O2 absorbing bottle caps
#1
Posted 14 October 2009 - 03:08 PM
#2
Posted 14 October 2009 - 03:26 PM
#3
Posted 14 October 2009 - 03:28 PM
#4
Posted 14 October 2009 - 03:29 PM
+1I voted no. I've never used them and routinely drink my bottled beer that is 2+ years old and still tastes quite good, no noticeable oxidation. Then again, if you don't mind the additional cost I don't see the harm.
#5
Posted 14 October 2009 - 03:39 PM
#6
Posted 14 October 2009 - 04:54 PM
#7
Posted 15 October 2009 - 06:59 AM
#8
Posted 15 October 2009 - 07:59 AM
That's kind of how I always felt. On the other hand the cost differential is not much. Pretty much the only beers I bottle are meant for long storage so the O2 absorbing caps are the only ones I use.How much O2 does it take to oxidize a beer? There's not much headspace in there. Wouldnt the yeast be eating up some of that O2? It seems like extra effort for little to no gain. I've never had oxidized bottle conditioned beers.
#9
Posted 15 October 2009 - 11:23 AM
#10
Posted 15 October 2009 - 12:13 PM
I don't think humidity would be enough. I think once wet they work for a couple of days to remove O2 - at least that's what I read on the intertubes.When I read up on these a while back, my understanding was they are activated when they get wet. At the time I lived in Florida, where everything was wet all the time. How wet do they have to get before they are activated? Is it an on/off function, or will sorta wet sorta activate them, causing them to lose effectiveness if stored in a humid environment?
#11
Posted 15 October 2009 - 12:22 PM
+1 and voted noHow much O2 does it take to oxidize a beer? There's not much headspace in there. Wouldnt the yeast be eating up some of that O2? It seems like extra effort for little to no gain. I've never had oxidized bottle conditioned beers.
#12
Posted 15 October 2009 - 12:41 PM
This could be wrong but as I understand it, the inside of the cap is coated with potassium sorbate. So it's not really a question of getting the caps wet to activate them but rather a question of getting the sorbate into solution in the beer.When I read up on these a while back, my understanding was they are activated when they get wet. At the time I lived in Florida, where everything was wet all the time. How wet do they have to get before they are activated? Is it an on/off function, or will sorta wet sorta activate them, causing them to lose effectiveness if stored in a humid environment?
#13
Posted 15 October 2009 - 12:54 PM
Sorbate or KMETA? I thought sorbate was to kill yeast and potassium metibisulfite was to prevent oxidation.This could be wrong but as I understand it, the inside of the cap is coated with potassium sorbate. So it's not really a question of getting the caps wet to activate them but rather a question of getting the sorbate into solution in the beer.
#14
Posted 15 October 2009 - 01:11 PM
Might be KMeta I don't really remember. I thought it was sorbate that was the anti-oxidant.Sorbate or KMETA? I thought sorbate was to kill yeast and potassium metibisulfite was to prevent oxidation.
#15
Posted 15 October 2009 - 01:17 PM
I'm not smart enough for all that, I'll just keg.Might be KMeta I don't really remember. I thought it was sorbate that was the anti-oxidant.
#16
Posted 15 October 2009 - 03:28 PM
I know it's been a while since we discussed this, but James on Basic Brewing contacted the manufacturer to ask this very question to him. He said that sanitizing is absolutely no problem, because while the caps do absorb oxygen and are activated as soon as they get moist, it takes the caps several days to do their job, so a few minutes before getting crimped is OK. Seems like since this is the case, sanitizing them and letting them sit before shipping (or moving around at all really) would be the best way to go about using the caps. So BierMuncher, you're doing it the right way.
#17
Posted 15 October 2009 - 05:07 PM
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