# Corks Popping Up! Help!



## gfrank07 (Sep 12, 2010)

So I bottled 220 187ml bottles of Niagara yesterday. There is approximately 3/4 of an inch headspace per bottle. Within minutes after corking, many bottles corks began to rise out of the bottle about a quarter inch (none popping off). I pushed the corks back down, but many gradually came back up. Cam anyone diagnose why this happened and what I can expect/do to prevent corks popping off? I sorbated the wine about a month ago so there should be NO active yeast. Also, I degassed the wine by stirring a month ago. I believe it is a combination of the smaller headspace and the carbon dioxide trapped in the wine forcing the corks up. Am I ever safe at some point if they still haven't popped up? They are currently stored in my basement which is currently relatively cool, but I'm afraid they will explode when transported to a warmer environment. Please help with any tips on salvaging the wine!


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## Runningwolf (Sep 12, 2010)

Greg, open a bottle up and shake it up like you would a coke bottle with your thumb over the opening. If it releases any gas at all you're going o have to open all the bottles and dump them back in the carboy and degas again. Also get an sg reading and check it again in a week to see if any fermentation is taking place. You said you sorbated but did you add the correct amount along with kmeta at the same time?


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## cpfan (Sep 12, 2010)

Are they synthetic corks? They have a tendency to do this when there is insufficient head space. I have never used 187ml bottles so have no experience.

Steve


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## xanxer82 (Sep 12, 2010)

Did you degass and sorbate?


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## mmadmikes1 (Sep 12, 2010)

if the fermentaion was active even if you sorbate and K-meta it will continue. If it happened when bottling I would guess you need a little more head space. I wet the corks and it seems to have solved that problem permently(wet with K-meta solution). Are you using a lever hand corker? that aleways happened alittle when I did


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## djrockinsteve (Sep 12, 2010)

Greg, my wines when corked have 7/8 of an inch head space. As Runningwolf mentioned, open a bottle and shake it up. It it fizzes you have excess CO2 that needs gassed.


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## gfrank07 (Sep 13, 2010)

Thanks for the posts. I degassed roughly 30% of the bottles with a vacuum top once I saw the corks rise. I believe there is small amount of CO2 in the wine. What will happen if I leave the wine like this? If they haven't exploded after a week or so am I safe?


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## Minnesotamaker (Sep 13, 2010)

If they are under pressure, but not building pressure, you won't likely have explosions going on. The corks could leak though when the bottles are stored on their sides. 

Did you leave the bottles in an upright position for a few days after corking?


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## ffemt128 (Sep 13, 2010)

I'm voting for needing a tad more headspace. I had this happen on a few that I over filled and when I corked the cork rose abt 1/4 inch. Took the cork out and emptied a little wine and no problem after that.


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## mmadmikes1 (Sep 13, 2010)

a co2 problem would not be right away. a small amount of co2 is good. No co2 at all make a flat tasting wine.


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## wyntheef (Sep 13, 2010)

gfrank07 said:


> There is approximately 3/4 of an inch headspace per bottle. Within minutes after corking, many bottles corks began to rise out of the bottle about a quarter inch (none popping off). I pushed the corks back down, but many gradually came back up.



The fact that it happened so quickly and again after pushing them down a second time, plus that they didn't push out further, suggests something like hydraulic pressure. I think you could test this theory by corking a bottle of water similarly (3/4 " headspace) and also with less volume (2" headspace) and see what happens to both.


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## winemaker_3352 (Sep 13, 2010)

wyntheef said:


> The fact that it happened so quickly and again after pushing them down a second time, plus that they didn't push out further, suggests something like hydraulic pressure. I think you could test this theory by corking a bottle of water similarly (3/4 " headspace) and also with less volume (2" headspace) and see what happens to both.




I agree - i had that happen before - i took a little bit out - corked it and it was fine.


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## Dugger (Sep 13, 2010)

I've not used 187 ml bottles so don't know what size corks they take, but what size and type of cork did you use? It could be the corks are too small ( diameter) and won't hold the pressure.


