Wide-flange and screw-top bottles

[OilnH2O]

I've looked over the last year's posts, and "searched" the site for a previous discussion on this, but if there's info, I haven't found it.


I've got plenty of bottles, and will make my first attempt at bottling using George's Portugese hand corker (double lever) in a few days. SO, I'm "researching!"


Some of my bottles are the "Bins" from Australia (and others) that have screw-tops -- and I assumed they would take a cork (and a heat-shrink cover) but one post suggested the necks were thinner, and might break during corking.


Others are some of the wide-flange (wide-lipped?) bottles that are becoming more popular in less-expensive wines. I'm wondering if I should even try to use the hand-corker on these -- and can't imagine the heat-shrink cover will work very well either.


I have plenty of recycled bottles, so that's not an issue. But, my inclination is to toss both types of bottles-- what do you think?

 

[AAASTINKIE]

the large heat shrink covers work fine on the wide flange bottles and I like those bottles.

 

[geocorn]

The Portuguese double lever corker does not work well with the wide flange (bar top) bottle as it slides off to the side. Save those bottles for use with your floor corker (when you make the upgrade

).


What you have read about the screw tops is correct. The neck can be too thin to hold a cork and broken glass in your wine is not a good thing!

 

[OilnH2O]

That sounds like a good compromise! I saw Martina with some screw tops on her pictorial (looked like on splits) and thought maybe there was another option with those bottles, but could not find anything on the on-line catalog. And, saving the large flanges for my future"upgrade" is a great idea -- thanks, George!

 

[Funky Fish]

For the screw caps, you might try one of these on them:


http://www.finevinewines.com/ProdDetA.asp?PartNumber=4320


to see if they fit or not. I've found they fit the Arbor Mist bottles, but not much else. George also sells 28mm plastic caps, which work just fine. The only negative I'll say about them is if you crank them down too tight, the cap will split.

 

[grapeman]

I agree with George that the screw cap bottle necks are indeed too thin. They seem to cork OK, but some break off while opening- not a fun experience and could mean a nasty gash and possibly gusher of red fluid(not wine). I save the screw top bottlesfor the last of batch bottling where it might be just a little cloudy. Put on a screw cap and refrigerate a few days to let it settle a little and enjoy it fresh.

 

[OilnH2O]

That's even BETTER! Now I can't wait!

 

[OldWino1]

Yes i had trouble with my gilda hand corker. Well another gadget. I bought a portaguese floor corker. WOW corking any bottle is a non event now. I fill and my daughter corks an assembly line. AHHHH.