Reusing Empty Screw Top Wine Bottles?

[wellie]

So.... a really serious question here, if I might ask it, and anyone's got any serious answers

An excellent crop of apples in The Orchard this year, and I'm intent on turning them into pure Apple Juice for putting into bottles, processing via the waterbath method, and storing for use over the next year instead of regularly buying OJ from the supermeerkat, because I'd be nuts not to.

I bought a fab waterbath thingy from Lidl recently that's tall enough capacity to process bottles as tall as 75 ml size.
And my question is this.....:

If I sterilised the screw-top 75 ml ex-wine bottles, put the applejuice into the bottles, screwed the screw-tops on, and then 'undid them a quarter of a turn' (like you would a screw-top Kilner bottling jar lid) and then followed the normal procedure, and tighten after the required processing time - would that achieve what I want it to? or would you more experienced gurus recommend that I just forget it? or stick a cork in it

No point transporting bottles to a recycling bin if you can recycle them at home, naturally

[SarzWix]

In principal, I can't see why not. The main thing would be to make sure that they have an absolutely tight seal still - fill them with hot water and shake them about a bit to make sure they don't leak? If they're airtight, they should be fine. You could always make doubly sure by melting some wax over the join once tightened? (By turning a lit candle slightly on it's side, but I'm sure you knew that )

[Hazel at the Hill]

Not quite an answer to your q, Wellie, but a serious answer to a serious question nonetheless -

When I noticed that screw top wine bottles have a slightly wider 'ole than the cork variety, meaning that my plastic corks weren't quite a tight fit in my re-used wine bottles (see Haze duck as the odd cork flies acrss the garage taking a quantiity of not-quite-stable elderflower & apple wine with it), I phoned the local brew shop to see if they stocked bigger plastic corks to fit screw-top bottles.

Bu they said NOT to re-use the screw top bottles for home wine, because the machining of the screw bit of the bottle means that the glass is weaker there than the rest of the glass and you risk breaking the neck as you bottle your wine.

I'd curry favour with the local wine bar for their non-screw-top empties and use cork or plastic corks to seal for your apple juice.

[rustylady]

I phoned the local brew shop to see if they stocked bigger plastic corks to fit screw-top bottles.

Bu they said NOT to re-use the screw top bottles for home wine, because the machining of the screw bit of the bottle means that the glass is weaker there than the rest of the glass and you risk breaking the neck as you bottle your wine

I wouldn't argue with the brew shop, but do wonder whether they were trying to sell you new bottles. I have re-used screw top wine bottles with success for wine. I used cork corks and finished off with plastic shrink capsules.

[Rocketron]

It will only be a few years before you won't be able to find affordable wine in non screw-top bottles.

[Two_Sheds]

I noticed that screw top wine bottles have a slightly wider 'ole than the cork variety

Me too, I once put corks into a dozen screw-top bottles and watched the whole lot gradually pop back out again.

It will only be a few years before you won't be able to find affordable wine in non screw-top bottles.

That's why I'm hanging around bottle banks begging them off people I have *about* 100 in the garage

[wellie]

Short, sharp, succinct, and proper no-nonsense advice was what I wanted, and that's exactly what you gave me, AND so quickly, thank you....
And you've collectively saved me wasting a huge amount of time and energy, so I'm very grateful indeed.

It's interesting what you say Hazel about the glass being weaker there, and it is important to have a tougher glass when you're 'bottling'.

And I'm thinking that it's a good job your wines were in your garage at the time Angel.

So, on the strength of all of your brilliancy above, I shall recycle the screw-tops, and collect corkables from everyone. There's a Wilko in Newport (she said in her best Ruth Jones' accent), should I go there for corks and a corking gismo or no?

[Two_Sheds]

I bought one of these for £18, it's brilliant. Corks online too (check you get the right size and shape, I think there are slight differences)

[wellie]

Sheds, I'm truly grateful.
I'll get Trousers onto it (him being to 'puters wot Wellie is to 'post)
Thank You Angel.X

[Mikey]

I made a batch of elderflower champagne earlier in the year followed by some elderflower wine, the latter went into screw top bottle I've not had any problem yet! its very lush though.

Crack on wellie, I love home made brew, what will stop it turning into cider?, this dullards never done apples before.

[janeyo]

Apple juice will also freeze in plastic bottles. Just stand it in the fridge overnight to defrost. We do this with our apples all the time. I make apple wine and cider from ours and the childen get fresh apple juice if there is any left!

[Hilary B]

If a liquid is likely to ferment in the bottle, you don't want to use a screw top. Otherwise I wouldn't worry in the slightest.
We mostly use screw-top bottles for wine (after testing for security of seal) and not had a problem yet. Some of them have been used 3 or 4 times.
The only time corks seem to come out is if the bottle was a bit over-full, so the pressure inside is too high. Usually in this case the corking machine won't put the cork fully in, and it 'creeps' up a bit as soon as released.

[wellie]

janeyo,
Ooooh! Honey, if I could squeeeeeze another morsel of fruit into my freezers I absolutely would do?
Which is exactly why I'm trying to find alternative homes for my produce, but you are so right, because it does freeze beautifully. Untimely advice for me right now, but hopefully that'll help countless others who are reading this. X.

Hilary, how do you test for a seal with a screw top?

Mikeywills, you have to be one of the fewest people on the forum to make me reach for my Little Oxford. High Five.X.

[Hilary B]

janeyo,
Ooooh! Honey, if I could squeeeeeze another morsel of fruit into my freezers I absolutely would do?
Which is exactly why I'm trying to find alternative homes for my produce, but you are so right, because it does freeze beautifully. Untimely advice for me right now, but hopefully that'll help countless others who are reading this. X.

Hilary, how do you test for a seal with a screw top?

Mikeywills, you have to be one of the fewest people on the forum to make me reach for my Little Oxford. High Five.X.

Fill half-full of water, add a little food dye (enough to show readily), put lid on tight, stand upside-down on white paper-towel for a few mins....

[wellie]

Having spent a few hours yesterday 'early doors' with a nice cold glass of, I hoiked out bags of Pax Goosegogs, one at a time, from the chest freezer, and toppd'n'taild'em, putting them back quickly, still frozen. So that when I'm ready to do something properly constructive with them, I don't need to 'faff about' and can just beautifully get on with it.
(Incidentally kids - fruit is incredibly easier to top'n'tail once it is frozen).

The Good News is that I found some fizzy non-alcopop for sale in Waitrose for £1.59 in those lovely big Stopper Bottles, so I bought ten. The Bad News is that I'm going to have to drink the contents, or invite someone to visit to drink it before I can make better use of the bottles.
But given that similar bottles were for sale in the kitchen shop at £4.50ish each, I think I should just lose the 'winghy pom' attitude, and look on the positive side, eh?!

Hilary B, Thank you muchly.X.
And actually, Mikey, when I went to get my dodgy tyre fixed at the tyre hospital the other month, the owner, as we got talking, did put an order in for any farmhouse cider 'if I ever considered making it'.... so I'll be coming to you for a few tips, my friend!

To share my thoughts here, I am going to visit a lovely Pub/Restaurant locally and ask them to save me all of their corkable wine bottles, which will save me scrabbling around in Bottle Banks, they'll love me for taking them away, and everybody will be happy.

All of the Stopper Bottles, I'm going to take your advice on making more adventurous (maybe fizzy stuff).