Corks in screw top bottles?

[JohnT]

If you like ignoring worthy advice, go for it.

I just wonder why you think it is so much more expensive. Getting bottles that were designed to accommodate a cork can cost as little as the gas you burn going to the recycling center and perhaps the cost of some dishwashing soap.

 

[wildhair]

New Bordeaux bottles (least expensive) - $13 case + tax = $13.65 (cost to drive to wine shop, get bottles & home - couple bucks in fuel- call it a $14 a case) Buy on-line - cost more w/ shipping.
Bottle cost for 10 cases = $140 Not the end of the world, but more than free. And money I can use to buy yeast or nutrient or corks or other ingredients.
Not sure what "driving to the recycling center" means - my friends drop off the bottles at my house, that cost is zero. There's a few minutes to remove the labels the first time, but most labels come of in the soak. And I wash new bottles same as used old ones - so dish washing soap cost is the same.
I think the main thing with using screw-top bottles is you have to come straight down & apply equal pressure on the corker handles. If it kicks off to the side as you are applying max force - that's when it could shear the neck. That's why I made a bottle holder - it keeps the bottle rock solid and vertical.
I also like the environmental friendliness of re-using the bottles. They don't have to get collected, shipped, ground up, melted and re-cast as new bottles, then shipped to a store or winery - all steps that consume carbon fuel. They just get cleaned and filled.
But...... that's just my opinion. ;-)

 

[Redbird1]

Well, at the risk of drawing the fire of those more knowledgeable than I - after talking to the owner of the local wine supply store - I corked about 2 dozen of them. He also warned about the possibility of the neck breaking - that was his concern. I use a #8 X 1.5" cork and no issues. No breaking, no leaking, no falling in corks. I have a stand to hold the bottles so I can apply even pressure on the handles as the cork goes in. So I will continue to cork the screw tops until I can afford to replace them with regular bottles.
And, as a final note, I had a friend give me 5 cases of Verdi Spumante bottles. The glass is MUCH thicker & the neck is longer and straighter than a regular screw-top. And I intend to fill a bunch of them this weekend.

Cost of hospital visit >> cost of proper bottles. Not to mention all the other problems that may come along with a potential broken bottle.

There are some areas in life I'm willing to cheap out, but situations like this are not one of them. Store brand food? No problem. No-name tires from a guy on Craigslist? Nope. Refurb electronics? You bet. Improper use of glass bottles? No way.

Scavenge for bottles (try Craigslist or Facebook yard sale sites), cut corners somewhere else in life, or make one fewer batch a year. It's not worth the potential risk. If my refurb router or phone goes out, it's a pain, but not the end of the world. If a bottle neck snaps, you're putting yourself (or whoever you give a bottle to) needlessly in harm's way.

 

[Redbird1]

New Bordeaux bottles (least expensive) - $13 case + tax = $13.65 (cost to drive to wine shop, get bottles & home - couple bucks in fuel- call it a $14 a case) Buy on-line - cost more w/ shipping.
Bottle cost for 10 cases = $140 Not the end of the world, but more than free. And money I can use to buy yeast or nutrient or corks or other ingredients.
Not sure what "driving to the recycling center" means - my friends drop off the bottles at my house, that cost is zero. There's a few minutes to remove the labels the first time, but most labels come of in the soak. And I wash new bottles same as used old ones - so dish washing soap cost is the same.
I think the main thing with using screw-top bottles is you have to come straight down & apply equal pressure on the corker handles. If it kicks off to the side as you are applying max force - that's when it could shear the neck. That's why I made a bottle holder - it keeps the bottle rock solid and vertical.
I also like the environmental friendliness of re-using the bottles. They don't have to get collected, shipped, ground up, melted and re-cast as new bottles, then shipped to a store or winery - all steps that consume carbon fuel. They just get cleaned and filled.
But...... that's just my opinion. ;-)

You also need to get the cork back out of the bottle. Depending on the style of opener, it can easily put uneven pressure on the neck.

Offer the screw top bottles to someone who does crafts with them. It keeps them out of the recycling loop.

 

[JohnT]

The corks are also a looser fit. Although they might not obviously leak, IMHO the amount of micro-oxidation is increased. Years ago I had a batch that I corked in screwtop bottles (I had no choice) and within 5 years it had all oxidized.

So, if you are getting used bottles, some of which are screw-tops, why not just weed them out??

 

[wildhair]

OK - so I guess I shouldn't have "popped" off.

No doubt I will eventually weed them out. And all of the above make valid, if not strong, points. The type of opener used by the recipient hadn't occurred to me - some do have a "lip" that you pry on the edge of the glass. I can see where that could chip or splinter the glass.
So - what about the Verdi spumanti bottles? The glass is as thick or thicker than a corked bottle and the opening is as small.
Now I'll put a cork in it.