Reusing Screw Top Bottles

[ryankelley]

I haven't made wine in a few years, but I think I'm going to need some skeeter pee to get through this summer. Seems like most of my white wine bottles are screw top these days. I wonder if anyone has tried to reuse these with the screw cap? I have sunk a cork into these bottles before.

Has anyone thought about twisting the cap back on? Sanitizing it... I don't intend to age skeeter pee, so maybe I should give it a shot. Costco has these really nice screw top Pinot Grigio bottles...tall, slender, slight tint. Perfect bottles in my mind.

 

[Jim Welch]

Sure why not? They should seal fine and if kept clean I think they’d work great for that use. I reuse all kinds of glass screw cap bottles. Not for what your using them for but they last a long time. If the screw thread is standardized you may be able to find replacement caps if/when the original caps become unusable.

 

[Rocky]

I haven't made wine in a few years, but I think I'm going to need some skeeter pee to get through this summer. Seems like most of my white wine bottles are screw top these days. I wonder if anyone has tried to reuse these with the screw cap? I have sunk a cork into these bottles before.

Has anyone thought about twisting the cap back on? Sanitizing it... I don't intend to age skeeter pee, so maybe I should give it a shot. Costco has these really nice screw top Pinot Grigio bottles...tall, slender, slight tint. Perfect bottles in my mind.

The prime reason I have always heard against using the screw cap bottles with a cork is that the glass at the top of a screw cap bottle is thinner and more likely to break. I suppose one could use a #8 cork instead of a #9 and lessen the chance for failure.

Also, as Jim Welsh suggested above, something like this could work and they may even be reusable:

https://www.amazon.com/POLYSEAL-PHE...ic+screw+caps+for+wine+bottles,aps,83&sr=8-13

 

[winemaker81]

The seal of the original cap will work for several uses. Make sure you screw it down tight. However, the seal will eventually fail as it's not made for re-use.

Do not cork screwcap bottles. The glass of the neck is thin and is not made to withstand the pressures of corking, or having a cork pulled. Yes, folks have done it for years, and it works every time until the glass shatters.

If you have any local wineries, ask if they'll give you empties from their tasting room. A meadery local to me is very happy to give away bottles.

 

[ryankelley]

Something meant to last a couple months, I'm sure there won't be any gasket issues. But maybe I'll find the right gasket size from PTFE or cut my own after the gasket gets old.

If I make more wine meant to age eyond 6 months, I would definitely sink a cork.

 

[FlamingoEmporium]

A bit pricey

 

[Rocky]

A bit pricey

I agree. I wonder if plastic tasting corks would work for the short term.

All Plastic Tasting Corks (Bag/100)​

LD Carlson
MSRP: $27.98
Retail: $27.98
Now: $21.54
(You save $6.44)

All Plastic Tasting Corks (Bag/100) - reusable tasting corks used to seal wine bottles for short term storage.
Fits standard size wine bottles.
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[Jonboy6692.ja]

I haven't made wine in a few years, but I think I'm going to need some skeeter pee to get through this summer. Seems like most of my white wine bottles are screw top these days. I wonder if anyone has tried to reuse these with the screw cap? I have sunk a cork into these bottles before.

Has anyone thought about twisting the cap back on? Sanitizing it... I don't intend to age skeeter pee, so maybe I should give it a shot. Costco has these really nice screw top Pinot Grigio bottles...tall, slender, slight tint. Perfect bottles in my mind.

I have always re-used caps.

 

[ryankelley]

A bit pricey

View attachment 89756

Are you sure these would work on a wine bottle? They look kinda shallow for a wine bottle.

 

[FlamingoEmporium]

Are you sure these would work on a wine bottle? They look kinda shallow for a wine bottle.

Said wine bottle tops. Cheaper ones were single use. These were made of better sealing material

 

[VinesnBines]

Are you sure these would work on a wine bottle? They look kinda shallow for a wine bottle.

They will only work on the wine bottles that take that side thread. I used to get wine from a winery that used those style - they will NOT fit all screw type bottles.

 

[Sailor323]

My experience with reusing screw-on caps is they leak. I routinely use #9 corks in screw-cap bottles

 

[kilendra]

Also a bit pricey ($35 for 100): NovaTwist Closures 100/pack - Winemaker Products LLC

The NovaTwist capsules are the latest wine closures that are available to the home winemaker and smaller wineries in the USA. They are perfect for manually sealing standard (30X60BVS/BVP) neck finish screw top glass wine bottles. No special tools needed – push it on and screw clockwise until tight and it’s that simple. The NovaTwist capsules can be opened and closed repeatedly with ease and comfort while remaining airtight. To open, turn counter clock wise to break the seal. To re-close for use later, screw the cap back onto the bottle.

 

[winemanden]

Not sure whether I've asked before. Does the original metal sleeve have to be removed before fitting a NovaTwist closure?

 

[Jovimaple]

I use these caps on screw top bottles after removing the original "sleeve" around the neck of the bottle. I reuse the caps on these until they leak, but so far I think that has been only one that leaked. However, since I give a lot of my wine away, I switched to mostly using corked bottles so I don't have to nag people about returning my bottles AND caps.

North Mountain Supply - TNS-BK-12 Twist-N-Seal Closures - Pack of 12 (Black)
https://a.co/d/0jw0yST

I NEVER use corks in screw top bottles. My fermenter mentor is one who had a bottle shatter as he was removing the cork used in a screw top bottle and I figure I may as well learn from his mistakes so I can focus on making my own.

 

[Edward L Sacco]

I use these caps on screw top bottles after removing the original "sleeve" around the neck of the bottle. I reuse the caps on these until they leak, but so far I think that has been only one that leaked. However, since I give a lot of my wine away, I switched to mostly using corked bottles so I don't have to nag people about returning my bottles AND caps.

North Mountain Supply - TNS-BK-12 Twist-N-Seal Closures - Pack of 12 (Black)
https://a.co/d/0jw0yST

I NEVER use corks in screw top bottles. My fermenter mentor is one who had a bottle shatter as he was removing the cork used in a screw top bottle and I figure I may as well learn from his mistakes so I can focus on making my own.

May I ask, how do you remove the original sleeve?
Thank you, God bless

 

[Scooter68]

I'd NEVER try to cork a screw top bottle unless you don't care if you lose that wine. As to screw tops re-sealling - meh. For a short term storage it probably will work but again if you value that wine and want to be able to keep it more than a few months, Find the corked bottles and use those.

 

[wood1954]

I find the extra cost(1.60 a bottle) of buying twist cap bottles and caps worth it in ease
In sealing the bottle. Eventually I’ll be recycling my bottles and only need to buy caps. Plus they don’t leak or rot.

 

[Jovimaple]

May I ask, how do you remove the original sleeve?
Thank you, God bless

I use a table knife to slide under one of the edges and pry it up enough to use a needlenose pliers to pull it off.

I try to be really careful because the knife can slip. I managed to cut myself when I was removing a large number of them to provide bottles for wedding table decor for a relative's wedding.

 

[Ted Brumleve]

I use a table knife to slide under one of the edges and pry it up enough to use a needlenose pliers to pull it off.

I try to be really careful because the knife can slip. I managed to cut myself when I was removing a large number of them to provide bottles for wedding table decor for a relative's wedding.

I keep the cap with the bottle and let the sleeve remain. Not all the threads are interchangeable. Garth Brooks sings Ask Me How I Know.