Who Corks?

[DannPM]

I'm debating about getting a floor corker and looking for the cheapest source for Belgian or Champagne Bottles (any color.)

My LHBS does not have either or I'd go there.

 

[jpoder]

I cork! I use a colonna capper/corker...I mostly cap, and really like the colonna for that, but like to do a few bottles out of each batch with cork and cage finish for appropriate beers. This is not the best tool for the job if you want to do a lot of bottles cork and cage. If so, get a Champagne floor corker. there are lots of thread describing corking of Belgian beer bottles...use the search function of HBT. There are some online sources (Northern brewer, Austin Homebrew, morebeer, etc) for belgian bottles and champagne bottles, but they are sort of expensive. I usually just save my empties (and have some friends who save theirs for me as well)

 

[mutedog]

do you live near any french (or otherwise champagne swilling) restaurants? You could probably ask them to save bottles for you or at the very least to go scavenging through their recycling dumpster (wear gloves!)

I got a load of wine bottles this way from a local italian restaurant when I started making wine.

 

[hoghead]

I use my colona corker/capper like said earlier not the easiest corker but it gets the job done. I only cork certain belgian styles that I brew occasionally. As far as bottles your location says you are in overland park. I say start drinking Boulevard smokestack series ales and save the bottles. There are some tasty brews in the smokestack series.

Edit: hell maybe Boulevard would sell you some empty bottles, can't hurt to ask.

 

[drathbone]

If you can find a place that does wine or beer tastings you may be able to ask them for the empties. My local craft beer/fine wine store leaves a big bin of them out once a week for the recycle company that I'm free to rummage through.