Corking Options For Small Quantity Of Wine

[jarrad]

I have a small quantity of mango and ginger wine, maybe 20L all up, which is ready to be stabilised and bottled. I'm hoping that buying a corking apparatus isn't justified for this small batch (plus I'm a bit strapped for cash at the moment).

What alternatives do I have corking wise? I have collected heaps of wine bottles, both corked and screw cap. Is it possible to rely on a mallet and being careful?

 

[drsmurto]

I have a small quantity of mango and ginger wine, maybe 20L all up, which is ready to be stabilised and bottled. I'm hoping that buying a corking apparatus isn't justified for this small batch (plus I'm a bit strapped for cash at the moment).

What alternatives do I have corking wise? I have collected heaps of wine bottles, both corked and screw cap. Is it possible to rely on a mallet and being careful?

Screw caps will be fine. Planning on using them for my wine.

 

[Gavo]

I have used Port corks before. You can push them in by hand. I am about to do an apple wine and will be using screw caps for them as DrSmurto suggested.

Cheers
Gavo.

 

[davewaldo]

Where are you guys sourcing screw caps for wine bottles from? I can only find them in HUGE quantity sales.

 

[jonocarroll]

Some of these new Zork closures got passed around at the latest AWBCA meeting. Seems like a great idea. No idea about the price, but you could find out. If the price is reasonable, I've considered bottling some beer in champers bottles. I've got a wine-connoisseur mate who's willing to bank-roll the bottles.

Handy location for me; a phone-call away for anyone else.

ZORK Pty Ltd
7 Hackney Road
HACKNEY SA 5069
AUSTRALIA
(t) 08 8363 5635
(e) zork __@__ zork.com.au
ABN: 131 007 45 113

(e-mail edited, of course.)

 

[Tony M]

I have purchased kegs of wine and bottled using both second hand corks and used stelvins. You wont have much joy hammering a cork in but it will go in enough to keep the wine for a short time (up to a year in my experience) if constant steady pressure is applied with something like your bottle capper or a drill press. I have even used a length of timber as a lever. The cork enters a lot easier if it is wet. Also, I have always have had complete success re-using the screw caps.

 

[Frank]

Some of these new Zork closures got passed around at the latest AWBCA meeting. Seems like a great idea. No idea about the price, but you could find out. If the price is reasonable, I've considered bottling some beer in champers bottles. I've got a wine-connoisseur mate who's willing to bank-roll the bottles.

Zork will only work with traditional wine bottles not Champagne or srewtops. If you are going to purchase Champagne bottles I would go for the Tirage caps. (available from G&G look under winemaking).
Edit: Zork about 50cents each I think.
Edit2: Just checked their site again, looks like they are trialling closures for Sparkling now.

 

[drsmurto]

Where are you guys sourcing screw caps for wine bottles from? I can only find them in HUGE quantity sales.

Re-use the old screw cap.....

 

[jonocarroll]

Zork will only work with traditional wine bottles not Champagne or srewtops. If you are going to purchase Champagne bottles I would go for the Tirage caps. (available from G&G look under winemaking).
Edit: Zork about 50cents each I think.

Okay, a little more expensive than crown seals, but not out of the question. As above, I have a wine drinker mate who would supply bottles. I guessed champers bottles since I'm holding pressure, but should be able to get away with decent 'standard' wine bottles if I'm careful enough.

Also, the Zorks I linked to seem to be the old version. At the meeting we saw a new type that had a button in the top that you press to release the lid. Pretty cool.

Cheers Boston :beer:

 

[Frank]

Okay, a little more expensive than crown seals, but not out of the question. As above, I have a wine drinker mate who would supply bottles. I guessed champers bottles since I'm holding pressure, but should be able to get away with decent 'standard' wine bottles if I'm careful enough.

Also, the Zorks I linked to seem to be the old version. At the meeting we saw a new type that had a button in the top that you press to release the lid. Pretty cool.

Cheers Boston :beer:

QB was your intention to use these for wine or beer?
I would not use wine bottles for beer, as they are not strong enough.
I thought you were considering it for your wine ventures. I have used wine Zork in the past, and they work well.
If anyone wants a look, type 'How to SPK' into youtube.
This style would cost considerably more than 50c I would guess.

