Cork glue really safe?

[ejiang]

The cork I bought is in fact consists of very small cork particles somehow glued together. On my first batch, I laid my bottle horizontal to keep wine in contact with the cork do to prevent oxidization . Now I'm worried I might have eaten the dissolved glue from the cork.

Paranoid?

 

[ibglowin]

Yes.

As long as your using a decent agglomerate cork form a reputable source you will be fine. Most of us use an agglomerated cork of some sort. Just don't soak the cork in KMETA solution or boil the corks as then the cork binder will begin to break down and you will have a mess on your hands.

 

[cpfan]

The cork I bought is in fact consists of very small cork particles somehow glued together. On my first batch, I laid my bottle horizontal to keep wine in contact with the cork do to prevent oxidization . Now I'm worried I might have eaten the dissolved glue from the cork.

Paranoid?

IMO, yes paranoid.

It's good that people ask questions like this once in a while (first time I can recall ever hearing this particular question) because there may be something we have all overlooked. I've been using agglomerated corks since about 1999, and never really thought about the glue. I wonder how long this type of cork has been used by the wine industry. A quick search of wiki found no dates.

Regardless, if you are concerned, you can purchase 'natural' corks, ie corks that are one piece of cork without glues. You can also look at alternative closures.

Steve

 

[Wade E]

Also, be careful if you use a heat gun putting on capsules as if heated too much which is easy to do you can break down the wax on the corks and you will get floaties in your wine.

 

[jswordy]

Don't most agglom corks have a disc of pure cork at top and bottom? I know mine do.

Most everybody around me has gone to synthetic, but I am old skool.

 

[cpfan]

Don't most agglom corks have a disc of pure cork at top and bottom? I know mine do.

Most everybody around me has gone to synthetic, but I am old skool.

Those are sometimes called Twin Disc as they have the two discs of solid cork. At least in Canada, those are less common than the ordinary agglomerated corks.

Steve

 

[ibglowin]

Also called a 1+1 cork. Not all agglomerated are of this type. The 1+1 is considered a "superior" closure in the industry (because they can charge more for it) than just a pure agglomerated.

 

[Wade E]

Totally right. The standard agglomerate are decent but with the discs are the way to go!