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## robie (Sep 13, 2010)

I agree with Dugger about the cork size. If the size you used is the correct size, there is another problem, likely CO2. If CO2, I'd bet that as soon as you take the bottles out of the cool area and the temperature rises, the corks are going to come out again.


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## non-grapenut (Sep 13, 2010)

maybe I use too much headspace at 2" from the bottle top. This is the 1st time in my life I have ever done anything conservative. It's a cause for celebration!


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## grapeman (Sep 13, 2010)

What do you mean by 3/4 inch headspace? 3/4" between the cork and the wine or 3/4" between the top of the wine and the top of the bottle? I the latter, how would you put an inch and a half even cork in there and expect it to go down. If you mean 3/4 between the wine and cork, it should stay in no problem. Which is it?


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## Runningwolf (Sep 13, 2010)

Alo please tell us what kind of cork you are using and size #8 or #9x 1 3/4 etc. I use #9 on all bottles including 375mm's.


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## djrockinsteve (Sep 13, 2010)

3/4 inch between wine and bottom of cork


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## gfrank07 (Sep 15, 2010)

3/4 inch from the bottom of the cork to the top of the wine. Size 7 corks were used.


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## wyntheef (Sep 15, 2010)

from E.C. Kraus' website.


#7
This size cork is recommended for smaller odd sized openings. They are 13/16 inches in diameter. 



#8 
These corks fit a standard fifth wine bottle. They are 7/8 inches in diameter. 


#9 
These corks give a good tight fit in a standard fifth size wine bottle. They are 15/16 inches in diameter. 




most people use the 8 or 9's. You should probably try changing some to see if that cures your problem.


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## gfrank07 (Sep 15, 2010)

Thanks for the tip, I have size 8's lying around and they would not fit in the bottles so I was forced to use a #7. At this point I believe there is a small amount of CO2 in the bottles and they were pushed up due to lack of headspace. I don't think I'll sweat it until I see one explode. I have about 300 crown caps that would relieve the headspace situation if necessary. Do crown caps preserve wine well?


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## mmadmikes1 (Sep 16, 2010)

I have in past just taken a razer knife and cut the tops off, unless you are planing long storage. Being fairly new, I bet it will all be shared and drank fairly fast


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## wyntheef (Sep 16, 2010)

gfrank07 said:


> I don't think I'll sweat it until I see one explode.



I haven't had any explode myself, but have the impression it could be fairly dangerous if anyone is in the area. We would hate for any updates on this thread to be about someone getting hurt.


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## gfrank07 (Sep 17, 2010)

mmadmikes1 said:


> I have in past just taken a razer knife and cut the tops off, unless you are planing long storage. Being fairly new, I bet it will all be shared and drank fairly fast



That's an excellent idea thanks! This way it will have sufficient headspace and I won't have to worry about the shrink wrap looking bad when the corks start rising again.


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## mmadmikes1 (Sep 17, 2010)

corks fly before bottle explod. They made big messes and stink up house If you are standing with one aimed at head it would hurt


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## Wade E (Sep 17, 2010)

mmadmikes1 said:


> corks fly before bottle explode. They made big messes and stink up house If you are standing with one aimed at head it would hurt



If you have shrink wraps on the bottles will sometimes go as sometimes the wraps can hold the corks in enough. How do I know! 

What are you using to install these corks? 7's are not the correct size of r those bottles. I use #9's on all my bottles including 175's and 375's but use a floor corker, If you are using a hand smack corker please invest in a better corker like at least a dble lever hand corker but if I were you Id minimally get a Portuguese floor corker but the best is the Italian floor corker. that said Ive been using the Port. now for 10 years and it still works great but may not work on some synthetic corks as some are very hard while others more pliable. What are you using to fill your bottles as those bottling wands work very well at leaving the perfect amount of headspace in your bottles every time and they are cheap. Ive used my $4.00 wand for 9 years before getting the Boun Vino auto filler.


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