Corks and a corker.

[Intheswamp]

Well, as indecisive as I am I went with three different corks. I ordered from MoreWineMaking.
Here is what I ordered:
1 3/4 in Agglomerated 1+1 (25)
1 3/4" Grade 3 (25)
1 3/4 in Acquamark (25)

The Grade 3 corks were rather pricey but I'll be bottling three gallons of the seven year old mead with them. The least expensive was the Acquamark...hopefully they will be a good batch. The Acquamark appear to be a good cork for long-term use...naturally the #3's are supposed to be the best. And, of course, I ordered the bi-discs. This will give me corks to work with over the next year or so, hopefully I'll figure out what works the best for me. Thanks for all the feedback!!!!

 

[beano]

@Intheswamp
I use the # 9 amalgamated corks.

 

[bstnh1]

I think it might be time for me to look closer at these corks. Wine Corks - 1 3/4 in. Acquamark Corks.

The words say - These corks have the ageable lifespan of Natural Cork, but are closer to the price of an agglomerated or overrun cork. Price seems to be reasonable to me, much less than I remember buying from my LHBS for the bi-disc ones.

I looked at quite a few reviews for these and they all seemed to rate them pretty high, even for long term storage. My only concern is that in the photos they look pretty rough. $20+ for 100 seems very reasonable and about half the price I've been paying for bi-discs.

 

[Intheswamp]

What about "Nomacorc"? I get conflicting data on the ability of them to age wine. The website, https://www.vinventions.com/en/nomacorc , states "Wine preservation up to 25 years". But, when I go to different websites selling these corks they state (Amazon for an example here) "The classic green is ideal for wines with aging requirements up to 5 years". Other sellers that advertise Nomacorc corks simply call them "Nomacorc" with no specific version stated...they further use the phrase "several years" rather than a specific number of years that the corks are good for.

Ok, I did some more searching and found this pdf file/website: https://corksupply.com/assets/Uploads/Nomacorc-SelectGreen-sellsheet-EN-US-Mid.pdf This article shows that Nomacorc produces three synthetic corks: "Select Green 500" rated for 8 years, "Select Green 300" rated for 10 years, and "Select Green 100" rated for 15 years.

Interesting tidbit... I was reading under the " Product Use and Care" page where they say not to use an iris-type corker on the Nomacorc "Natural" corks. They don't state that about the synthectic corks, though, but do caution that the manual corkers should be inspected so as not to damage the synthectics.

FWIW.

 

[beano]

I have heard/read of insertion problems with the Nomacorc but can not testify to that. Wrinkling or some such problem. I think it depends on the type of corker being used. Hearsay of coarse. I will not testify!

 

[bstnh1]

What about "Nomacorc"? I get conflicting data on the ability of them to age wine. The website, https://www.vinventions.com/en/nomacorc , states "Wine preservation up to 25 years". But, when I go to different websites selling these corks they state (Amazon for an example here) "The classic green is ideal for wines with aging requirements up to 5 years". Other sellers that advertise Nomacorc corks simply call them "Nomacorc" with no specific version stated...they further use the phrase "several years" rather than a specific number of years that the corks are good for.

Ok, I did some more searching and found this pdf file/website: https://corksupply.com/assets/Uploads/Nomacorc-SelectGreen-sellsheet-EN-US-Mid.pdf This article shows that Nomacorc produces three synthetic corks: "Select Green 500" rated for 8 years, "Select Green 300" rated for 10 years, and "Select Green 100" rated for 15 years.

Interesting tidbit... I was reading under the " Product Use and Care" page where they say not to use an iris-type corker on the Nomacorc "Natural" corks. They don't state that about the synthectic corks, though, but do caution that the manual corkers should be inspected so as not to damage the synthectics.

FWIW.

On the carolinawinesupply site it says not to use the Nomacorc Green series with hand or manual corkers as they will crease the cork and it will leak. They suggest using the Nomacorc Select 900 series for hand or manual corkers. $120/ bag of 1000. Good price. Didn't see any info on aging with these.

 

[Intheswamp]

I saw one place that said the Gilda hand corker could be used.

 

[winemaker81]

I've been using Nomacorcs for a couple of years or so, about 300 bottles. I've had no problems with wrinkling or leaking, using an Italian floor corker.

However, I'm not sure which corks I have. The link Intheswamp posted for CorkSupply shows the name "Nomacorc" printed on the side.

