Advertise Here
Main · BrewSpace · Recipes · Wiki · Groups · Clubs · Gallery · Reviews · Video · Blogs · Store

5% off Coupon - KegCowboy.Com2011 Crop Cascade On Sale! $11/lbFarmhouse - 7% off sale
Go Back   Home Brew Forums > Wine, Mead, Cider & Soda > Mead Forum



Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 12-24-2008, 12:11 AM   #1
Senior Member
Recipes 
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: El Paso, TX, Texas
Posts: 131
Default first time buying corker, some advice please

I've never bottled in wine bottles before but will start soon. My friends are saving me some.

I've looked at austin home brew online and they have several varieties of corks:
8 x 1 3/4 First Quality Corks 01210 $4.50
9 x 1 1/2 First Quality Corks 01212 $4.80
9 x 1 3/4 First Quality Corks 01214 $5.10
Altec Corks (Winery Grade) 01234 $10.99
Synthetic Corks (Nomacorc) 01216 $8.00
Synthetic Tasting Corks (each)

and corkers:

Product Name+ Model Price
Easy Double Lever Corker 01196 $25.99
Italian Champagne Floor Corker 01211 $134.99
Portuguese Double Lever Corker 01197 $16.99
Portuguese Floor Corker 01199 $64.99

I'd really like some advice on corker as well as cork sizes etc.

Thanks


Liquisky is offline Reply With Quote
Old 12-24-2008, 12:17 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
Boerderij_Kabouter's Avatar
Recipes 
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Oconomowoc, Wisconsin
Posts: 8,388
Blog Entries: 14
Default

I can tell you that the floor corkers are very nice to use and are completely hassle free. I have the Italian Stallion and it kicks A.
Boerderij_Kabouter is offline Reply With Quote
Old 12-24-2008, 12:39 AM   #3
Senior Member
Recipes 
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Hanahan, SC (North Charleston)
Posts: 535
Default

I have corked only once. I will not use the double lever again.

Go ahead and invest in a floor model. My double lever either puts the corks too far in or not far enough. It has been adjusted but is slips on the bottle neck. Not to mention I pinched the h#LL out of my neck trying to hold it down while corking....
__________________
On Tap - Pale Ale, Centiennal Blonde
Primary - Dry Irish Stout, Dead Guy Ale, Mild Mannered Ale
Crash Chilling -
planenut is offline Reply With Quote
Old 12-24-2008, 02:27 AM   #4
Senior Member
Recipes 
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Bridgeton, NJ
Posts: 441
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by planenut View Post
I have corked only once. I will not use the double lever again. ...Go ahead and invest in a floor model.
I agree.

I first used one of those double lever corkers and found it difficult to use as it easily slipped off the bottle - among other issues. I replaced it with a Portuguese floor corker in 2002 and wished I had bought the floor model first.

The only problem I ever had with it was that the cork depth setting device (a knurled nut) kept moving. I corrected that problem with a little lok-tite...
hightest is offline Reply With Quote
Old 12-24-2008, 02:49 AM   #5
Senior Member
Recipes 
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 251
Default

go on craigslist and put up a wanted add for a strong cork soaker
__________________
Primary: Belgian Triple Braggot (6gallons), Lambic Braggot (6gallons), Habanero melomel(6gallons)

Secondary: Peach melomel (5 Gallons)

It seems like a FOX TV Show when a mead maker moves in with an AG brewer....They end up with **** like Lambic Braggot.
-BigKahuna
tooomanycolors is offline Reply With Quote
Old 12-24-2008, 03:50 AM   #6
Senior Member
Recipes 
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: El Paso, TX, Texas
Posts: 131
Default

Thanks for the advice, guys,

TooManycolors, what is a cork soaker?

Those who've used both, which is better, the Portuguese Floor Corker or the Italian Champagne Floor Corker.

Also, which corks for meads to be aged for many years? How long of corks should I get? Tell me all you've learned about corks.

Thanks again
Liquisky is offline Reply With Quote
Old 12-24-2008, 01:44 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
Poobah58's Avatar
Recipes 
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: New Milford, CT
Posts: 1,677
Default

I think he's making a funny!
Which reminds me:
There were two factories in New York City. One of them made maternity frocks for expectant mothers, so they were called the "Mothers Frockers".

The factory across the street made corks for wine bottles. They had to soak the corks before they could put them into the bottles, so they were called the "Cork Soakers".

One day a Cork Soaker didn't soak a cork long enough and it flew out of one of the bottles and hit one of the Mother Frockers in the eye.

That made all the Mother Frockers mad at the Cork Soakers, so they went outside and had the biggest Mother-Frocking Cork-Soaking fight you ever saw...
__________________
Mead Lane Brewing
The liver is evil and must be punished

Last edited by Poobah58; 12-24-2008 at 01:47 PM.
Poobah58 is online now Reply With Quote
Old 12-24-2008, 11:32 PM   #8
Junior Member
Recipes 
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Bmore,MD
Posts: 20
Default



Quote:
Originally Posted by Poobah58 View Post
Mother-Frocking Cork-Soaking fight you ever saw...
I didn't see that coming lol
__________________
Secondary: Apfelwein
Primary: Hard Pink Lemonade
Lothar is offline Reply With Quote
Old 12-24-2008, 11:47 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
ChshreCat's Avatar
Recipes 
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Camano Island, Washington
Posts: 9,651
Default

I use a double-lever and didn't have any problems with it. That said, if I had room I would definitely get a floor corker just because they're easier to use. So, if you're on a budget don't sweat getting a double-lever but if you have the money to go a step up, then go for the floor model.
__________________
"Science + beer = good!"
-Adam Savage
ChshreCat is offline Reply With Quote
Old 12-24-2008, 11:56 PM   #10
Mmm...beer.
 
Yuri_Rage's Avatar
Recipes 
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Southwest
Posts: 12,350
Default

I love the Portuguese floor corker (the actual product and the euphemism). No experience with any other model, but I don't think I'll ever buy another.


__________________
YouTube Channel .......... Shirts, posters, and other SWAG
Yuri_Rage is offline Reply With Quote
Reply
Thread Tools
Display Modes


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Advice Needed On Sparkling Wine Corker ibishop Bottling/Kegging 1 08-01-2009 05:49 PM
Buying a Wii. Need advice! FireBrewer General Chit Chat 102 07-15-2009 12:49 PM
Need house buying advice Skins_Brew General Chit Chat 29 12-22-2008 03:34 AM
Advice on Buying a Kegerator Cistercian Equipment/Sanitation 6 10-30-2008 01:37 PM
Moving, maybe buying soon, any advice? clayof2day General Chit Chat 11 03-28-2007 11:08 PM





Contact Us - Top - Privacy - All times are GMT. The time now is 03:29 PM.
Copyright © Group Builder, Inc - All Rights Reserved
Craft Beer & Brewery Forum