I see I have a choice of cap, oxygen-blocking cap, and super-mega, crazy extreme oxygen blocking caps. :shock:
Any thoughts on these?
I’ve never seen a point in using those caps. I just figured the CO2 that develops in the bottle during the carbonation process took care of it.
The O2 caps are worth the extra $0.005 per - they absorb any O2 in the headspace after capping and thus help protect the beer from oxidation over time.
I stand corrected.
You will inevitably trap some O2 in your beer as you cap, and since the the cap is sealed, no amount of CO2 from the beer can ever purge it out, it has nowhere to go.
Only truly a concern if you’re going to age in the bottle for a long time, but for the price why not?
[quote=“Nate42”]You will inevitably trap some O2 in your beer as you cap, and since the the cap is sealed, no amount of CO2 from the beer can ever purge it out, it has nowhere to go.
[/quote]
I let the cap set on the bottle for 20-30 minutes so the beginning of carbing will push out O2 then crimp the cap.
[quote=“Rookie L A”][quote=“Nate42”]You will inevitably trap some O2 in your beer as you cap, and since the the cap is sealed, no amount of CO2 from the beer can ever purge it out, it has nowhere to go.
[/quote]
I let the cap set on the bottle for 20-30 minutes so the beginning of carbing will push out O2 then crimp the cap.[/quote]
If you fill the bottle, place a cap on it, then fill the next… until all the bottles are filled. Then go back and crimp them, I have heard the caps “pop” as come CO2/O2 comes out.
How much and if all of them do it… I don’t know.
How much oxygen can these caps absorb? are they individually vacuum sealed?
[quote=“ipa”]How much oxygen can these caps absorb? are they individually vacuum sealed?[/quote]They’re inert until wetted.
So, once wetted with beer then there activated. I was always wondering about this, I just thought it might have been a lotta bull. I’d like to know more about this.
If you are going to use these caps. The following is from Midwest Supplies site.
"For any of the standard, non-o2 absorbing caps, you can either boil them in water for 15 minutes or soak them in One Step or Star San for 5 minutes.
Use Iodophor or Star San to sanitize oxygen-absorbing caps, since they, unlike One Step, don’t need free oxygen to sanitize. Sanitize only the amount of caps that you will use. Wetting them will render the caps useless in terms of absorbing oxygen for any batch after the current batch being bottled."
"The only time Midwest suggests using these is if you plan on leaving a beer sit for an extended period of time. This would include high-gravity ales and lagers, as these need to sit in the bottle for a long time to properly condition.
The oxygen-absorbing caps absorb the oxygen left in the head-space of the bottle, reducing the chance of oxidation." End quote.
I suppose if you are doing a long aging on a beer they could be worth the “extra effort” to use :lol:
I have not used them myself but most of my beer is gone in 1 month 
Cheers
[quote=“flars”]If you are going to use these caps. The following is from Midwest Supplies site.
"For any of the standard, non-o2 absorbing caps, you can either boil them in water for 15 minutes or soak them in One Step or Star San for 5 minutes.
Use Iodophor or Star San to sanitize oxygen-absorbing caps, since they, unlike One Step, don’t need free oxygen to sanitize. Sanitize only the amount of caps that you will use. Wetting them will render the caps useless in terms of absorbing oxygen for any batch after the current batch being bottled."
"The only time Midwest suggests using these is if you plan on leaving a beer sit for an extended period of time. This would include high-gravity ales and lagers, as these need to sit in the bottle for a long time to properly condition.
The oxygen-absorbing caps absorb the oxygen left in the head-space of the bottle, reducing the chance of oxidation." End quote.[/quote]
Somehow I think that the regular caps will work just fine.
I use o2 caps. i always thought they were amazing, i bought some regular old caps, didnt even finish using them, beers taste way better with o2 special caps. i dont rinse them or anything just put them on the bottle, crimp immediatly and shake bottle lightly, how my beer turns out best, just my 2 cents
[quote=“wallybeer”]Somehow I think that the regular caps will work just fine.[/quote]Sure, they’ll work just fine for a beer that will be consumed in a couple of months. But for half a cent more per cap, the O2 caps are worth it, IMO.
Well I learned something today. I never realized the O2 caps needed to get wet to activate. I do soak them in starsan prior to bottling, so I guess I’ve actually been using them properly.
Well ya but let’s say you have like 1 milllion bottles to cap…that’d be an extra $5,000 just in caps… 
Well ya but let’s say you have like 1 milllion bottles to cap…that’d be an extra $5,000 just in caps… [/quote]
Well then this wouldn’t be ‘Northern Brewer HOMEbrew Supply’. It would be 'Northern Brewer COMMERCIALbrew Supply.
FYI - Beer is wet, too :mrgreen:
FYI - Beer is wet, too :mrgreen: [/quote]
I don’t know about you but I don’t shake my bottles.
