Bottling & Carbonation

Bottle Capper & Crown Caps

Seals crown-cap bottles with a crimped metal cap — cheap, reliable and recyclable.

Bottle Capper & Crown Caps — original illustration

Original illustration — a generic example of this tool, not a specific product.

Specifications

Category
Bottling & Carbonation
Type
Bench capper (easier) or two-handle wing capper
Caps
Standard crown caps, 26 mm; oxygen-absorbing types available
Bottles
Pry-off crown-cap bottles rated for carbonation
Do not use
Screw-top bottles with a wing capper; the threads do not seal
Caps per batch
About 5–7 caps per gallon of kombucha
Storage
Keep caps dry; discard any that are dented or rusted
Typical batch size
Crown-cap bottles, typically 12–22 fl oz

Bottle Capper & Crown Caps

Seals crown-cap bottles with a crimped metal cap — cheap, reliable and recyclable.

A crown capper crimps a metal cap onto the bottle lip, giving a reliable seal for a fraction of the cost of swing-top bottles. It suits anyone bottling in volume, and pry-off crown bottles are easy to collect and reuse. The trade-off is that caps are single-use and you need a capper, and removing the cap needs an opener.

bottling capping crown cap
Best for
Bottling
Batch size
Crown-cap bottles, typically 12–22 fl oz

Applicable brewing stages

  • First Fermentation
  • Second Fermentation
  • Flavoring
  • Bottling
  • Cleaning & Testing

A highlighted stage means this tool has a direct role at that point in the process. Ticking several stages is normal — a thermometer, for example, is useful during both the first and second fermentation.

Safety notes

Bottling under pressure is the same hazard whichever closure you use: a crown-capped bottle that overcarbonates will fail just as a swing-top will. Use only bottles designed for carbonated drinks, keep fill levels correct, and store conditioning bottles inside a closed container. When opening a bottle that has been conditioning, chill it first, open it over a sink, and point it away from your face. Discard any bottle showing a chipped lip, since the capper will not seal it and the chip is a cut hazard.

Practical guidance

  • A bench capper is worth the extra cost if you bottle more than a few gallons at a time.
  • Crimp the cap squarely; a tilted cap leaks and the bottle goes flat.
  • Rinse caps that have been stored open to remove dust, then let them dry.
  • Never reuse a cap — the crimp does not reseal reliably a second time.

Please read before you brew

This page is educational reference material, not professional brewing, food-safety or medical advice. Equipment handling, hygiene practice and local rules vary, and nothing here guarantees a particular brewing result.

  • Home brewing rules differ by country, state, province and municipality, and they change over time. Check your own local requirements — including any permit, licence, volume limit or minimum age — before you brew, bottle or share what you make.
  • Use food-grade equipment only. Vessels, bottles, tubing and utensils that were not made for food or drink may release unwanted compounds or shelter microbes.
  • Work in a well-ventilated space, keep hot liquids away from children and pets, and follow the manufacturer's instructions for every appliance you use.
  • Bottles under pressure can fail. Use bottles designed for carbonated drinks, do not over-prime, and refrigerate once the carbonation is right.
  • For anything involving gas pressure, electricity, high heat, chemical cleaners or acids, consult a qualified professional.

Finished kombucha contains trace alcohol and caffeine. It is not suitable for children, and anyone who is pregnant, breastfeeding, immunocompromised, diabetic or taking medication should speak to a healthcare professional before drinking it. Kombucha is a food, not a medicine, and it does not treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Related tools and guides