Packaging #11 - Reusable cap (2)

Yesterday I expressed that I could not understand why someone might find it interesting to want to cover a bottle of individual capacity -less than 50 cl-, but there can always be exceptions in this life, as shown by the second alternative of reusable cap to explore: the mythical Tactical Nuclear Penguin by Brewdog.

At 32% ABV, even its 33 cl bottle may prove to be excessive for an individual consumption of the whole content. Therefore, sometimes the packaging of such beer included a wrapping, a rubber cap and a thread from which hung a fantastic and colourful cap that allows to seal the beer, once open. It just requires to insert the plastic part inside and turn the metal handle on top -which, incidentally, can be used as an opener- to 'swell' the plastic inside and leave the cap tightly fastened. And the bottle perfectly closed. With this cap, the alcoholic graduation of the beer and a minimum of care, I have managed to keep an open bottle of Penguin for more than 4 years: it evolves and preserves its dignity -and still half of the content!-.

I came across the last alternative I wanted to talk about in a bottle of one of my favourite breweries. Fraoch 22, by the Scottish Williams Bros Brewery, incorporated a special plastic cap with a small mechanism that, when pressing the central part, grips tightly to the outside of the bottle and seals it perfectly, with a good prevention of oxidation -I was able to maintain all day an open Fraoch 22, of 11% ABV, without any problem-. Attractive, and unlike anything I have encountered previously, it has the drawback that it only works with certain bottles, depending on the shape of the neck.

Be that as it may, the two caps seen today are by no means usual. And it is a true pity that they are not seen more often, given their good results and the entertainment they provide to curious-natured beer lovers.

Salut i birra!


To understand the motivation behind this series of posts, it is advisable to read the Introduction.