B
burch
Guest
Do you need to sterilize corks ?
Burch
Burch
You need to sanitize them but you do not need to sterilize them. Most corks today (agglomerate) need just a quick rinse in a sanitizer. You don't need to soak them and you don't want to boil them.
What I usually do is take a large plastic bowl and dump some sanitizing solution in it (I use sodium metabisulfate) and throw in the corks and swish them around. Sometimes I drain the solution out but normally I just leave it in the bowl and grab my corks out of the bowl as I bottle.
Smurfe![]()
What I usually do is take a large plastic bowl and dump some sanitizing solution in it (I use sodium metabisulfate) and throw in the corks and swish them around. Sometimes I drain the solution out but normally I just leave it in the bowl and grab my corks out of the bowl as I bottle.
Smurfe![]()
I will be bottling for my first time in a few weeks. I have always sanitized brewing equipment and wine making equipment with Iodophor. This is an "air dry" iodine based sanitizer. Something is telling me NOT to soak my corks in the iodophor solution. Is this correct? Or is soaking them in iodophor acceptable? If not, what sanitizing solutions are available for corks?
I had heard that natural corks needed to be soaked in water for some set amount of time prior to bottling, is that true?
Basically, I'm looking for some generic instruction on bottling. Not how to rack it or siphon or use a bottling wand, but how to cork. I have only capped beer bottles and am a bit intimidated right now over corking the wine bottles. I have a double lever corker by the way.
we use a solution of low % alcohol solution, is it right or will/does it have effect on the properties of the cork or its functonability.