Mouldy Cork

Hi all

I'm about to bottle some mead and want to know if you guys sanitize corks.

I read a lot about not having to, but then I bought some mead the other day and found a mouldy cork. I want to prevent this.

I just bought some k meta and was planning to use that to sanitize the bottles and corks.

Thoughts?

If the mold was at the top of the cork, it probably had more to do with where/how the bottles were stored, not as much about if the corks were sanitized. I've seen this with several beers that were stored were it was too warm and humid (and some wine).

I just started bottling with corks, but I do sanitize my them with k-meta.

Unfortunately the mould was on the end of the cork in contact with the mead.

I read elsewhere to use about 3Tbs/gallon for a k meta sanitizing solution, is this about right?

lpsumo said:

Unfortunately the mould was on the end of the cork in contact with the mead.

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Did you drink the mead, how did it taste? Was it laid down on it's side? If so, that mold would be really surprising, and would make me wonder about sanitation issues at bottling.

Do you know for certain that the dis-colouration of the cork actually is mould ? and not just some sort of other reaction from the mead ? acid or something ?

Because the proof is in the tasting. If it was Ok, then great, it was Ok. if it was "corked", then take the bottle back and have a moan about a refund or replacement.

As for corks themselves, some types need soaking, some just spray with sulphites/sanitiser, etc etc

Your choice.

If you have your mead bottled Ok, then you can always wax dip the corks to help reduce access to them by molds and other possible spoilage organisms.....

Corks should NEVER ever be wet in preparation for bottling, especially with KMS solution. As the wet/damp cork dries the area between the cork and bottle dries and a salt residue is formed and that cork is almost cemented to the glass. Instead, place your SO2 sabitizing solution in the botton of a bucket, place colander in bucket never touching solution, place corks in colander, and place lid on bucket. The SO2 fumes will sanitize the corks. It is called a corkidor. I have yet to have come across a cork which said to soak/moisten before use, but there is always the first time. If you wax seal your bottle it is imperative that the cork is dry because mold will form if the cork is damp in the slightest.

Thanks for the replies

The mead definitely tasted off, so it got dumped.

As for storage: It was sitting on a friend's wine rack (on its side) for over a year, then sat on my counter for about 2 weeks upright, then got placed on its side for about a month before being opened.

I bottled 3 gallons last night, dunked half the corks in k-meta and put the other ones in dry. Hopefully there is no notable difference in 6 months. Next time I will try the SO2 gas method.