Beer in wine bottles?

Tourist · Post by **Tourist** » Sunday Aug 20, 2006 7:47 pm

Was wondering if anyone has ever bottled beer in empty screw-cap wine bottles (either by resealing with screw-cap or with a normal bottle top). Do you reckon it would work?

lethaldog · Post by **lethaldog** » Sunday Aug 20, 2006 8:24 pm

I think you would find it hard to use a bottler with them and i dont recommend just pouring it in, but saying that, No i have never done it, dont know how well wine bottle caps would seal because they arnt containing carbonated beverages.

By the way how have you got so many screw top wine bottles, isnt it a sin for a wine drinker not to by corked bottles

NTRabbit · Post by **NTRabbit** » Sunday Aug 20, 2006 9:51 pm

Wine bottles no, but I've been collecting Champagne bottles as a prelude to buying a Tirage sized bell for my superautomatica

lethaldog wrote:By the way how have you got so many screw top wine bottles, isnt it a sin for a wine drinker not to by corked bottles

It was in the past, but us wine drinkers have had to adapt to modern times as well - with so many wine producing countries in the world now, the supply of genuine cork has been stretched so far that quality control has slipped dramatically. Its actually become far more acceptable, and even preferred, to drink wines with synthetic corks, and because of a perceived plasticy taste from those, the Stelson screwcap has seen a similar rise in fortune.

Predictably, both are still not used in French winemaking, but the other premiere world wine regions are already on the move.

halminator · Post by **halminator** » Sunday Aug 20, 2006 9:53 pm

To be honest, I don't reckon the screw top cap will hold with the pressure that builds up inside the bottle. You maybe able to get away with it for a low carbonated beer, but suspect you may have problems.

If you do decide to go for it though, make sure you use the coloured glass bottles and not the clear white wine bottles.

As a wise tradesman once told me during the first year of my apprenticeship - "always use the right tool for the job."

gregb · Post by **gregb** » Monday Aug 21, 2006 4:47 am

Wine bottles - no. They are not designed to hold pressure.
Champagne bottles - yes. See NTRabbits post above.
PET Soft drink bottles - yes. However I have found that over time (>6 months) they lose pressure, but they will cover your short term quaffing requirements.

Cheers,
Greg

blandy · Post by **blandy** » Monday Aug 21, 2006 7:58 am

As for corks vs screw tops, if Penfolds are trying it out on their Grange Hermitage, then there must be something in it.

rwh · Post by **rwh** » Monday Aug 21, 2006 11:00 am

Hey NT, before you buy the new bell for your capper, check out how much the champers bottle caps are. I've heard they're expensive...

NTRabbit · Post by **NTRabbit** » Monday Aug 21, 2006 7:39 pm

Crown Seals TIRAGE x 100s $11.50 from Grumpys

lethaldog · Post by **lethaldog** » Monday Aug 21, 2006 7:45 pm

NTRabbit wrote:Crown Seals TIRAGE x 100s $11.50 from Grumpys

Each to their own but compared to ordinary crown seals thats like almost 6 times the price

Noodles · Post by **Noodles** » Monday Aug 20, 2007 9:52 am

NTRabbit wrote:Crown Seals TIRAGE x 100s $11.50 from Grumpys

I know this is an old thread, but i've recently started collecting champagne bottles for my homebrew and the price of the tirage crown seals has almost halved. They're down to $5.95 per 100 at the Grain & Grape. So don't let the price of the caps put you off. Champagne bottles are very easy to come by especially if you've got a contact at your local Wedding Reception place.

rwh · Post by **rwh** » Monday Aug 20, 2007 10:38 am

How do you cap them? Do you have another fitting for your capper, and how much was it?

Noodles · Post by **Noodles** » Monday Aug 20, 2007 10:43 am

Ordered the tirage bell from Grain & Grape, it was about $6 and it screws straight on to my Super Auto capper.

http://www.grainandgrape.com.au/advance ... 6&x=19&y=8

Kevnlis · Post by **Kevnlis** » Monday Aug 20, 2007 11:11 am

Do the Tirage seals work on Magnums?

Nevermind I found my answer at Grumpys

gregb · Post by **gregb** » Monday Aug 20, 2007 12:37 pm

Kevnlis wrote:Do the Tirage seals work on Magnums?

Nevermind I found my answer at Grumpys

Care to share?

Cheers,
Greg

Kevnlis · Post by **Kevnlis** » Monday Aug 20, 2007 12:40 pm

The tirage bell and seals at Grumpys are labeled as being useful for the 1.5L magnums which is exactly what I was after!

http://www.grumpys.com.au/phpshop/?page ... 8&keyword=&

Top of that page explains it a bit better.

Noodles · Post by **Noodles** » Monday Aug 20, 2007 1:58 pm

Kevnlis wrote:The tirage bell and seals at Grumpys are labeled as being useful for the 1.5L magnums which is exactly what I was after!

http://www.grumpys.com.au/phpshop/?page ... 8&keyword=&

Top of that page explains it a bit better.

Can't believe Grumpy's are double the price on tirage crown seals & the tirage bell compared to G&G.

gregb · Post by **gregb** » Monday Aug 20, 2007 2:22 pm

Thanks Kev.

Cheers,
Greg

Kevnlis · Post by **Kevnlis** » Monday Aug 20, 2007 4:23 pm

I will also add that there seems to be no difference between the gear at Grumpys and the gear at Grape and Grain, at less than half the price I know where I will be shopping

Now I just need to visit a few of the local bottle shops and let them know that I will pay for empty magnums!

Noodles · Post by **Noodles** » Monday Aug 20, 2007 4:33 pm

Never thought about bottling in magnums, I guess they'd be hard to come by, but they'd be handy to have for a celebratory occassion.

Rod · Post by **Rod** » Monday Aug 20, 2007 4:33 pm

Been using champagne ( sparkling in Aus) for about 5 years

works well

another excuss to buy Jacobs Creek

nice dark bottles