Advice!!

[justoned707]

I have ALOT of champagne bottles and wine corks. Can I use a regular wine corker and corks on champagne bottles. I'm putting a light stout in them! thanks

 

[FirstAidBrewing]

Assuming all is sanitized, you should be ok. I would store the bottles upright and not on their sides in order to avoid contact between the beer and the cork.

 

[justoned707]

Assuming all is sanitized, you should be ok. I would store the bottles upright and not on their sides in order to avoid contact between the beer and the cork.

Thanks

 

[PapaO]

Assuming all is sanitized, you should be ok. I would store the bottles upright and not on their sides in order to avoid contact between the beer and the cork.

Except for sanitizing don't do this. First a wine cork will not hold the pressure. A champagne bottle uses a cork and cage to hold pressure. Second if You do this lay them on there sides to keep the cork from drying out. Use a champagne cork and cage or You can use crown caps 26mm for American bottles 29mm for imports.

 

[Cyclman]

I use champagne bottles all the time with bottle caps, works great.

 

[kh54s10]

Agreed, without the cage the co2 will blow out the corks. Stored upright for any length of time and the corks will dry out and, at best, release any carbonation. At worst it will oxidize the beer.

The problem with storing bottles on their sides is, that unless you pasteurized and filtered, the yeast and sediment will settle on the side of the bottle, and then will end up in your glass when you pour. If you store upright the sediment is on the bottom and with a careful pour it will stay in the bottle.

 

[estricklin]

Try some #9 corks, they fit much tighter and put them in all the way. I use them in regular wine bottles and champagne style and haven't had one budge yet, some have sat for months and months. Of coarse that doesn't mean one won't ever, but people often forget sparkling wine is carbonated 5-6 volumes and your stout is probably going to be around 2.5. Run your corkscrew in them all the way and back out to relieve some pressure when taking the cork out to be on the safe side.

 

[rocketsan]

Except for sanitizing don't do this. First a wine cork will not hold the pressure. A champagne bottle uses a cork and cage to hold pressure. Second if You do this lay them on there sides to keep the cork from drying out. Use a champagne cork and cage or You can use crown caps 26mm for American bottles 29mm for imports.

If you are going to give advice - make sure it's correct. Beer in corked bottles should be stored upright for a multitude of reasons...

 

[brewguyver]

If you are going to give advice - make sure it's correct. Beer in corked bottles should be stored upright for a multitude of reasons...

I've never seen a standard wine cork in a beer bottle. That doesn't mean they don't exist, but every one has been Belgian style, and significantly denser.

I've had bad results with my meads that were stored upright without cork contact due to dry rot of the cork and oxidation.

So - if it's not made for upright storage (e.g. Belgian or synthetic) I'd recommend capping. You can always cap anyway ...

 

[PapaO]

If you are going to give advice - make sure it's correct. Beer in corked bottles should be stored upright for a multitude of reasons...

So I don't give incorrect advice in the future can you tell me the multitude of reasons?