# Cork Humidor



## masta (Jan 21, 2007)

I finally figured out a way to make a cork humidor large enough to store all my corks. Last year I bought 1000 custom corks from Georgeand have been keeping them in the original bag and taking out what I need and rinsing them before bottling. We all knowthat soaking your corks is bad and handling them excessively is also not good due to the coating that is added to help prevent them from sticking in the bottle. 


I looked for aairtight container large to hold my corks but was unsuccessful but the light bulb went off one day and this is what I came up with.I bought a plastic tub with coverand alarge plastic drum liner that is usedto packaged bulk pharmaceuticals.I placed the liner inside the tub and put a 2 gal bucket inside. The bucket has a gallon ofsanitizing strength Na-metain it with holes drilled in the lid to allow the vapors to fill the liner and protect my corks and keep them ready to use at anytime.









A good twist of the liner and tie off and it should provide the same result as if it was done in a airtight container.





*Edited by: masta *


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## Wade E (Jan 21, 2007)

Thats a lot of corks boss! I dont think I'll ever need one as I buy
locally right down the road. Great idea for the ones that do buy alot.


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## jobe05 (Jan 21, 2007)

Great idea Masta, I'm gonna try that. I have on hand about 300 corks and I just ordered 200 more. I won't be using them all within the next month or so, so I'll do a humidore. Thanks for the idea.


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## geocorn (Jan 21, 2007)

I am working on a cork humidor to sell. We have a concept. Just have to come up with the parts on an affordable basis.


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## Dean (Jan 22, 2007)

Sweet!!!! I have about 20 of those exact silver tubs. Walmart had a sale on them a few months ago for $4 each.

I think I'm gonna do just that when I pick up 1000 corks in the next few weeks!


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## sharpstick (Oct 11, 2007)

wade said:


> Thats a lot of corks boss! I dont think I'll ever need one as I buy
> locally right down the road. Great idea for the ones that do buy alot.





it doesn't matter how many you buy. this is a good idea to do for any corks that you will be using.

most corks come from the factory nicely sanitized, but by the time
your local store has opened the packages up and repackaged them, they
have been exposed to air and handling.

i make sure i put enough corks in mine a couple days before
bottling so they will be sanitized by then. it is a one gallon plastic
pail with a spice bottle for the kmeta solution. put enough kmeta in it
so some is still solid. that will insure a super saturated solution. be
careful opening it. those fumes are POTENT!

usually i just fill it back up after bottling and keep it full.

bill keiser


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## PeterZ (Oct 11, 2007)

I don't need anything like the size Masta has - I buy 100 at a time. I'm thinking a 2 gallon primary with a plastic soda cup from the 7 Eleven for the K-meta. One thing to remember - long term exposure to SO2 gas or liquid solution will cause serious corrosion to all of the grades of stainless steel (and steel, aluminum, copper, brass, bronze, and iron) that we might use in winemaking. Use only food grade plastic.

A 1 gallon primary with one of those tip proof plastic coffee mugs with the wide bottom could probably hold a couple of hundred corks. I think that's the route I'll go.

Now where can I get a 1 gallon food grade plastic pail with lid that didn't contain pickles?


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## Wade E (Oct 11, 2007)

I definitely have changed my mind as I do *a lot* more wine now and getting to the store to get a supply of corks as often as I need them now is a hassle. She does carry them in a humidor so I never had to worry about that but I think its time i build my own. I think I might look for something a little bigger than a 1 gallon but not a 5'er. Have to check out Walmart for something midsize so the san. container dont get burried if i do get a decent supply as I think a gallon bucket would leave the san. cup buried with more than 100.

*Edited by: wade *


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## JWMINNESOTA (Oct 11, 2007)

PeterZ said:


> Now where can I get a 1 gallon food grade plastic pail with lid that didn't contain pickles?




Would an ice cream pail not work?


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## PolishWineP (Oct 11, 2007)

Wave down that Schwan's truck and get yourself a humidor! Darn, you'll have to eat some ice cream first! Don't you hate it when that happens?


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## uavwmn (Dec 12, 2007)

A picture is worth a thousand words....or corks......or wine.....






Great idea. I am going to do a smaller version. Thanks, Masta!!


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## Motomike (Dec 16, 2007)

Thanks for the help on this one! I am bottling this week and made a small version of your humidor and it holds about 100 corks. I have to say that this forum has been incredibly helpful to me. I have picked up all kinds of great ideas that will help me with my wine making. I am now hooked on this forum and find myself checking it almost every day.


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## Wade E (Dec 16, 2007)

Glad we can be of help!


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## swillologist (Dec 16, 2007)

Quote "and find myself checking it almost everyday." You're not hooked yet.



When you are checking it a couple, three times a day. Then you are getting hooked.



*Edited by: swillologist *


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## Waldo (Jan 6, 2008)

Got through bottling my Strawberry Riesling this morning and made myself another Humidor as I felt the container I was using was not really sealing that well. I had picked this one up at Wally World yesterday morning and think it will work fine.






Decided against using the quart jar in the first picture so I got me a screw top wine bottle, made a few holes in the lid and used it.


