National Homebrew Club Ireland

Brewing Discussions => Equipment & Chemicals => Topic started by: Tiger Ed on August 13, 2018, 04:21:05 PM

Title: Fullers Bottles
Post by: Tiger Ed on August 13, 2018, 04:21:05 PM
No Apologies. I like Fullers beers, I also like their bottles and planed to use them for my beer making. trouble is I couldn't seem to cap them correctly. other bottles seal absolutely fine but the fullers bottles just won't. I'm using Caps from Home Brew West that work with all other bottles. Anyone had the same problem?
I'm reluctant to take them down to the recycling Centre as they are nice bottles.   Tiger Ed.
Title: Re: Fullers Bottles
Post by: nigel_c on August 13, 2018, 04:28:22 PM
You'll need to invest in a bench capper for those bottles.
Title: Re: Fullers Bottles
Post by: Tiger Ed on August 13, 2018, 10:24:26 PM
Ok Thanks for the reply. Is the Bench capper worth the investment.
Title: Re: Fullers Bottles
Post by: irish_goat on August 13, 2018, 10:30:20 PM
Bench cappers are pretty handy. I've found the twin levers tend to break easily too so you eventually need to replace them anyway.

You can sometimes get one 2nd hand when people are selling off all their brewing kit.
Title: Re: Fullers Bottles
Post by: LordEoin on August 14, 2018, 10:26:24 AM
you'd spend more on twin lever cappers in the longrun.
Best just bite the bullet and go straight to a bench capper.
Look for one with changeable bells for  different size caps.

https://http://www.thehomebrewcompany.ie/counter-top-capper-coloured-suits-26mm-and-29mm-crown-caps-p-2488.html
www.homebrewwest.ie/counter-top-capper-x28yellow-blue-green-redx29-3739-p.asp
Title: Re: Fullers Bottles
Post by: TheSumOfAllBeers on August 14, 2018, 12:19:40 PM
Wing cappers are not all made the same. I know people who went through several despite only bottling irregularly, yet I am still using my better brew wing capper 5 years later with a few thousand bottles successfully capped.

Which kind of fullers bottle? There is a discontinued bottle type that was very popular with homebrewers:
- it was about 500g or 50% heavier than most brown bottles
- it contained good beer
- they were easy to get

However they were noted for challenging many wing cappers including my own
Title: Re: Fullers Bottles
Post by: johnrm on August 14, 2018, 02:01:25 PM
Here is why...
Title: Re: Fullers Bottles
Post by: DEMPSEY on August 14, 2018, 08:44:51 PM
Winged cappers don't work with Hobgoblin bottles either. Bench capper is your only man and you get a 29mm capper head with them as well ^-^
Title: Re: Fullers Bottles
Post by: Tiger Ed on August 15, 2018, 09:26:23 AM
The Fullers Bottles I have are London Pride and India Pale Ale,I Have used Hobgoblin bottles in the past which I have successfully caped.( Probably just luck)
Thanks for all your advice, I'm going to invest in a Bench capper and keep the one I have now as a backup. Looking on some home brew sites it seems 29 mm caps are not as easy to get and are more expensive plus how will I know what bottles to use them on. In other words is it worth using Fullers and Wychwood bottles.
Title: Re: Fullers Bottles
Post by: TheSumOfAllBeers on August 15, 2018, 10:54:46 AM
The hobgoblin/ wychwood bottles were another one that risked my capper. I skipped both as a source of home brew bottles.

If you are getting a bench capper , ensure you get one that doesn't need readjustment if you are using a mix of bottle types.

Title: Re: Fullers Bottles
Post by: Qs on August 16, 2018, 03:38:32 PM
Quote from: Tiger Ed on August 15, 2018, 09:26:23 AM
it seems 29 mm caps are not as easy to get and are more expensive plus how will I know what bottles to use them on. In other words is it worth using Fullers and Wychwood bottles.

Belgian bottles usually have the 29mm caps. Especially the big bottles.
Title: Re: Fullers Bottles
Post by: TheSumOfAllBeers on August 16, 2018, 05:23:26 PM
Quote from: Qs on August 16, 2018, 03:38:32 PM
Quote from: Tiger Ed on August 15, 2018, 09:26:23 AM
it seems 29 mm caps are not as easy to get and are more expensive plus how will I know what bottles to use them on. In other words is it worth using Fullers and Wychwood bottles.

Belgian bottles usually have the 29mm caps. Especially the big bottles.

All my 330 ML Belgian bottles (Trappist style as well as stubby) use 26mm caps. 29 mm are really only for 750ml bottles. And crazy non standard Italian craft beers.