 

[jonocarroll]

QB was your intention to use these for wine or beer?
I would not use wine bottles for beer, as they are not strong enough.

Beer, for now. My solution to the bottles not being strong enough was hopefully champagne bottles, but as mentioned, Zorks won't work. Oh well. I'll stick with the longnecks until I can afford kegs.

 

[davewaldo]

I just spoke to these guys in QLD. www.ibrew.com.au

They can sell the normal Zork (for still wine) for $27.00 per 100. Thats pretty good.

I wonder how good they are for long term storage and ageing though....

 

[peas_and_corn]

I need some new wine bottles! Can you hear me? Some new wine bottles!

 

[jonocarroll]

I need some new wine bottles! Can you hear me? Some new wine bottles!

That's all I can think of along Hackney Road on the bus every day (there's a big Zork billboard near the wine centre). I managed to track down a copy of that game and get it running under DOSBox. PM me for a copy to buy it off me.

 

[Adamt]

Ahh the memories... we got RTZ with our 486; I think I still have the original CD somewhere!

"Want some rye? 'Course you do!"

 

[wakkatoo]

I wonder how good they are for long term storage and ageing though....

The old man switched to Zorks 3 years ago. Wine is sitting there with no probs at all. 3 years isn't really LONG term, but it gives an idea...

 

[davewaldo]

quick update: If you want less than 100, ibrew will sell Zorks for 30c each plus postage. Sounds like they're worth a try.

I have no affiliation, I've just been looking for a good corking solution myself.

 

[Tao]

You can buy 12 new bottles for $11-$12, they don't cost much. As for a corker if you are doing small amounts you can get little hand ones for about $10, bigger leaver action ones for $30.

On Zork - This work indicates that ZORK V1 offers a shelf-life of approximately 3.7 years. This
may be extended by increasing the initial concentration of SO2 in the wine.
Depending on the composition of the wine (principally pH), such an increase may
require a short period of storage prior to commercial release to reduce the sensory
effect of an elevated concentration of SO2.
The expected shelf life of wine sealed with the ZORK V5 is 4.2 years. This increase
has resulted from the reduction in the volume of air contained in the plunger.

So it's not a long term storage option. http://www.zorkusa.com/pdfs/38_month_test_results.pdf

 

[jonocarroll]

So it's not a long term storage option.

Depends on how long you plan on keeping that wine. Besides, if it's a still wine, can't you just re-cork (re-Zork?) it after 4 years?

 

[pdilley]

Zork looks interesting but I have no experience with it. I might have an issue with the corking rate mentioned. Last study I read had a smaller sample size but dividing the corked bottles in the number of bottles sampled I got 0.0053333333333333332.... or one-half of a single percent of the natural corked bottled wine in the survey ended up with proper 2,4,6-Tricloroanisole (TCA) spoilage. Not the 10% these guys are marketing to consumers.

When you look at who commissions the studies you see the natural cork industry studies are rather low on the corkage rate for natural cork and the synthetic corks show high corkage rates for natural corks. However, only one study, a natural corkage industry commissioned one seemed to follow proper scientific procedures of ISO peer reviewed protocol, alternative closure manufacturers' participation, life cycle analysis, etc.

Grade 1 natural corks of at least 4.5 cm length ( 1-3/4 inches) offer 20-year protection and should be a good choice if an only if you have long term storage needs. With natural you get what you pay for so they can get pricey at the higher end of the quality scale. Lower grades offer less protection and a cheaper price. When looking at cork grades you see lots of terms used, which is confusing, which is the whole point, an easily informed consumer can make easy informed decisions. Best to check with your LHBS/Wine shop if and only if you trust your shop proprietor to be well informed on corking options and quality. These days even regular grade agglomerate corks are now being passed off as winery grade corks. The shorter the cork the shorter the aging life, and the more you can end up with cork chips from a cork screw that goes all the way through a short cork

Given that oxygen plays only a minor role in the aging of wine, and with permeability being a consideration, that would knock both synthetics and natural cork out of the running. The screw cap resists oxidation longer than any other standard closure, so what you bottled is what is delivered when opened. Any delicate aromas are preserved in such an environment.

If you are bottling for very little time 1, 2, 3 years its really up to you what you use. Be happy with whichever decision you make.