Taping bottles

While I still don't know if it does anything, I do use electrical tape on any bottles I ship. I have received some with duct tape and its a chore to take it off.

 

I highly doubt any tape except really high quality electrical tape actually does anything... and even then many people say beer is gonna go where beer wants to go with or without tape.

I use electrical tape when I have it.

Cannot EVER imagine using duct tape... just gonna make a mess and is never gonna seal liquid in.

 

None of those do anything. The only leaky bottles I’ve ever received had electrical and packing tape on the caps.

The only tape to use is silicone all purpose repair tape. It is self adhering and therefore leaves no residue of glue on the bottle or cap. It is easy to pop off with a slight snip from knife or scissors. It is also designed to prevent leaks.

I use this, but I’m guessing a similar product is available in the States.

https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/fusion-pro-self-fusing-silicone-tape-white-0670022p.0670022.html?=EAIaIQobChMIsaCM687R3gIViFmGCh2yrwxaEAQYASABEgKIWfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

All that said, I think tape is only really necessary on twist off bottles (Peche Mortel for example) and only when it is very cold. I do it just in case...

 

Please stop taping these bottles, it is a waste of time and just makes a lot of unnecessary work for the person on the other end. I have never done this and have never had a leaky bottle in 12 years of trading. Just stop.

 

I dont understand how anyone can think electrical taping bottles is pointless. I've broken 2 wine corkscrew type bottle openers and bent keychain openers trying to open them without removing the tape/cutting it. You can't even get a hiss out of the bottle on well taped one before a light duty bottle opener bends.

I agree the tape will NEVER hold the pressure in if the gas makes it passed the seal of the cap... but it most certainly holds the cap down tighter and is going to require a lot more pressure to lift the cap in the first place. In the case of the increased pressure from a drop several good wraps with electrical tape will likely save a minor leak.

Duct tape would be worthless. You need to use electrical tape and stretch the tape as you wrap.

 

When I first started shipping bottles I would use electric tape, and like said I stretched it so it would be tight. Later I read it didn't make a difference and I started to do it less and less, I thought I was cheating every time I didn't tape. However I don't do it anymore and not one bottle has ever leaked, knock on wood, maybe that doesn't work either.
But like I've read and said many times, it's how you package the bottles and cans. If you shake your box and you can feel something moving around, you did it wrong. You shouldn't feel or hear anything except your pennies, if you do that. I guess the thing to do is ask you trading partner if do or don't want taped caps.

 

I have no actual information for what I am about to say:

Saving dropping a bottle and having it foam out, the only times that I have heard of beers leaking have been on two different circumstances:

(1) Bad cap/seal, no tape was used, and when opened the bottle did not hiss, and was not a pleasurable drinking experience.
(2) Geuze and other Lambik when laid on their side and shipped in the summer. (Not sure if tape was used. But I know of one case where one of 3 Bottles did not have tape and it was the only one that leaked.) these bottles are all said to drink great.

For #1: only heard about this once before. But I am sure there are more cases.

For #2: This is common. I have almost no doubt that this is more common when bottles are not taped. You never hear about this with stouts. I think there is something about them being too viscous or no active yeast that is keeping this from happening.

 

Specially to your question, I’ve checked bags with beer dozens of times. No tape. No problems. Don’t bother.

 

I use electrical tape when I ship bottles, but I first put a little cellophane wrap around the bottle top so the tape isn't touching the bottle. Too many times I've received bottles where I remove the tape and the sticky residue from the tape remains. Small pet peeve

 

I use blue painter's tape. Doesn't take that much extra time, easy to take off and even if it's placebo it just makes me feel better. Why not?

 

I regularly use bubble wrap or inflatable wine bags for shipping bottles. I like to use electrical tape to prevent the edge of the cap from possibly puncturing the air pocket(s). The likelihood of that happening seems small, but I figure its a simple and quick precaution.

 

I do the same thing, but I don't use electrical tape I use industrial silicon tape that actually is made to seal around bottles to hold liquid in. Those wine shipping bags are perfect and less than a buck a bag!

 

Can you link to the tape you use? Thanks.

 

I think the real problem is that you live in Canada and yes when beer freezes like I've seen with sours no tape in the world is going to keep that beer from leaking out.

 

I only use about an inch or so and pull it really tight as it stretches and makes a very tight seal. This tape may help from bottles going to CA as well as it's good to -60!!!

• Will not melt up to 260°C (500°F)
• Remains flexible to -50°C (-60°F)
• Tensile strength of 700+PSI
• Insulates to 400 volts/mil
• Resists weathering

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HWRO744/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

You can ship bottles on their sides, I've done it dozens of times without incident. The only drawback in my book is there tends to be a lot more sloshing when you're dropping it off.