Explosion risk?

[Lord Shiplane]

Dear all

Is it an explosion risk to re-use screw top wine bottles for my lovely (I hope) Worzel's Orange wine?
I see corks and plastic bungs for sale but I don't think they fit screw top wine bottles so what to do?

Cheers

 

[Kybren]

Bottles will be fine not sure on caps suppose it depends how well they seal iv never tried myself. But there is a link somewhere in here for new screw lids that I think you can re use several times


Edit: Found the link https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/...le-plastic-screw-caps-for-wine-bottles.56326/

 

[An Ankoù]

Don't see why a crew top bottle should be any more or less dangerous than a corked one. If the bottle's going to fail it'll do so before the cork blows out.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Lord Shiplane If you follow the link Kybren posted above you will see the Novatwist caps i bought back in 2015 i am still using the same ones now and they are still airtight.

.

 

[DavieC]

Hi,Theyre fine for uncarbonated wine provided they screw up ok, Ive used them for my w.o.w. Would only be a problem for fizzy(sparkling)wine.

 

[Drunkula]

I reuse screwtops. Just check that rust hasn't destroyed the ring up inside.

 

[Rodj]

I think a lot depends on how fizzy your wine is. I use screw-cap bottles for mildly petillant wine, without problem (so far). The big advantage is that for a given batch of wine you can test how much gas there is by easing the cap on a bottle, and if there is too much you can take remedial action even if it is just loosening the caps for a while to let some of the gas escape and the pressure reduce. I'd suggest that for each batch you also use one (small) PET bottle so that you can gauge the gas pressure just by squeezing it.
I wouldn't use screw caps or corks for fully fizzy wine.

 

[Cwrw666]

I've always re-used screw top bottles including the caps but have found that the thread on the caps wears out after a few refills - so tighten them up firmly but gently.

 

[VW911]

There's no reason you can't use corks in screw-top bottles.
I've been doing it for years...

 

[Drunkula]

There's no reason you can't use corks in screw-top bottles.

Me, too. What kind of corker do you have? I've got one of the terrifying ones from Boots that you have to hit with a hammer. Got it from a charity shop for 50p. First time I used it I did it on the kitchen floor and it went baaaadly. Smashed the bottom off a few bottles before I learned to put a towel underneath.

 

[VW911]

I use a twin lever one, https://www.beer-kits.co.uk/product/2-handled-auto-corker/ cost about a tenner, but I've had it for years. It's more than paid for itself over the years.
I don't trust the 'Hit and Hope' ones!!!

 

[Lord Shiplane]

Thanks everyone, off to buy more stuff.