TristanLowery

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I recently purchased a bag of wire hoods to be used for restraining Belgian-style corks from my LHBS. I assumed I was getting the same product I'd twisted off many commercially-made beers that use these closures, but they seem more brittle and made of thinner gauge wire; they twist on fine but usually snap when I unwind them to open the bottle, which means I have to tin-snip the rest off the cork. There are worse things in life to complain about but it is annoying.

I've noticed the wire hoods I bought are "silver" with "gold" caps, while most commercial hoods feature black or gold wires of a noticably thicker and stronger gauge. I checked both Northern Brewer and Rebel Brewer and their sites show photos of the same hoods I bought at the LHBS. Anyone have any idea where to get more durable wire hoods or know where commercial brewers are getting them?

Thanks in advance!

neut2004

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I got mine from NB. They work fine. I believe the standard number of turns is 7 half turns. If you're twisting more than that, it may be the source of your problem.

aiptasia

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I've had several of those wire cork cages twist and break on me when freeing a Belgian. Delerium Noel is a bad one for that.

BrewThruYou

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Honestly, the commercial Belgians really vary on their cages...I've had black wired ones, gold wired, silver wired, etc. I've also had quite a few ones just like mine - silver wires with gold caps.

I've used NB ones and did not have the problem you have. I usually do the 6 half-turns and do not re-use the wires. I have a feeling that if you re-use them, the multiple twisting and untwisting will weaken the wires.

TristanLowery

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I don't get on here often enough. Turns out - pun most certainly intended - I've been twisting the loop too many times, as was suggested. Six, seven, or even eight half-turns has been working for me lately, depending on how deep the cork is set, but much fewer than the way I'd been cranking them before. I also picked up the wire tightening swivel tool, which affords much faster and more facile twisting than using a pen or what-have-you. Thanks for the help though.