Corking FAILURE and your Critque Please on this 6 gal Banana Recipe

[WorkingWithBurt]

Just got my corker in and some corks...BIG FAILURE.
Watch this 30 Sec YouTube video I posted on my site. (for a bit of fun)

http://bestwebhostingfast.com/blog/for-fun/corking-wine-fail/

My guess...could it be that my Corks are too big and is there such a thing?

I thought all corks would be the same size in diameter although when buying
I did see some where longer than others?
(these do look bigger around than what I am pulling out of bottles I buy...)

And...

#2 can you give me your Critique on this 6 Gal Banana Recipe?
(I did 6 gallons so I would have plently to fill a 5 gal in secondary.)

IMPORTANT NOTE: I want to keep this recipe completely Chemical Free...so
if you see I am missing something or can use something to improve this,
please advise.

I just added the yeast to this today and will update my progress if I can find a place to do that in this forum...don't know if this thread would be the appropriate place.

Anyway...your Wisdom and Critique on this would be greatly appreciated!



6 Gallon Recipe

20 lbs / 9 Kg of bananas
12 lbs / 5 Kg of granulated sugar
6 cups of Tea (tannin)
6 gal / 23 Liters water
3 lbs chopped golden Raisins
(9 pks of 150 grams of raisins)
3 Tsp of bread yeast - Boil yeast to kill it, after cools
add to must (for Yeast nutrient/energizer)

1 pack wine yeast Lalvin EC1118


Slice bananas into thin discs without the peals.
Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes.

Strain the must separate bananas from the liquid. (throw out bananas)
Pour Banana liquid "MUST" over sugar in primary fermentation vessel and stirring well to dissolve sugar.

Add chopped raisins
Add tannin, stirring again.
Add enough water to the 6 gallon mark

When MUST cools to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, add cooled boiled bread yeast and stir.
Add LIVE yeast and Stir really well to aerate.

Cover and set in warm place for seven days, stirring daily.

#2 Pour into secondary fermentation vessel, fit airlock,
and move to cooler place, leaving undisturbed for two months.

Siphon off sediment rack into another vessel and keep for another four months.

Rack and allow to clear then bottle.

May taste after six months, but matures at two years.

Thanks in advance for your input...be kind on me. I'm new, I'm NEW...I don't Know what to do.

 

[pumpkinman2012]

Sorry for your broken bottle. A few things that may help you:

There are different size corks for different bottles, most 750 ml wine bottles will take #9 corks, you choose the length, usually between 1 1/2 - 1 3/4.
If the corks are old, or have been in an opened bag, they will dry out making it very hard if not impossibly to cork, I make a "corkidor", I take a small container of water and heat it to just about boiling, I add meta and put it in a larger container with the corks surrounding it, then put a lid on the container, the steam will soften the corks. Some folks soak their corks, but this seems to be frowned upon since it can cause cork taint, or the corks can breakdown faster, personally, I haven't experienced either.

I understand that that particular corker might be the only corker that you could find, personally, I use that type to cap beer bottles, for corking wine I use an Italian floor corker, the Portuguese floor corker is slightly smaller but will also do a much better job than the corker that you have.

The bottles that you are using, are they the standard 750 ml wine bottle? If not, trying to cork a bottle that wasn't meant for it with a cork that might be too large, totally rock hard dry, with a corker that doesn't leave much room for errors is just asking for trouble.

I'm happy to see that no one got hurt.
I hope that this helps.
Tom

 

[WorkingWithBurt]

Sorry for your broken bottle. A few things that may help you:

There are different size corks for different bottles, most 750 ml wine bottles will take #9 corks, you choose the length, usually between 1 1/2 - 1 3/4.
If the corks are old, or have been in an opened bag, they will dry out making it very hard if not impossibly to cork, I make a "corkidor", I take a small container of water and heat it to just about boiling, I add meta and put it in a larger container with the corks surrounding it, then put a lid on the container, the steam will soften the corks. Some folks soak their corks, but this seems to be frowned upon since it can cause cork taint, or the corks can breakdown faster, personally, I haven't experienced either.

I understand that that particular corker might be the only corker that you could find, personally, I use that type to cap beer bottles, for corking wine I use an Italian floor corker, the Portuguese floor corker is slightly smaller but will also do a much better job than the corker that you have.

The bottles that you are using, are they the standard 750 ml wine bottle? If not, trying to cork a bottle that wasn't meant for it with a cork that might be too large, totally rock hard dry, with a corker that doesn't leave much room for errors is just asking for trouble.

I'm happy to see that no one got hurt.
I hope that this helps.
Tom

Thanks Tom,

I am using a #9 I got here...

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/9-premium-corks-15-16-x-1-3-4-bag-of-100.html

I had to go back and look to see if it was a #9 like you suggested.

These are NEW corks...just opened...and the bottles I am using....are bottles I saved from wine I bought and is just a regular 750 ml bottle.

You say..."I make a "corkidor", I take a small container of water and heat it to just about boiling, I add meta and put it in a larger container with the corks surrounding it"

What is META?

I tried soaking these corks...and I am using that hand corker which is the best one I could find at the same place I bought the corks.

Since I am in Costa Rica...getting a floor corker is rather expensive because of shipping size.

