Sanitizing Corks

[Donz]

Do you guys do this? My wine shop says to soak them in water with sulfite before bottling... I guess the corks are wet as you cork them in the bottle?

I wonder if this is really needed...

 

[dralarms]

Not needed. I keep mine in a 5 gallon bucket with an open bottle of kmeta in it. We call it a corkador. We ting them breaks down the kmeta that's already on them. If you must wet them then a quick spritz of kmeta solution ( 1 tablespoon per gallon) is all that's recommended

 

[Boatboy24]

Not only unnecessary, but you may be damaging the cork by breaking down the glue holding it together.

Use a 'corkidor' - a bucket containing an open bottle with KMeta in it. Pour your corks around the bottle and snap the lid down. This will keep them sanitized and in a somewhat humid environment.

 

[Julie]

Agree with what has been said so far. I use to dip mine in sanitizer before using and I had leakage, since I stopped that none of my corks are leaking.

 

[bkisel]

Ditto the corkador.

 

[Donz]

So the kmeta is put in water into an open bottle and then into a bucket that has a closure top? Think I get it...

 

[DoctorCAD]

I'll go against the flow and say that I rinse all of my corks in k meta solution before using. Note that I said rinse, not soak.

The k meta solution will be coffee brown by the time I rinse 30 or so corks and that is dirt and dust and broken down cork bits and glue that I don't really want in my wine.

Never had a corking issue...so far.

 

[bkisel]

So the kmeta is put in water into an open bottle and then into a bucket that has a closure top? Think I get it...

Yes. For the k-meta solution I use a plastic jar that has its lid drilled with a half dozen holes or so.

Oh, and watch where your nose is when you pop the lid off the bucket.

 

[dralarms]

I use an open wine bottle. But I like the plastic container idea.

 

[Boatboy24]

I use an open wine bottle. But I like the plastic container idea.

Same here.

 

[Steve_M]

Have been using our salad spinner! Little bit of kmeta in bottom basket holds the corks.
But I too like idea of using open jar in bucket!

 

[bkisel]

Here is my corkador...

 

[NorCal]

Uh oh, another "Cork Soaker" thread.

 

[StBlGT]

+1 to a corkidor. I once, just so slightly, dipped the corks in a kmeta solution before i bottled. Later, after i was done bottling, i checked the bottles and found about 1/2 of the corks were pushing back up. Made a corkidor, never had my corks touch any liquid from that day on and never had a problem since.