Corks

[scotty]

http://s35.photobucket.com/albums/d199/slowpoke59ds/wine%20making/?sc=3






In the photos, notice that the corks are not down all the way.
I use one of those Italian hand corkers with the 2 handles. It doed not have an adjustment for depth.
The last time i used it the corks went in a bit past the the bottle opening. This time all 36 corks are about 1/8 inch above the botthe opening. The last dozen i did were the worst. The only diference in my method was that on the last batch i soaked the corks a lot longer than the first 24. Still, all were not totally driven home.
I would appreciate any comments or questions that may steer me in the right direction. I did a test on another empty bottle with a dry cork and it went in properly.


???????????????????

 

[Wade E]

I know of alot of people that do not soak theyre corks. I do but use
the dble leher Portugeuse hand corker. My friend had the Italian and
switched to Portugeuse after he tried mine. You might have to give it a
little pressure downward once youve done as much as you could by hand.

 

[scotty]

I know of alot of people that do not soak theyre corks. I do but use the dble leher Portugeuse hand corker. My friend had the Italian and switched to Portugeuse after he tried mine. You might have to give it a little pressure downward once youve done as much as you could by hand.

Its definitely not lack of pressure. Do you just spray your corks with sulfite solution before corking????


my corker is the double lever type too. AND OOOPS ITS A PORTUGUESE CORKEREdited by: scotty

 

[daveb50]

I had trouble using my gilda brand hand corker, the cure was a newItalian floor corker. The best investment I've made in this hobby. I've corked over 300 bottles with it so far.
Dave

 

[scotty]

I had trouble using my gilda brand hand corker, the cure was a newItalian floor corker. The best investment I've made in this hobby. I've corked over 300 bottles with it so far.
Dave

I guess thats it for me too. I just checked and my corker is from portugal.


I still cant understand why the depth diference. Could a full bottle have a oposing pressure effect????


Is the floor corker adjustable????Edited by: scotty

 

[rshosted]

Overfilling a bottle can create a pressure inside the bottle that will push the cork out, or make it not go in as far. I have had a problem with this before (trying to overfill bottles)


Also a lack of proper degassing can create a big headache like this. One night I spent about 2 hours after corking to keep pushing the corks back down. I hadn't degassed and the corks kept popping up like that game "whack a mole" Only it wasn't as fun....

 

[Wade E]

I usually do soak them in a warm k-meta solution.

 

[scotty]

Overfilling a bottle can create a pressure inside the bottle that will push the cork out, or make it not go in as far. I have had a problem with this before (trying to overfill bottles)


Also a lack of proper degassing can create a big headache like this. One night I spent about 2 hours after corking to keep pushing the corks back down. I hadn't degassed and the corks kept popping up like that game "whack a mole" Only it wasn't as fun....

Good advice however all of the corks have over the one inch recomended spacing. The de gassing was done a few times with the drill and that gizmo with the wings on a steel shaft. I even use a reversing drill. ! minute-wait 15 minutes- then i do it 4 or 5 times . After that i taste the wime to see if i deel any fizz.
So far, the only diference i see is the soaking.
I also had 2 diferent brands of corks with each session. Both brands acted the same.
In the next couple of days ill be bottling sangeovese and i will just soak the corks for about 20 minutes and see. The other corks were soaking for a few hours or so.

 

[scotty]

I usually do soak them in a warm k-meta solution.

Prox. how long do you soak them?????

 

[Wade E]

About 8 to 10 minutes. So far I have had no problems at all. No hard time getting them in or out. Hopefully it stays that way.

 

[smurfe]

What type and size of corks did you use? They look like agglomerate corks. You don't need to soak those. Only natural corks need soaking if I remember correct. On the agglomerate corks you just need to rinse them off in some sanitizer.
You are correct about the head space. If it is too high it can push the corks out and you are correct that yours are not filled to high in the neck. Heck, I would of filled them higher than you have them. Excess CO2 can push them out as well. Pull one of the corks, stick your thumb over the opening and shake a bottle. Take your thumb off the opening and see if you feel or hear a pressure release from escaping CO2.


I have never used a hand corker but have read too many stories like yours. A floor corker is the way to go. Either the Portuguese or the Italian floor corker won't do you wrong. (Well the Italian can if it has issues) I consider them a necessity as opposed to a luxury. Less work. Less stress. Less headaches all add up to a happier viticulture experience.


Smurfe

 

[OGrav]

Scotty, I just bought a double lever myself and am speaking from inexperience, but I think your corksare compressing as they are being driven home. At a local shop, I was advised against #9's for exactly that reason unless I had a floor/iris corker. The more soaked they are the more they will compress. I couldn't view your pics if they have more info. I chose between two different Italian corkers that had a dept adj. I tried a cork without adj that was soaked a few minutes, #8 1.75, and it sent it almost 3/4 inch into the bottle. I adjusted it up and we'll see. I used the plastic hand corker for the first batch. Tough, though it worked on #7's. I don't think I could soak a #8 long enough where I could pound it in.
LT

 

[OGrav]

Has anyone tried wire alongside the cork to relieve headspace pressure?
LT

 

[scotty]

About 8 to 10 minutes. So far I have had no problems at all. No hard time getting them in or out. Hopefully it stays that way.

Ok great. I had read that about 25 minutes in a book by terrt garey .I guess 10 or 12 to 15 minutes will be just fine.


Thanks.Edited by: scotty

 

[scotty]

Corh sizes, ill take the fifth on that. I jnow i had 2 digerent styles. Ill have to get with it in the sizy and type areas. All i know is that i had ehe same trouble wit both types.

When i get to the sangeovese il be a bit mor particular with cork details.
the floor corker is not on the shopping list this month. I have an engine coming out of the speed shop next week.

 

[fetch59]

Yes, I have used a piece of heavy fishing line (sanitized) inside the neck of the bottle then insert cork and pull the line out. Worked very well, no more corks creeping out!
Steve

 

[pkcook]

Scotty,


I think your problem might be the soaking length and solution temp. I use the double handled corker too, but mine is adjustable. One thing that I have learned about my corker is I need to stop driving the cork when it is about half way in and unseat the plunger and then finish driving the cork. If I don't do this the cork will swell around the plunger and tear when I get it all the way in.


I only soak my corks in cold sulfite solution and I throw them in as I start filling the bottles. All told, they are probably in the solution for 10 minutes max. Warm solution will soften the cork and cause them to expand more making them harder to compress and drive home.

 

[scotty]

OK

I still wish mi corker was adjustable. This is the first time a did a batch where the corks soaked so long. Ill be more aware of soaking time when i do my next batch.

I also forgot about the fishing line thing. Every time im in the wineroom and see that roll of fishing line,I wonder what made me set it downthere lol
One other thing. In response to the comment about the type of corks im using. I dont know the diference byt be sure i heard what you said and ill educate myself on the matter quickly.


Thanks all

Edited by: scotty

 

[PolishWineP]

We no longer soak our corks. We pitch them into a bowl w/some sanitizer on them and use them. We only put in a few at a time. And we use a floor corker.

 

[sangwitch]

I no longer soak my corks either. I've created a cork humidor to sanitize them. I learned that trick from reading posts on this forum. Tim V. wrote something about it... you can find all the posts if you search for "humidor". Iknow there are several folks here that use this method now.


as for corkers, I recently bought the Italian floor corker from a friend (sorry George, great deal on that one). I always had trouble with the hand corker and I'm glad I no longer have to deal with it. It always took me about six bottles worth of bulging corks before I got the hang of it again. The floor corker... like magic! Of course, I've only used it on empty bottles so far!