Seems like I need to find a way to soften the corks or be a little more gently during the corking...

Thanks for your help so far.

 

[pumpkinman2012]

Meta is Potassium Metabisulfite, it is a sanitizer. I use meta because it will sanitize the corks if it gets on them.
Try soaking the corks and put something on them, like a bowl, to weigh them down, try to squeeze one or two to see if it has softened up at all. It looks like the corks and bottles are fine from what you posted, the corks are what I would use as well.
My apologies, I didn't even take notice that you are in Costa Rica, I totally understand about the shipping being astronomical for a floor corker!

I'm always glad to help, keep the questions coming!

 

[WorkingWithBurt]

Thanks Tom,

I don't know what the odds of getting Meta here...

I've been using Bleach and water (1 Tbp per gal) to sterilize everything and used the same to soak the corks.

Then of course I rinse everything, I wondered if when...

Using the hand corker...would squeezing the cork into the bottle...
would any bleach/water squeeze into and taint the wine???

I did notice after soaking for about 15 minutes that the corks did feel softer/squeezable.

I appreciate your help. If you have experience with banana wine...or something similar and have
input on the recipe...I'd value that as well.

Thanks

 

[WVMJ]

You need a pair of safety shoes with good thick leather tops Stop using bleach, iodophor would be better, bleach is a suspect in reacting with something in corks and causing taint. Midwest supplies has KMeta, get a pound to last for a little while. Are bananners cheap in Costo Rica? You can add a bit more in your boil, and leave the skins one and make sure the bannaners are black ripe. Good luck, and dont forget to get some boots. You might also want to add a bit of local citrus to get a bit of acid in your wine, not going for a citrusy taste but just a little acid to liven it up. WVMJ

 

[chuckp]

From watching the video it looks like the top of the bottle that gets the cork survived intact. That suggests to me that the cork was not the problem. It could be the hard floor creating stress on the glass and causing the failure. If you put more pressure on one side than the other then the bottle tilted and was stressed on a small point. Was the cork seated enough in the remaining neck or inserted too far? Try to get a more forgiving surface to put the bottle on and get a feel for the cork insertion and stop pressing when it feels like the cork is in just enough. Also try a better corker if possible. I cork wine bottles with regular corks and use reference corks in champagne bottles and Belgium bottles with great force and have never broke one.

chuck

 

[WorkingWithBurt]

You need a pair of safety shoes with good thick leather tops Stop using bleach, iodophor would be better, bleach is a suspect in reacting with something in corks and causing taint. Midwest supplies has KMeta, get a pound to last for a little while. Are bananners cheap in Costo Rica? You can add a bit more in your boil, and leave the skins one and make sure the bannaners are black ripe. Good luck, and dont forget to get some boots. You might also want to add a bit of local citrus to get a bit of acid in your wine, not going for a citrusy taste but just a little acid to liven it up. WVMJ

I think I'll order some of that KMeta...and get a few other things while they are shipping to Costa Rica.

You can really get bananas FREE here...They are everywhere! Only need to wait until you find a bunch ripe and ready to harvest.

I bought the ones for this batch...but it only cost me $7 bucks for about 40 lbs. CHEAP

Thanks for the suggestion on the citrus. I'm wondering WHY in need the citrus??? Nothing against it...just wondering?

How much should I add?

Thanks,
Burt

 

[WorkingWithBurt]

From watching the video it looks like the top of the bottle that gets the cork survived intact. That suggests to me that the cork was not the problem. It could be the hard floor creating stress on the glass and causing the failure. If you put more pressure on one side than the other then the bottle tilted and was stressed on a small point. Was the cork seated enough in the remaining neck or inserted too far? Try to get a more forgiving surface to put the bottle on and get a feel for the cork insertion and stop pressing when it feels like the cork is in just enough. Also try a better corker if possible. I cork wine bottles with regular corks and use reference corks in champagne bottles and Belgium bottles with great force and have never broke one.

chuck

Thanks Chuck,

I think you're right...after looking at the evidence and watching the video a few times.
I think I was putting too much weight on the bottle...

I think the cork was not lined up and was sitting on the otter rim and I was trying to get it
to go in.

I later bottled a few more...but this time...actually PRE-Started the cork.

I would put the cork in the hand corker...and push it out the other side until
just a bit was sticking out the corker.

Then, I put the corker on the bottle and I didn't seem to have any problems.

Thanks,
Burt

 

[bighooligan]

I am using the same type of corker and they are a pain in the neck. I make a ton of wine. i think I am going to invest in a different one and put this one on eBay. They are so tough to use. This is what I was afraid of at first but it just dented the tops of my corks and it was so hard to do on a counter top.

 

[WorkingWithBurt]

I am using the same type of corker and they are a pain in the neck. I make a ton of wine. i think I am going to invest in a different one and put this one on eBay. They are so tough to use. This is what I was afraid of at first but it just dented the tops of my corks and it was so hard to do on a counter top.

You're right...it does dent the top of the corks. I would think if the shaft of the corker was larger, it wouldn't have that problem. It is a minor problem and since shipping a floor corker wasn't financially a good move since I am in Costa Rica...

I had to make this work. So far...it is working. Just have to live with the dented corks and put the wine bottle on the floor. Putting it on a towel does soften the surface.

Thanks,
Burt