Wax Seals: Why?

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by Scottsbeer, May 5, 2018.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Scottsbeer

    Scottsbeer Initiate (0) Nov 3, 2017 Florida
    In Memoriam Trader

    Opening a 20016 Terrapin Tart Cherry Wake N Bake tonight and just wondering if there is a real reason for the wax seal. With today's bottling technology is there a reason for the wax? I like the look of a cool cork and cage bottle and a waxed covered bottle also looks cool. However I have not had an issue with a regular cap on a bottle except once from a very small brewery who obviously should not have been trying to sell bombers without the proper equipment. The wax is a pain in the a$$ to remove so my bottle opener works. Is there a real reason for this today?
     
  2. HorseheadsHophead

    HorseheadsHophead Grand Pooh-Bah (3,732) Sep 15, 2014 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I think it's mostly for visual appeal. Maybe also for sealing, but I agree that a cork and cap would probably work just as well.
     
  3. dcotom

    dcotom Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,637) Aug 4, 2014 Iowa
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Asked and answered.
     
    eppCOS, rgordon, JamFuel and 6 others like this.
  4. Prep8611

    Prep8611 Savant (1,208) Aug 22, 2014 New Jersey

    So they can charge more for a fancier product.... it’s lame. Don’t buy beers with wax tops.
     
  5. sportscrazed2

    sportscrazed2 Pooh-Bah (2,360) Mar 29, 2010 American Samoa
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I think it's like how they used wax to seal envelopes back in the day. Proves it hasn't been tampered with. Though in all honesty I think it's just to make it look more premium and charge more
     
  6. DEdesings57

    DEdesings57 Pooh-Bah (2,556) Aug 26, 2012 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I was always under the impression that it was to minimize oxygen leeks as much as possible making the beer better suited for aging/cellaring.
     
  7. jvgoor3786

    jvgoor3786 Grand Pooh-Bah (4,222) May 28, 2015 Arkansas
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I hate wax tops. So annoying to open. Almost as bad as corks in beer.
     
  8. Prep8611

    Prep8611 Savant (1,208) Aug 22, 2014 New Jersey

    I don’t think there has ever been a scientific study saying that it helps reduce oxygenation. Why do wine producers not wax their bottles? Maybe some do but I have never seen them.
     
    pjeagles likes this.
  9. MNAle

    MNAle Initiate (0) Sep 6, 2011 Minnesota

    It's all marketing. An attempt to make a beer look highfalutin.
     
  10. Scott17Taylor

    Scott17Taylor Initiate (0) Oct 28, 2013 Iowa
    Trader

    This is always what I've heard as well. It would make sense that wax would help prevent oxidation, but honestly I think it has a lot more to do with marketing. It does make it look fancier and I'm sure that the ability to charge more definitely plays a role
     
    drtth, rudiecantfail and TheBrewsky like this.
  11. drtth

    drtth Initiate (0) Nov 25, 2007 Pennsylvania
    In Memoriam

    Such studies have been done, Waxing the cork does reduce or prevent oxygen ingress to the wine bottle.

    https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1755-0238.1999.tb00154.x


    The crown caps used on most beers do not create a perfect seal. Proper waxing should reduce oxygen ingress to beer as well.

    We don’t see waxed bottles of wine or beer very often because most beers and many wines are not meant to be cellared for 10-40 years or more, so it just makes unneeded work.

    @DEdesings57
     
    #11 drtth, May 5, 2018
    Last edited: May 5, 2018
    Dan_K, needMIbeer, nc41 and 11 others like this.
  12. cmiller4642

    cmiller4642 Maven (1,399) Aug 17, 2013 West Virginia

    I think it's just to add $10 or so to the bomber price
     
  13. Prep8611

    Prep8611 Savant (1,208) Aug 22, 2014 New Jersey

    That study was done on cork bottles and I was actually familiar with that study as I googled it before my post.
    Wine corks are not metal crimped caps so I don’t think you can claim this as scientific evidence.
    Sort of similiar to eating an orange a day is good for vitamin c deficiency. Apples must be the same because they are both fruit.
    I’m not buying that waxing these bottles does anything for the beer except make them more expensive to produce. Most people aren’t aging their beers long enough for the wax to matter if it matters at all.
     
  14. bbtkd

    bbtkd Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,790) Sep 20, 2015 South Dakota
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Put away the knives and torches. Many metal bottle openers such as the one I use - shown below - will push right through the wax and open the bottle just fine. Takes a bit more muscle, but works great. But I agree, wax is annoying and unnecessary.

    [​IMG]
     
    drtth likes this.
  15. DEdesings57

    DEdesings57 Pooh-Bah (2,556) Aug 26, 2012 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Maybe they bypassed the whole wax thing and went straight for Screw Tops which "Theoretically" are better then corks and also prevent the possibility of Cork Contamination. Personally I prefer corks on wine out of mere tradition but........
     
    drtth and Prep8611 like this.
  16. raynmoon

    raynmoon Initiate (0) Aug 13, 2011 Colorado

    You also can't prove something to be scientifically truthful with only one supporting study as well.
     
    Prep8611 likes this.
  17. jasonmason

    jasonmason Zealot (742) Oct 6, 2004 California
    Society Trader

    Welcome, time traveler from olden times! Let me introduce you to 2018...
     
    kuhndog, montman, T-Bird and 3 others like this.
  18. cavedave

    cavedave Grand Pooh-Bah (4,157) Mar 12, 2009 New York
    In Memoriam Pooh-Bah Trader

    I can think of one instance where the wax on a bottle worked, kinda. The difference in how the wax was applied on a counterfeit bottle of a TG beer (Assassin or KBBS I think, can't remember) led the person who was scammed to realize he'd been scammed.

    Otherwise it is just to increase the interest and confidence of consumers, like the other features applied to the outside of a bottle.
     
  19. donspublic

    donspublic Grand Pooh-Bah (3,552) Aug 4, 2014 Texas
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    If I remember right, the scammer did it multiple times and never could get the waxing down properly.
     
    cavedave likes this.
  20. drtth

    drtth Initiate (0) Nov 25, 2007 Pennsylvania
    In Memoriam

    Yes, as I mentioned the study was done on corks, which are not crimped crowns (some of which have oxygen scavaging liners).
    ,
    But the logic/conclusion/inference is that it’s more like saying, “Apples also have vitamin C in them, so eating Apples should also help with vitamin C deficiency.”

    True, most people don’t age any beer long enough for waxing to matter, and most beers, like many wines, are not intended for aging in the first place. But it doesnt follow that waxing can make no difference on beers with crimped crowns that are/can be expected to age well. Some people do actually purchase and age such beers.
     
    #20 drtth, May 5, 2018
    Last edited: May 5, 2018
    jakecattleco and Bitterbill like this.
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.