Don't cork screwcaps : Photo

[dessertmaker]

You can also get a capper attachment for the Italian corker.

Only the Italian? I thought you could get a capper attachment with both!

 

[LAgreeneyes]

If you don't make very much wine very often, the hand corker will do. Once you do invest in a floor corker, it will last many many years.

I believe one of a home wine maker's first investments should be a floor corker. A vacuum pump is also right up there. A good free SO2 test setup is really good to have; the longer you make wine, the more not having one will haunt you.

If you are making something besides kit wines, a pH meter is very important.

But a person has to make do with what a person has.

Since I started making wine, I have gone a little crazy and I am experimenting and have about 5 batches going and they are all in 5 gallon buckets. It's just me at home but I do share my bottles of wine with others, so it sounds like I may need to invest in one. I think with my last 5 gallon bucket of wine I bottled about 23 bottles of wine. So, that is about 115 bottles? WOW!! Sounds like I'm going corker shopping.

Is there a support group for people who MAKE too much wine? LOL If so, sign me up!!!

 

[wineforfun]

I also was always afraid I would knock the bottle over while inserting the cork; never happened, though.

Funny you should say that as I have corked quite a few by hand and just had the first one tip over last weekend. I usually don't partake in drinking while bottling but this time I did and that may have played a part.

 

[robie]

Funny you should say that as I have corked quite a few by hand and just had the first one tip over last weekend. I usually don't partake in drinking while bottling but this time I did and that may have played a part.

Excuses- excuses - excuses!!!

Just kidding!

But it really does seem easy to mess up. I would put the bottle between my feet to hold it, then apply the pressure. Could have corked my foot instead of the bottle.

Of course even with a floor corker, if the neck of the bottle is not centered properly, one could break a bottle.

If you are happy with your floor corker, stay with it. The main reason I bought mine when I did was a guy had one and wanted only $50 for it. Otherwise, I might have gone another year or more before I got one. As it was, I was unemployed at that time and had to hide it from the wife.

 

[beggarsu]

I wanted to see how many times you can put a cork in a screwcaps bottle before it breaks.

The answer is 5.

To do a proper test you need a control.

IE You have to cork a a cork-neck bottle as many times as possible to find it's breaking point. And also do like about 10-20 of each.

 

[dessertmaker]

To do a proper test you need a control. IE You have to cork a a cork-neck bottle as many times as possible to find it's breaking point. And also do like about 10-20 of each.

I am all for somebody doing this test!

 

[kzimmer0817]

There was a guy on another gorum who cirked a screw top and had to hsve about 5 surgeries on his gand and nerves reattached! Im pretty dure after all was said he lost like 75% movement of that hand! Cheap isnt always inexpendive and you usually pay dearly later!!!!!

Funny. It took me a minute.
Keith

 

[Runningwolf]

Keith, that was an old post from Wade when he was still trying to learn how to use his smartless phone.

 

[kzimmer0817]

Keith, that was an old post from Wade when he was still trying to learn how to use his smartless phone.

I knew it was an old post. I thought he was trying to be funny - all the typos along with the wording appeared as if he were the guy who had severely cut his hand by recorking and uncorking a screw-top bottle. Gee, now it looks as if it was completely accidental and I made fun of him. I thought it odd that no one commented on the apparent funny.

Hope I didn't offend because I honestly thought he was doing it on purpose to prove a point in a humorous way.

Keith

 

[Runningwolf]

Psst, hey Keith I'll let in on a little secret while Wades not listening. He is the one person on this forum that entertains us without knowing it or even trying. You see ever since the barn fell in on him when he was 14 years old he's never been quite right but the owner of this forum hired him as admin because he's fun to watch. You may of seen him on the short bus (he's the one in the back licking the window) because he feels he can get to places quicker. It's ok to laugh but please don't ever do it in front of him because he'll want in on the joke.

Wade finally gave up on making wine a few years ago and sold all of his equipment. The last attempt was Skeeter Pee. He thought he had the system beat. Wade had thousands of sleeping skeeters (they were actually dead)laying on their back with one wing in the water. Not a single skeeter pee'd and he finally gave up.

 

[Runningwolf]

Honest Wade I didn't write that, I think Julie hacked my computer. Just look at her!

 

[rhattin]

So the main reason some of us use corks in the screwtype bottles is that we don;t have a way to replace the metal - Stelvin caps easily. and reusing a stelvin cap is dogey both from a sanitation and sealing point of view.
Has anybody tried the Novatwist 30H60 plastic screw on caps?? I have just about gone through my first 1000 of them and have not seen any downside. They are reusable I think and are easy to install. Would be interested to hear from other high volume users.
Ric

 

[Davolous]

I have had success using #9 corks in various screw on cap fifth bottles. I even screw the cap back on to save it.

... Yeah I am that cheap. I tend to save/age my nicer store bought wine bottles, so the recycled fifths get opened and refilled the most.

 

[Runningwolf]

Yeap Davolous is correct you can use corks in screw cap bottles. You may even get away with it for a year or two. The issue is the neck is thinner than a cork bottle. You risk it breaking during corking or uncorking. I have personally seen it happen several times and one person was cut pretty bad. Why would you put yourself, spouse or friend at such risk, especially knowing the risk before you did it. Practice safe corking!

 

[Davolous]

Yeap Davolous is correct you can use corks in screw cap bottles. You may even get away with it for a year or two. The issue is the neck is thinner than a cork bottle. You risk it breaking during corking or uncorking. I have personally seen it happen several times and one person was cut pretty bad. Why would you put yourself, spouse or friend at such risk, especially knowing the risk before you did it. Practice safe corking!

Right on, I am a wine making newblet. So by all means listen to someone who knows what they are talking about.

 

[Davolous]

What about the black with the clear plug inside:
Are they worth using?
How long can you shelf wine with them?

 

[Runningwolf]

What about the black with the clear plug inside:
Are they worth using?
How long can you shelf wine with them?

Sorry but I am not sure what you are talking about. Any way of posting a picture. If it's a tasting cork, ensure your bottle is filled nearly to the top and do not lay on it's side.I would think you would be ok for short term drinking (6-9 months) but i have never done this so it's only a wag (wild a$s guess).

 

[acrylic-wine-dispaly]

yes, that's right, it's real the question, sometines i need to cost more more time to open the wine.

 

[Davolous]

I successfully uncorked and drank all the corked screw cap bottles I had. Now I only save screw caps bottles if the fit a standard wine cap. Which is almost any standard size bottle with a plastic cap. I have a couple bars that save all there bottles for me, and I just recycle anything with a metal cap for them.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[rhattin]

screw cap replacements

There is a direct replacement for the metal screw caps, in plastic and reusable. Has been around for 2 years, and has different cap liners to allow for different mico-ox rates. Initial application allows for witness marks. Product is called Novatwist, and is sold by Scott labs in Canada and in California. I have used about 1000 of them over the last 2 years and am happy with their product.
They do not challenge the breaking strength of the thinner screw necks.
Ric