Cork size

[Jeff Sparagana]

I have 3 cases of empty bottles from an Italian rose. I am using them along with other empties to bottle 100 gallons of Verdicchio.

I normally use size 9 corks. I had a very difficult time corking these bottles with size 9 corks. Some corks went in cleanly but others not all the way or they bent.

I have a table top corker. It has never been a problem doing regular wine bottles for 12 years. I measured Rose bottle openings. Most wine bottles have a 3/4” opening. These empty Rose bottles have a 5/8” opening. Any idea where I could find narrower corks to fit. Been looking online. No luck yet.

thanks
Jeff

 

[cmason1957]

Are #7 corks that much smaller? I forget exactly what size they are. Usually once I have problems with a few bottles of a given type, I toss those bottles.

 

[crushday]

You can get #8 corks just about anywhere. I would check Amazon.

 

[G259]

I use #8's, they go in semi-easy into bottles with a hand corker, but I'd imagine that a floor corker would be ideal.

 

[WinoDave]

Did you try the #9 rubber corks and dip in sanitizer.

 

[DizzyIzzy]

I have 3 cases of empty bottles from an Italian rose. I am using them along with other empties to bottle 100 gallons of Verdicchio.

I normally use size 9 corks. I had a very difficult time corking these bottles with size 9 corks. Some corks went in cleanly but others not all the way or they bent.

I have a table top corker. It has never been a problem doing regular wine bottles for 12 years. I measured Rose bottle openings. Most wine bottles have a 3/4” opening. These empty Rose bottles have a 5/8” opening. Any idea where I could find narrower corks to fit. Been looking online. No luck yet.

thanks
Jeff

I am very new to winemaking, but I simmered my corks for 5-10 min., dipped in sanitizer, and corked the bottles while warm w/hand corker without a problem. I also oiled the top "metal" section of the Portuguese hand corker. I hope this is helpful.

 

[Johnd]

I am very new to winemaking, but I simmered my corks for 5-10 min., dipped in sanitizer, and corked the bottles while warm w/hand corker without a problem. I also oiled the top "metal" section of the Portuguese hand corker. I hope this is helpful.

When you simmer corks, you start the process of breaking them down. While sanitizer is good, dipping your corks in it is not recommended. What’s a winemaker to do? Buy quality corks and store them properly until you need to use them. Before use, sanitize you’re corks using Kmeta fumes. I do this in a small plastic bucket with 1/2” deep Kmeta solution in the bottom, and a colander to hold my corks above the “water line”. Drop in the number of needed corks to sit 10 or 15 minutes with the lid on, and use them just like that, DRY and sanitized.

Its good to maintain your corker mechanism, make sure no oil can get on the parts that touch your cork, and use food safe grease.

 

[DizzyIzzy]

When you simmer corks, you start the process of breaking them down. While sanitizer is good, dipping your corks in it is not recommended. What’s a winemaker to do? Buy quality corks and store them properly until you need to use them. Before use, sanitize you’re corks using Kmeta fumes. I do this in a small plastic bucket with 1/2” deep Kmeta solution in the bottom, and a colander to hold my corks above the “water line”. Drop in the number of needed corks to sit 10 or 15 minutes, and use them just like that, DRY and sanitized.

Its good to maintain your corker mechanism, make sure no oil can get on the parts that touch your cork, and use food safe grease.

Great info John, thanks! Yes, I did use a little veg oil on the mechanism.

 

[stickman]

Vegetable oil is food grade, but will oxidize over time and eventually become sticky.

 

[Jeff Sparagana]

I would not use a liquid on the corks. Ordered some size 8 to see if they fit easier.
Jeff

 

[cmason1957]

It is probably worthwhile to purchase some food grade lubricant. Here's one, I am sure there are many others to choose from:

https://morewinemaking.com/products/silicone-spray-12-oz.html

 

[Jeff Sparagana]

Thank you.
jwff

 

[hounddawg]

i use a italian floor corker it will put a #9 in a #8 hole with ease, the italian floor corker has metal jaws, and last mines 6 years old and still works like new,,,
Dawg

 

[montanarick]

K-meta like Johnd suggests is always good idea. I just did mine into glass of vodka and put in bottle with Italian corker - works great

 

[kevinlfifer]

I have some older #9 corks, they seem a little dry from age. I tried moisture to no avail. No amount of tweaking would get those puppies into a 5/8" neck, and I use a floor corker. Get some #8s They should work fine. Smaller corks, #7s, will limit your shelf life.

 

[montanarick]

I sure wouldn't use old dried out corks - not worth it

 

[kevinlfifer]

They are in the craft bin

 

[GaDawg]

I use no. 7 for early drinkers.

 

[hounddawg]

i used #9 flor corks for everything, then steve said he had wine going back years around half cork, and the other noracroc's and could tell no difference, that's steve of AIO vacuumpumpman so for several years now i only use noracroc's for everything,,,
Dawg

 

[troycifer]

When you simmer corks, you start the process of breaking them down. While sanitizer is good, dipping your corks in it is not recommended. What’s a winemaker to do? Buy quality corks and store them properly until you need to use them. Before use, sanitize you’re corks using Kmeta fumes. I do this in a small plastic bucket with 1/2” deep Kmeta solution in the bottom, and a colander to hold my corks above the “water line”. Drop in the number of needed corks to sit 10 or 15 minutes with the lid on, and use them just like that, DRY and sanitized.

Its good to maintain your corker mechanism, make sure no oil can get on the parts that touch your cork, and use food safe grease.

Can I do the same thing to sanitize my natural corks but use Star San solution instead?