Screw Caps - No Blood Please

[ronberntson]

I've read lots of the threads regarding screw caps. I'll take the comments under advisement. In addition to making good quality wine, it's nice to make it as cheaply as possible (your friends say, "Wow, what amazing wine. And only $2 a bottle?")

My question is prepping used screw cap bottles. How do you get rid of the metal on the neck of the bottle, below the cap? I've tried side cutters, needle nosed pliers and a chisel.

Any one have a a working procedure?

Thanks
Ron

 

[ronberntson]

I should have mentioned that my experiments did result in some cut fingers and a tiny amount of blood!
Ron

 

[Airplanedoc]

I just toss screw cap bottles, but I would think diagonal cutters would do the trick

 

[Larryh86GT]

I use a very small flat screwdriver that I ground down a little bit. There is just enough room to slide it under the metal ring and using some pressure break the ring and toss it. No cuts or accidents yet.

Larry

 

[Rocky]

Ron, I would be concerned on how you intend to cap the screw cap wine bottles. The glass in these bottles is thinner than a cork bottle and inserting a cork has the potential of breaking the glass at the neck. I agree with Airplanedoc, toss the screw top bottles. You can get all the cork bottles that you need from friends, vineyards, bars, restaurants, etc. Look around and you will find all you need.

 

[Runningwolf]

I agree with everything Rocky said. With that said I have removed those blasted metel rings the same way as Larry. A very small screwdriver slipped under it and give it a twist. I was just playimg around but if I had to do it on a bunch of bottles, that would be a PITA.

 

[ronberntson]

Thanks for everyone's input. Since I am just starting, I want to put away a lot of wine so that I have a nice cellar with wines that have aged properly. That means lots of bottles. Unfortunately, most of my family and friends buy wine with a screw cap. On the other hand, we have a great recycling system called SARCAN where you go to return recyclables and get a refund on the deposit you pay when purchasing any bottle (and a bunch of other containers). The people who work at SARCAN all have intellectual disabilities and it's nice to see them have something worthwhile to do. SARCAN will sell you used bottles at a very reasonable price ($.30 per bottle). I'll see if I can scare up some real wine bottles as my funds are available.

Thanks again.
Ron

 

[ronberntson]

Dan - I just checked out your cellar list. How on earth do you find bottles for all that wine?
Ron

 

[Runningwolf]

Ron the only bottles I buy new are 375ml for ice wines and port. All of my other bottles are used bottles I buy from wineries for $2.00 a case. Some wineries will give them to you free around here but you end up with a bunch of screw cap bottles or slim pickings because other people aleady got them. I throw away all screw cap bottles. I usually pick up 20-50 cases each time. If the winery I go to gets backed up he'll email me and I'll get them whether I need them or not just to keep the partnership.

 

[ronberntson]

I've solved my bottle problem - our recycling center will sell cork style wine bottles for $.40 each. Since the return is $.20 - I'd be taking in my screw tops and getting the better bottles for $.20 each!

 

[docanddeb]

Great deal!!

Debbie

 

[ronberntson]

I picked up 10 cases yesterday. They had been cleaned out of green bottles, so I had to take clears. Now that I'm taking the labels off, it's obvious why clear is a better idea for used bottles - you can actually see any nasties that were left in the bottle - I've found a couple. I also got some 375 ml ice wine style bottles - they are really nice and will work well for "experiments" like herb wine.
Ron

 

[docanddeb]

Those small ones are also great for "sampling" to see if the wine has aged to perfection yet!

Debbie