Popping Corks

[David04472]

Ok, I need to find out if has ever heard of this before. I started a batch of Peach, Banana wine in January, racked several times, added sweetener in April, and bottled July 15th. Last week, I had one cork fly, and two more this week. Corks flying after its been in the bottle for 3 months ?????

 

[winemaker_3352]

Did you stabilize and degass? If not - it could either be fermenting in the bottle or CO2 pressure popping the corks.

open one - cover the top with your hand and shake it. When you let your hand off and you hear a popping sound - it is CO2.

 

[Wade E]

Im betting the temp has risen just enough there to get the fermentaton going again. Either the sorabte you used was not enough or the agents expiration date was up. I had this happen with some plum wine many years ago. Get it out of the bottles carefully before any bottles explode! Put it back in carboy and let it finish fermenting again and stabilize again! More abv butat least it wont be a total loss. How long after this win e was done was it bottled?

 

[winemaker_3352]

Im betting the temp has risen just enough there to get the fermentaton going again. Either the sorabte you used was not enough or the agents expiration date was up. I had this happen with some plum wine many years ago. Get it out of the bottles carefully before any bottles explode! Put it back in carboy and let it finish fermenting again and stabilize again! More abv butat least it wont be a total loss. How long after this win e was done was it bottled?

You are probably right - as i see he added sweetener and did not add any sorbate.

 

[David04472]

I added sweetener in April and kept an eye on it. It never did attempt to ferment so I didn't think it needed sorbate. It cleared nicely by July, and needing another carboy, I put the clearifier to it, and bottled it three weeks later. Oh well, I guess we pull 27 corks tonight and watch it for a few more months.

Thanks all !!!

 

[winemaker_3352]

I added sweetener in April and kept an eye on it. It never did attempt to ferment so I didn't think it needed sorbate. It cleared nicely by July, and needing another carboy, I put the clearifier to it, and bottled it three weeks later. Oh well, I guess we pull 27 corks tonight and watch it for a few more months.

Thanks all !!!

Anytime you are adding sweetener or backsweetening with simple syrup mixture - you should add sorbate in. It prevents this from happening.

 

[Wade E]

Yep, that is the reason then. Always add sulfite and sorbate before sweetening and do so about a week before adding any kind of sugar to make sure it intigrates into your wine good and then also wait a week after sweettening to make sure it doesnt start anyway. If it was in coler temps when you added it it probably didnt let it start fermenting but then probably warmed up a little letting fermentation start back up.