Wax-top bottles: what's the point?

I believe it does keep the beer fresher while aging. The wax seals the cap 100%, so there is no chance of the beer getting oxidized.

I think brewers probably also like doing it because it makes the beer look more special too.

 

It helps prevent oxidation. It makes sense for the homebrewer or collector if he wants to cellar. Commercially, not so much, but it sure looks nice.

 

Honestly i think its just for appearance. And yea they really are a pain in the ass to open sometimes haha

 

Percieved: locks in the freshness

Actual: Looks cool bro

 

And They can charge more for it as a premium beer..... Because, there's wax on it. It HAS to be good!! Right??

I've only had 1 wax-capped beer, and trying to open it was enough to dissuade me from ever getting another one without some really good reason to.

 

Just chopped open a BBPt5 and I feel your pain. It does add to the .rar(ness) though.

Edit: I fear having to open my bottle of darkness...that shot is thick!! (Cue the that's what she said comment)

 

It looks cool and makes it more marketable.

Does it make a difference? Negligibly.

Most are a pain in the ass to open.

 

I love how beer nerds complain about waxing all the time and how it's just a pain to open but everyone likes how it looks. It's all about perception, it makes you feel good opening a bottle.

 

Sierra Nevada Devestation Ale was wax dipped, no? Surely that wasnt meant to be aged

 

I slice a ring below the cap, then a vertical line down to the bottom of the wax, peel, then uncap.

SN's Estate ales age pretty well IMO. Hard to believe the stuff could get any more drinkable, but it does

 

A better question would be "Is there any actual research which shows that waxing a bottle helps preserve the beer from oxidation?"

 

I only saber beers so I wouldnt know.

 

Some folks will purchase bottles of bourbon and wax them if they wish to store them for longer terms. As other folks already stated, this helps to prevent oxidization. It also helps prevent evaporation when you are dealing with longer periods of time.

One way to prevent the messy wax chipping is to use a lighter to slowly melt the wax. I haven't done it myself but I wouldn't think it should take too long.

 

I use wax on homebrew bottles that I plan on aging or shipping. People can say that it is only done to look cool, but in all reality it seals the entire area around the cap and really does prevent oxidization. There are some breweries who probably over use it though. (I'm looking at you Bruery). For me the easiest way to get the wax off is honestly just to take the bottle opener right to the cap through the wax. If it is too thick to do it that way take a sharp knife and cut all the way around the neck of the bottle just under the cap and then split that down the middle like someone previously said.

 

I wax bottles that I am going to cellar for a long period of time. Science may back up the oxidation theory but I do it to easily differentiate which beers are for now and which are for later....but in general, waxed bottles just look badass

 

It's so pretty

 

The point is to annoy the hell out of you when you attempt to open the bottle. Mission accomplished.

 

All I know is that I had a wax top once, FFF barley behemoth, after a year of aging and it was delicious.