The lack of a bottle opener can ruin any party… unless you know how to open a bottle with a lighter of course. To do this, you need to know how the levers work. Just use one hand to hold the lighter securely under the cap and the other to pop it.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Pop the Cap
Step 1. Hold the beer with your non-dominant hand very close to the cap
Fold your index finger just below the neck of the bottle, leaving only a little space between your finger and the cap. The closer the finger is to the cap, the easier the operation becomes.
The finger holding the lighter under the cap is the fulcrum of the lever. When you push the lighter down, your thumb holds it close to the cap until it pops out. For this reason it must be as close as possible
Step 2. Put the bottom of the lighter under the cap
Don't use the rounded corner, but rather the long plastic edge on the bottom. Rest the underside of the lighter on your left thumb, which is wrapped around the neck of the bottle (if you're right).
The lighter should be perpendicular to the beer bottle
Step 3. Hold the metal part of the lighter firmly
You will need to push it down with even force and a smooth motion.
Step 4. Slide your finger up along the neck of the bottle, so that the lighter fits snugly against the cap
The finger is the fulcrum of the lever, so it must be perfectly still.
Step 5. Push quickly, but firmly, on the lighter to pop the cap
You should feel the lighter penetrate your finger slightly, but if you press the right way, the cap should pop off in a short time. Use exactly the same motion as you would with a regular bottle opener.
It may be helpful to tilt the beer slightly towards the lighter. In this case, push parallel to the bottle to impart as much force as possible to the lighter
Method 2 of 3: Pry off the Cap
Step 1. Hold the bottle firmly with your non-dominant hand
Keep it low and not too close to your body, but make sure your grip is firm and that the beer can't slip out of your hand. With your dominant hand, you will hold the lighter, using your thumb to hold the top of the bottle steady, as you pull the cap off.
Step 2. Hold the lighter in your fist so that its lower half is visible
It must remain firm in your hand and part of it must come out on the thumb side.
The lighter will be aligned with the tip of your second knuckle. In other words, the bottom of the tool will be parallel to the thumb
Step 3. Wrap your thumb around the neck of the bottle
You should put it right under the cap and apply pressure to hold the beer still when you try to open it. The lighter will be on the opposite side from your finger.
If you are right-handed, your hands will be in the shape of a lowercase "e" in reverse. The bottom curve is your thumb, the top hole is the lighter in your fingers. The bottle is located in the center, in the curve between the thumb and the other fingers
Step 4. Put the bottom of the lighter under the cap
You have to pass it under the knurls of the cap and use it to open the bottle.
Do not use rounded corners, as they are smaller surfaces that can slide easily
Step 5. Hold the bottle steady as you push up and out with the lighter
Think about turning your fist up and away from the beer. With your lower hand, you should lower the bottle as you push the cap. Rotate your wrist away from the glass and leave your thumb on the other side to create the force necessary to pry the cork off.
Method 3 of 3: Troubleshooting
Step 1. Use more force, impressed with speed, if only part of the cap rises
If only a small part of the cap pops up, you probably weren't quick enough to push the lighter. Just rotate the bottle 180 degrees and try again - you will usually be able to pry the cap off slowly if you have already started on the other side.
Step 2. Make sure you keep your finger just under the cap if you feel like you need to apply too much force
If you really have to struggle to pop the cap, it means that the fulcrum is not close enough to it or is not stable. Make sure the fingers of your left hand are right under the lighter.
Step 3. Tilt the bottle towards the lighter if it continues to slip out from under the cap
Line up the beer so that the lighter touches as many tips of the cap as possible. If you do the technique correctly, your lighter will have marks on the plastic.
Step 4. Try another method if you still can't pop the cap
Fortunately, there are many ways to open a beer bottle that don't require a lighter.
- Use a door by aligning the bottle with the metal part where the locking bar fits and applying downward pressure to pop the cork.
- Use a ring.
- Use an old CD.
Advice
- Instead of prying all the way around the bottle cap, improve your technique by drying your hands and wiping the condensation off the beer.
- Use the phalangin of the index finger, because the muscle there is strong enough.
- Use the big knuckle of your index finger as the fulcrum. This will open the beer with a "pop" as if it were a bottle of champagne and make the cork fly more than 10 feet away. It's a great makeup to show off at parties.
Warnings
- Do not hold the lighter completely in your closed fist and do not push it towards the bottle. With this technique, if the lighter doesn't blow the cap off on the first try, you could cut your knuckles on the cap.
- Once you have mastered the technique, you will be able to open a bottle of beer with just about anything. Do not use metal objects to open a beer, as they could chip the neck of the bottle and make the drinker's lip cut on the broken glass.