I have ordered from Midwest Home Brewing and Winemaking Supplies on Amazon. The corks they picture and that I received have a picture of a grape bunch printed on the side.

https://www.amazon.com/stores/node/8911098011?_encoding=UTF8&field-lbr_brands_browse-bin=Midwest Homebrewing and Winemaking Supplies&ref_=bl_dp_s_web_8911098011

Whatever I'm using, I'm pleased with them. At this time I can't comment on ageability -- ask again in 5 years.

 

[Intheswamp]

Thanks for the feedback. I looked at the Amazon linked corks and realized I had seen them before and was confused about how they looked compared to what was shown on the Nomacorc link. In reviewing some of the questions asked by people on Amazon a couple of sellers stated that Amazon did indeed have the wrong picture showing. Lots of users report using iris/floor corkers with no problem...even one person reported using a double-handled Portugese hand corker.

Here is a link to a listing which I believe are true Nomacorcs...the ends of the corks appear to be identical to the ends of the corks shown on Nomacorc's webpage, 60-unit back for a decent price: https://www.amazon.com/North-Mounta...ords=nomacorc&qid=1567776522&s=gateway&sr=8-8 It's got me wondering if this would be the way to go...I'm not sure I'll be able to store much wine with the bottle laying horizontal...vertical would work better for me and these synthetic corks are supposed to handle the vertical position ok. My newbieness is probably very evident at this point.

 

[M38A1]

I have a Portuguese corker and probably corked 60 cases in the past 18 months and it's never had so much as a hiccup. As for corks, I'm using just a simple 9x1-1/2 Nomacorc Synthetic cork too. Nothing fancy and they seem to work well for what I'm doing as a rookie at this. And I'm storing all my 750ml bottles horizontally. All the 375's are upright. Heat shrink-wraps on top of all bottles.

 

[bstnh1]

Thanks for the feedback. I looked at the Amazon linked corks and realized I had seen them before and was confused about how they looked compared to what was shown on the Nomacorc link. In reviewing some of the questions asked by people on Amazon a couple of sellers stated that Amazon did indeed have the wrong picture showing. Lots of users report using iris/floor corkers with no problem...even one person reported using a double-handled Portugese hand corker.

Here is a link to a listing which I believe are true Nomacorcs...the ends of the corks appear to be identical to the ends of the corks shown on Nomacorc's webpage, 60-unit back for a decent price: https://www.amazon.com/North-Mounta...ords=nomacorc&qid=1567776522&s=gateway&sr=8-8 It's got me wondering if this would be the way to go...I'm not sure I'll be able to store much wine with the bottle laying horizontal...vertical would work better for me and these synthetic corks are supposed to handle the vertical position ok. My newbieness is probably very evident at this point.

You can easily store just as much wine horizontally in the same space as vertically if we're not talking extreme heights. I store mine in wine boxes, taped shut, on their side. No problem with 3 cases high. Plenty of wine boxes available in grocery stores, liquor stores and local wineries.

 

[Intheswamp]

@M38A1 , thanks for the feedback on the Portuguese corker. I did my small amount of bottles this evening. Used #9x1.75 corks. The little red corker did a really nice job. I think I'm going to get a tube of Loctite (blue, or purple) and put a couple of drops on the cork depth-nut. Seems it turns freely and threw me off a couple of times...setting a few corks a bit deeper than I wanted. It really made corking effortless!!! I'd recommend it to anybody, short of a commercial/large-scale fermenter.

@bstnh1 , I consider the vertical storage. We have a vacant house trailer on the property that we had set up for my MIL and there's a small bedroom I'm thinking of turning into a small wine storage/fermenting area. The vertical storage might work, but I'm not sure I'll have a great amount to store...but, you never know what will happen! Horizontal storage is definitely in the future!

 

[M38A1]

Yeah, my little collar nut will rotate sometimes. I simply took a sharpie pen and drew a vertical line on it facing me at the depth I wanted. That way I can generally 'zero' it anytime I need to.

I gave thought to a wrap or two of teflon tape to keep it in one place, but honestly it's never moved more than an 1/8 of a turn in either direction. I suppose if you really wanted to get fancy you could see what the thread pitch is (I'd guess a coarse 16) which means there's 16 threads per inch. That equates to roughly 1/16th of an inch for each rotation of the seating collar. Too deep by a 16th? Spin it a revolution down Too shallow by a 16th? Spin it a revolution up.

My bottles aren't that picky.