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## sharpstick (Jan 6, 2008)

That bucket doesn't look like it has that good a seal. I think a cork
humidor needs a tight seal. Bed Bath and Beyond store has a nice 4
liter round canister with a silicone seal and a push button release on
the lid for $13 that I'm going back for when I get one of their 30% off
coupons.


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## grapeman (Jan 6, 2008)

I see a sample bottle there. I bet that doesn't last long! That's a good big humidor. How many corks does it hold and does it seal pretty tight? It looks like it might screw on as well as the catches.


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## Wade E (Jan 6, 2008)

I use a MM All Juice bucket and a 3 liter jug in there. Might be a little overkill as when I open it I have to do so outside so as not to die.


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## Waldo (Jan 6, 2008)

It only snaps on appleman and it may prove to be not tight rnough for the intended use. I popped it open when I got back from Malvern a few minutes ago and there was not much sulphite odor so it may be back to square one for me. You were right about the sample bottle, it and two other bottles are now ready to refill.


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## myway22 (Jan 6, 2008)

Those little guys are hysterical Wade.


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## rgecaprock (Jan 6, 2008)

*You guys are on a much bigger scale than me......




* 


*I only had to eat 1/2 gallon of ice Cream to get my humidor but working well. I did have to post a warning on top......KEEP UPRIGHT...HUMIDOR...if anyonearound here can figure out what that means.....everyone pretty much leaves my wine stuff alone.*

*Ramona**Edited by: rgecaprock *


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## ttalsma (Jan 10, 2008)

What would all y'all think about using a covered 5 gallon pail? I have some that I got drywall "mud" in at one point. I could clean and sanitize one of these and then have an airtight container.

Would this work???

Thanks


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## Dean (Jan 10, 2008)

That's what I use! 5 gallon pails as corkidors.


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## Wade E (Jan 10, 2008)

Just make sure you clean it really well I guess. Not sure if its food grade but I dont think its as critical as your not fermenting wine in there.


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## Ron.SPQR (Jan 12, 2008)

I like the humidor idea, but I have a couple of questions. One, can I always store my corks in the humidor and make sure the plastic jar is always filled with k-meta? Two, when I'm ready to bottle can I take the cork from the humidor and start corking? thanks


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## Wade E (Jan 12, 2008)

Yes and yes. The only thing that needs to be done is change the k-meta out every month and a half or so. You can also store anything not metal such as wine thief, hydrometer, etc,etc. No metal, not even stainless.

*Edited by: wade *


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## Ron.SPQR (Jan 12, 2008)

Thanks wade.I have one more question.I'm using a plastic quart jar with plastic lid how much k-meta and water should I put in the jar?


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## Wade E (Jan 12, 2008)

Maybe if you a fit a 375 ml bottle filled with the k-meta solution or something near that size that will fit.


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## Ron.SPQR (Jan 12, 2008)

Thanks wade I'm going to give it a try. Thanks again.


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## sharpstick (Jan 12, 2008)

I keep corks in mine all the time. When I bottle and use them up, I immediately fill it back up with new ones. 

I have an old spice bottle(glass with plastic lid about 4" high
by 1" diameter) with holes drilled in the lid to keep the cork from
falling in. There is about 1/2" K-meta in the bottom and about 1" of
water.

Whenever I open it up, I have to be careful. If I breathe too
close to it, I make really funny faces and noises. Does the K-meta
really need to be replenished?

bill keiser


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## Wade E (Jan 12, 2008)

Eventually!


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## PeterZ (Jan 14, 2008)

As long as the smell when you open it up is strong, the K-meta is fine. If you open it up and don't get knocked over by the smell, then it's time for more K-meta solution. *Edited by: PeterZ *


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## Ron.SPQR (Mar 5, 2008)

Can you use potassium sorbate or just the k-meta.


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## Wade E (Mar 5, 2008)

Just sodium or potassium metabisulfite.


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## grapeman (Mar 5, 2008)

Use k-meta or na-meta. Sorbate is to prevent renewed fermentation.


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## Ron.SPQR (Mar 5, 2008)

Thanks I'll stick with the k-meta.


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## tcb54 (Mar 6, 2008)

Would it be bad for the corks to absorb K-Meta fumes for months and months? Will it eventually work to break down the corks?


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## PeterZ (Mar 7, 2008)

I'll let masta weigh in on that one, but my thought is no. SO2, the gas given off by the bisulfite, attaches to metals, forming a metal-sulfide complex. That is how it kills bacteria - by binding up the metals the cells need for respiration. I don't think metal ions play any role in the integrity of the corks.


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## masta (Mar 7, 2008)

My thinking and lack of evidence showing otherwise is that there would not be anylong term effects to corks being kept in humidor due to the SO2. Cork manufacturers actually ship their corks in large sacks that are filled with SO2 for protection. What is known is that long term storage of corks exposed to air (even if inside sealed bags because they do provide a completely 100% seal against the outside environment)will cause them to become brittle and useless.


Found this quote from Tim Vandergrift of Winexpert which seems to back my theory:


"The environment inside a cork humidor raises the moisture content of the cork to between 6 and 8%, in a high sulfur dioxide environment. This allows the corks to maintain pliancy while preventing the growth of mold and mildew. It has no net negative effects on the corks otherwise." 
*Edited by: masta *


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