What is the max CO2 volume that a beer bottle will hold?
I would like to carb up a hard cider that I am doing closer to a champagne, but I am not sure what limits I would be working with for beer bottles and caps. I don’t have the capability (yet)_to do champagne bottles.
This link has the info you’re looking for. It is a PDF from Northern Brewer on bottle conditioning topics.
A typical American 12-oz bottle is good to about 3.5 volumes, but I wouldn’t trust an Anchor bottle to that pressure (their bottles are remarkably light-weight), and some can handle 4.0 volumes. I found that a good ROT is 195-200g - if the bottle is heavier than this, it’ll be OK with higher pressures.
I’d agree with Shade though on the variability in 12 oz bottles too. I’ve got some nice heavy ones I’ve got no issue going over 3 volumes with but others that I only use for lesser carbonation beers.
Swing top bottles are pretty tough. I’ve bottled highly carbed cider in champagne or Martenelli bottles. I corked with a $5 hand corker, then capped on top. You will want someone to hold the bottles while you’re corking, if you go that route.
Shadetree is probably right about the Anchor bottles. This is my third batch and third time using Anchor bottles. I had one break with a wing capper tonight bottling, they just are not as thick as other bottles.
It’s a shame, I love the shape of those bottles.
I don’t know that I would blame that on the bottle thickness. I use almost all Sam Adams bottles, have never had one pop under pressure, but every now and then operator error will occur. Once in a while (say once every 3rd batch) I will not get the (I use the red one so common) capper lined up right and I snap off the top of a bottle. I feel sure this is not the thiness of the bottle but me not getting the positioning right before wrenching down.
Barry
Good point. When it happened I instantly thought of Shadetree’s comments about the light weight feel of Anchor bottles. It very well may have been my fault since I had just flipped the plates on my capper as well.
I have found that if I’m not lined up well (or something interesting comes on the news while bottling) and my attention wavers it is not hard to do. The bad part is if I line up poorly it really dosent take much pressure to snap off a top.
Barry
Anchor bottles, lagunitas 12 oz.ers and most imports are a PITA to cap with the red barron. The reason is the distance between the bottom of the lower lip and the top of the bottle wich is only 3/8 of an inch. Sierra nevada bottles are 1/2 inch and seem to work ok. The best bottles are most domestic longnecks, at 5/8 of an inch the barron lines up perfectly and makes bottleing alot easier. I dont always bottle but when i do i use swingtops, stay brewing my friends.