 

[Intheswamp]

To be honest, the nut spins pretty freely on mine. After 3-4 bottles it would be perceptively moved. Not sure why it would spin, though. Simply vibration/movement, I suppose. Strange, though, that it was set at the proper depth on the first bottle that I used it on. Seems like if it was vibration that moved it that shipping it would have moved it. Ah well, a mystery of life. I'll either go with teflon tape or Loctite for a little more consistency.

 

[gsf77]

Intheswamp, You watch out for those sugar ants around there. We got 'em bad in central Alabama. I lost 4 five frame nucs to them and just recently overnight they invaded my house and drowned by the thousands in one of my two 5 gallon buckets of fresh apple juice. Is the trailer climate controled?

 

[crabjoe]

To be honest, the nut spins pretty freely on mine. After 3-4 bottles it would be perceptively moved. Not sure why it would spin, though. Simply vibration/movement, I suppose. Strange, though, that it was set at the proper depth on the first bottle that I used it on. Seems like if it was vibration that moved it that shipping it would have moved it. Ah well, a mystery of life. I'll either go with teflon tape or Loctite for a little more consistency.

I picked up a Portugese floor corker and the nut is as loose as can be.. It's going to be months before I get a chance to use it, but I'm thinking what I can do to keep it from spinning on its own, when I do try it. I think I'm going to try the teflon tape since I've got rolls of it around here somewhere.. If you've had a chance to try either, please let me know how it turned out.

 

[Johnd]

I picked up a Portugese floor corker and the nut is as loose as can be.. It's going to be months before I get a chance to use it, but I'm thinking what I can do to keep it from spinning on its own, when I do try it. I think I'm going to try the teflon tape since I've got rolls of it around here somewhere.. If you've had a chance to try either, please let me know how it turned out.

I've had teflon tape on mine for years, it keeps the nut where you want it, but allows it to be adjusted with your fingers. If you use loc-tite, the nut will not easily be adjustable by hand, you may need to use a hand tool to do so.

 

[Intheswamp]

Intheswamp, You watch out for those sugar ants around there. We got 'em bad in central Alabama. I lost 4 five frame nucs to them and just recently overnight they invaded my house and drowned by the thousands in one of my two 5 gallon buckets of fresh apple juice. Is the trailer climate controled?

Man, I might be close to you. I'm in Crenshaw and yeah, we got the johnbrown ants, too!!!! Everything will be going all peaches and cream and then "BAM!!!!" you open a cabinet door or walk into the kitchen and there they are!!! I hate those suckers!!!! One tip for eradicating the groups you run into in the house is to use a Clorox Wipe (or generic form of it)...simply wipe over the ants and it more or less kills them on the spot...sanitizes at the same time!! I hate that they got into your apple juice!!!! But really hate it more that they got your nucs. I haven't actively worked bees in several years due to running into a problem with my ticker...surprisingly I've got three colonies that have survived for several years...I'm calling them survivors now because they've been on their own for quiet a while now. I keep saying each year I'm going to open'em up and put some supers on top...maybe this coming spring!!!

As for the trailer, it has central heating and cooling but if I've got a Inkbird temperature controller ordered (there on sale right now) and it will operate a small electric heater and a/c. So will be able to keep it fairly constant temperature. I'm also going to have a regular bug-spray routine.

I picked up a Portugese floor corker and the nut is as loose as can be.. It's going to be months before I get a chance to use it, but I'm thinking what I can do to keep it from spinning on its own, when I do try it. I think I'm going to try the teflon tape since I've got rolls of it around here somewhere.. If you've had a chance to try either, please let me know how it turned out.

I've had teflon tape on mine for years, it keeps the nut where you want it, but allows it to be adjusted with your fingers. If you use loc-tite, the nut will not easily be adjustable by hand, you may need to use a hand tool to do so.

crabjoe , looked like John has answered our question regarding securing the nut. The teflon tape makes more sense than the Loctite. John, I'm taking it that we will run into bottles that might need more or less insertion depth than our regular bottles???

 

[Johnd]

John, I'm taking it that we will run into bottles that might need more or less insertion depth than our regular bottles???

Yes, it seems to vary a bit. Even using bottles that are a bit different may require a slight tweak. A little narrower neck from different bottles, maybe if you use different corks from time to time you may need to adjust the depth control.

 

[Intheswamp]

Good information...seems simple but what you wrote is stuff you learn over a period of years!!! Thanks for sharing it, John!!!

Ed