment cider that has as much fizz as bottled cider (not just mildly carbonated), and to be as dry (if not drier) than Mercury Dry Cider - one of my favourites.

What I was thinking of doing is getting empty PET soft drink bottles and putting a silicone or (hopefully soft) rubber O-Ring around the neck of the bottle - just below the threads, but above the plastic collar that the lid seals against when done up tight.

Once the O-Ring is in place, I'd then do the lid up very,very lightly, with finger-strength only - not by gripping firmly.


Keeping in mind I want a high level of carbonation, but no exploding bottles, what can you suggest?


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## slcmorro (8/2/15)

I've done this type of thing before, but with small squares of glad wrap and rubber bands over the top. Works well.


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## gasbag (8/2/15)

slcmorro said:


> I've done this type of thing before, but with small squares of glad wrap and rubber bands over the top. Works well.


Thanks for the reply - much appreciated.

The only thing is, I want the home made airlock seal to hold a decent amount of pressure, so the cider carbonates as well as ferments.

Any ideas?


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