Can I cork without a corker?

[andyn11]

May I suggest gathering a stock of screw-top bottles?

That's what my elderberry wine is going in... eventually.

Thats wut i do ... Ask friends and family to save any empty shelf bought wine bottles with screw lids clean them then sterilise

 

[Steve707]

There is absolutley nooooooooo.... substitute to corking, there is no hand method that you can use if you make more than a gallon to age,and, if you do make a large batch and buy the pop in corks for $.99 a piece you would have already spent enough to buy a hand corker and 50 corks, DAMN. you absolutley can not put corks in by hand. they need to be squeezed by the corker and inserted.

 

[Honda88]

if you have a wooden work bench you can take the corks and steam the crap outta them, take a pair of plier and pinch the cork all the way around and very quickly put about half of it into the bottle by hand. then you slam the rest in by shoving it up against the side of the wooden bench. make sure it is wooden and no metal or concrete because you could break the bottle when the cork goes in all the way. it workes pretty good, you will start sweating, if you dont have muscles dont try it. I did it for about 3 batches and then finally got a floor corker, honestly a floor corker is the best thing you can buy for wine, it makes it so much easier and less dangerous.

 

[Starman3482]

YES! There is a way to do this! Been time tested for over 3 years now with no problems at all. It's quite easy. All you need to do is heat up the corks in the microwave for 20 seconds on so, you can do more then one at a time as well. This will make the corks very soft and I just push them in with my hand with ease. Might not be for everyone but it sure works well for me, even if I had to bottle a few hundred I would still do it this way. Good luck everyone

 

[brazedowl]

YES! There is a way to do this! Been time tested for over 3 years now with no problems at all. It's quite easy. All you need to do is heat up the corks in the microwave for 20 seconds on so, you can do more then one at a time as well. This will make the corks very soft and I just push them in with my hand with ease. Might not be for everyone but it sure works well for me, even if I had to bottle a few hundred I would still do it this way. Good luck everyone

Sounds easy enough. How long do they stay soft after popping them in the microwave? I mean how many could I do at once without them getting cold again by the time I get half way through corking?

 

[andysim]

What about using Zorks? See their web page for more info http://zorkusa.com/

The youtube video on the website is awesome " easier to get off"

 

[brazedowl]

I remember another post about zorks and talking about how expensive they are. I mean if you have to contact them for price information that says a lot.

 

[keelysnow]

i found quite a good alternative but it takes a little skill, hold the cork firmly to the tip with one hand so if you flip the bottle upside down liquid wont poor out then hold the bottle in your other hand next, flip it upside down and place the cork on a very sterdy table or the ground. now push with your palm on the bottom of the bottle, it should slowly but surely slip in to the bottle.
please tell me if this helped.