Screw tops

[cbritton]

My husband and I were just at the local brew store and I saw they had cases of screw top wine bottles.
I've traditionally bottled my wines with the corks - but can I start bottling in screw tops now? Can wines be aged the same way in them?
Thanks!
Christiane

Current brews:
Blueberry Port 1 gal
WE Gewurtztraminer 6 gal
Blueberry Concord 6 gal
Dragon's Blood 6 gal
American Amber Ale 5 gal

 

[TonyP]

My husband and I were just at the local brew store and I saw they had cases of screw top wine bottles.
I've traditionally bottled my wines with the corks - but can I start bottling in screw tops now? Can wines be aged the same way in them?
Thanks!
Christiane

Didn't you ever buy wine with a screw cap? They've been around for years.

Screw caps:

1. can prevent the wine faults of oxidation and cork taint
2. allow wine to be stored standing.

There are, however, concerns about long term (10+ years) aging - not a concern for virtually all amateur wine makers who don't use corks lasting that long anyway. UCDavis has a study underway to determine the long term effect of screw caps on wine aging.

If you go the screw cap route, make certain to find one with a plastic insert or coated liner on the inside. You don't want the wine directly touching the metal. There's also plastic caps available.

Of course, if you go for screw caps, you'll need screw cap bottles.

Tony P.

 

[cbritton]

I'm no stranger to a screw top wine bottle (or a boxed wine for that matter), but I guess I didn't realize a home brewer could use them as well.
So no special tricks or anything? Just screw the top on and age?

 

[DoctorCAD]

I've put "mist" kit wine in half-gallon screw top bottles before. It never lasts long, and no corkscrew needed while at the pool!

 

[Julie]

I'm no stranger to a screw top wine bottle (or a boxed wine for that matter), but I guess I didn't realize a home brewer could use them as well.
So no special tricks or anything? Just screw the top on and age?

You would not be able to re-use screw caps, you will need to fine someone who sells those caps

 

[Deezil]

You would not be able to re-use screw caps, you will need to fine someone who sells those caps

My LHBS actually has what look like wine bottles with caps that look like something off a 2-liter soda bottle, not the ones you find on commercial bottles.. Dunno what the difference is in terms of seal & aging... But maybe these are the type mentioned by the OP?

 

[cpfan]

My LHBS actually has what look like wine bottles with caps that look like something off a 2-liter soda bottle, not the ones you find on commercial bottles.. Dunno what the difference is in terms of seal & aging... But maybe these are the type mentioned by the OP?

Personally I am concerned about storing wine in this kind of bottle. The testing of wine in screw tops is done with the Stelvin-style caps used by many commercial wineries, not the type sold in an LHBS. I'm sure short term is fine, but I don't store much wine for the short term.

Steve

 

[Deezil]

Personally I am concerned about storing wine in this kind of bottle. The testing of wine in screw tops is done with the Stelvin-style caps used by many commercial wineries, not the type sold in an LHBS. I'm sure short term is fine, but I don't store much wine for the short term.

Steve

Definitely agree.. Not saying i use them, just remembered them & thought to mention them

But you're right

 

[robie]

I think we are going to see more and more screw tops being sold at LHBS's in the future.

Maybe ask the LHBS for some research on the specific bottles and tops they are selling. Ask what their time guaranty is on using them.

There is just something very special about corks and corked bottles. One day that thought will be considered very old-fashioned.

 

[JohnT]

One piece of advice... If you get screw cap bottles, do not cork them.

In all of the shops I have been in, I see the screw cap bottles, but no screw caps themselves. I have also yet to see any equipment for capping bottles (I am assuming that we are talking about the stelvin type closures).

Not sure if there is any such thing as a screwcap that can be properly installed by hand. Has anybody else seen this?

Screwcaps are the way of the future. I read in Tabor's book (Corked) that stelvin closures have held up to the test of time and are cheaper/more reliable than corks. The down side is that you do not get the "micro-oxidation" or softening as you do with corks.

 

[cpfan]

Unfortunately, there is no inexpensive capper for Stelvin style screw caps, so this is not an option (yet?) for home winemakers. The screw cap bottles usually sold in an LHBS take 28mm screw caps (yes different from the Stelvin ones). I would suggest the polyseal caps, and these can be applied by hand. However, I am not aware of any proper testing of this bottle/cap combination, so cannot recommend it for anything other than short-term aging.

First link I found with a decent pic...
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/28mm-polyseal-screw-30ct.html

Steve