Why aren't twist-off caps more popular?

[Kent Wang]

I can see some parallels with the cork vs screw top debate with wine but there is a much smaller element of tradition with bottle caps. If you're really attached to your bottle-opener then you can certainly still use it on the twist-off caps. Is it an issue of cost?

[DerekW]

Are crown cap bottles more popular overall? I think I see more twist-offs than straight crown caps these days. Hereabouts at least, the decision is in part an anti-tampering issue. Bottles with twist-offs are required to be sold in closed boxes. Whether for manufacturing reasons or otherwise, twist-off necks are thinner glass, and the durability [hence long term cost] of the bottles may be higher.

cheers

Derek

[Kent Wang]

Perhaps if you consider volume of all beer sold, twist-off is more popular as all the macrobreweries use them.

The tampering issue does not seem to be the case in Texas at least as Shiner, Bud, etc. are often sold in open six-pack cases. Also, it seems like a rather strange rationale; can a twisted-off cap really be replaced on top of the bottle without easily arousing the suspicion of the customer once he attempts to remove it?

Microbreweries tend to use crown and that is what frustrates me. Perhaps the equipment for twist-off is more difficult for them to acquire, e.g. more expensive or requires more volume.

[LunaSea]

I once watched two guys in a convenience store open a bottle of beer (screw-off cap), glug as much as they could without being seen, and then put it back in the cooler. Maybe that's one reason. Or maybe it's just cheaper to use pressed-on caps.

[rama]

None of the beers I purchase use twist-offs except sierra nevada. so the non macrobreweries certainly aren't using them. Maybe they're cheaper per bottle, but the bottling line equiment is much more expensive, so only large production shops do it?

[Davydd]

The twist off caps dominate now simply because the bottles used are cheaper. All the macro brewers use them. Many of the micro brewers now use them as well. Sierra Nevada and Summit for instance both come in shorter twist off bottles that seem to fit in the fridge on more shelves than the long necks. If you home brew and want bottles you kind of limit what brands you buy. One local brewer to me in Minnesota, Schells, New Ulm, MN, still use the crown caps. Schells is the second oldest brewer to Yuengling. Schells also OEM craft brews a lot of beer you think you are buying as micro brews in places like Texas, Arizona, Montana and elsewhere.

If you home brew you know you occassionally break a bottle during capping. That hurts. Each break is 2% of your valued production batch.