Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Eating and Drinking => Homebrew => Topic started by: Benandbill on August 05, 2013, 06:47
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Hello, as a newcomer to the world of wine making, I've been told that home made wine should always be corked and never be put in screw top bottles. Is this correct? I have started saving wine bottles from friends and family but they're all screw top bottles.
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Hey, I've always corked mine so not sure how well re-screwing works. Although screw top bottles are narrower than corked ones I still manage to squeeze a cork down their neck. I'm wondering the same though as I've been saving the 2l cider (screwtop) bottles and not sure whether to re-use the tops or a cork but the neck isn't very deep. Hopefully others on this site have experience with screwtops.
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It's taken the wine industry hundreds of years to develop screw top bottles, and for the public to finally accept them.
I'd say that using a screw top is actally better, as it's easier to use, and best of all, quicker to undo! I don't even bother as all our wine is a short order recipe which matures in days, and we just make it to order in 6 gal batches and store it in half-gallon milk bottles!
We haven't lost one in about three years, but we used to in the bad old days when we used corks!
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It's taken the wine industry hundreds of years to develop screw top bottles, and for the public to finally accept them.
I'd say that using a screw top is actally better, as it's easier to use, and best of all, quicker to undo! I don't even bother as all our wine is a short order recipe which matures in days, and we just make it to order in 6 gal batches and store it in half-gallon milk bottles!
We haven't lost one in about three years, but we used to in the bad old days when we used corks!
Agree 100% Growster...
Benandbill....There's an old adage which says if you ask ten folks the same question you will receive eleven different opinions.
Corks have cost many bottles of good wine to go bad, that should not happen with screw tops. I've been reusing screw tops for a long time....just keep an eye on the cardboard disc inside the top...on another forum it's stated that maybe use them 3 times?? ask friends & family for their empty bottles...or the local pub.
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Thanks, Capt!
We use the milk bottles about 10 times, then they get lobbed out when they're very tacky! We do always wash them out, but don't sterilise them.
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I think it's something to do with exploding if it's not fermented properly or something? I guess it's safer for it to be able to explode out the top when corked than for the whole bottle to explode?
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If its fermented down to below 1.00 or so then it can't explode.
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If anyone is worried about a bottle of homebrew going "bang"....get a bucket (I use an old 25lt FV) stack your bottles into the bucket and lay the lid on. If a bottle does go off the glass will stay put in the bottom of the bucket along with all of the brew. Another way is put your bottled brew safe and then throw an old bath towel over them, the towel will catch any glass....but you will have to clean up the mess....before the better half fines out. :lol:
BobE is right about beer, you have a greater chance of that going off because of the priming sugar that you put in the bottle to condition the beer..
Growster...a thought, have you tried Coke Cola plastic bottles? their food grade, and will stand pressure if the need arises. I used these years back for my beer, I had some bottles go almost round but never had one go pop.
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Interesting, Captain!
We use these milk bottles as they sit comfortably in the fridge, and I can rack them with the sort of racker tube sold at Wilkos - which has been around for years!
I agree that a 2 litre coke bottle would be ideal, but the bottom bit on the racker doesn't fit in the top, so we're buqqered!
There's always been far too much "we of the home-wine producing fraternity know best", since we started back in 1972, and we just do our recipe on a regular basis, and don't worry about trying too many diversions - although Mrs Growster has decided to change the recipe because we are having a hot summer! She's decided to add more grape juice, and less elderberries!
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Growster, So you make wine and put into 4 pint milk bottles. This sounds rather stunning. Can you share your recipe please?
There is an Auntie on here who would like to read this.
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Growster, So you make wine and put into 4 pint milk bottles. This sounds rather stunning. Can you share your recipe please?
There is an Auntie on here who would like to read this.
Here it is, Bob!
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=77564.msg874680#msg874680
It settles in about ten days, then I rack it off into clean 4 pt milk bottles, and screw the tops on tight.
They may need a final racking from there into another bottle, but we often keep some of the rackings in yet another bottle, and get a 'concoction;!
I sometimes use finings if there is any haze, but usually don't bother!
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Interesting, Captain!
There's always been far too much "we of the home-wine producing fraternity know best", since we started back in 1972, and we just do our recipe on a regular basis, and don't worry about trying too many diversions -
I certainly didn't want to come across as one of "...the fraternity" Growster, I do apologize, I agree with your post, there are far too many folks who want to tell us that "your doing it wrong", the old adage of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" comes to mind.
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Interesting, Captain!
There's always been far too much "we of the home-wine producing fraternity know best", since we started back in 1972, and we just do our recipe on a regular basis, and don't worry about trying too many diversions -
I certainly didn't want to come across as one of "...the fraternity" Growster, I do apologize, I agree with your post, there are far too many folks who want to tell us that "your doing it wrong", the old adage of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" comes to mind.
Think nothing of it, Capt! Absolutely no offence taken and certainly no need to apologise - I didn't read your post that way at all!
I wasn't that clear really, what I meant to say was that we never really took much notice of the 'nay-sayers', and 'negatives' back then, and we don't nowadays either!
Just to say, that we're trying a red/rose version as we speak, and after a good chill, it's not that bad, but probably still in the £3.00 bracket..;0)
Cheers!
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Growster, So you make wine and put into 4 pint milk bottles. This sounds rather stunning. Can you share your recipe please?
There is an Auntie on here who would like to read this.
Did someone call? :lol:
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Growster, So you make wine and put into 4 pint milk bottles. This sounds rather stunning. Can you share your recipe please?
There is an Auntie on here who would like to read this.
Did someone call? :lol:
Hey, Moggie, I saw your island in the distance today! (Been to Broadstairs on business)!
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Did someone call? :lol:
Lol Auntie, read upwards, wine stored into 4 pint milk bottles. Just what you were looking for methinks. :D :D
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Did someone call? :lol:
Lol Auntie, read upwards, wine stored into 4 pint milk bottles. Just what you were looking for methinks. :D :D
Those bottles are food-grade plastic, and well capable of staying clean enough to store wine - we usually let them stay full for about 6 weeks, and then they're being finished anyway!
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Hey, Moggie, I saw your island in the distance today! (Been to Broadstairs on business)!
If I'd only known I would have waved Mr G! :D
Oh dear, just bought a few polypins! :(
Still, I can save them for the decent stuff and use milk cartons for 'quaffing' wine. ::) Not that I do much quaffing these days unfortunately. I'm pretty much a 2 bottles a week girl (although I suspect that may change soon)! :tongue2:
Will be good to have some longer term storage sorted out (which I can test on a regular basis). :D
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I don't know how long it lasts in the milk bottles, Moggie, but I reckon you're safe up for to about six - eight weeks, they are meant to hold food anyway, but don't lay them flat, as the seal is just not strong enough!
I think if I were storing for longer, I'd re-rack it into two-litre bottles, where you really can get sparkling cleanliness and get the tops well tightened down!
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Best practice for making sure wine is stable and that's time in bulk.
Leave alone in a cooler environment for at least 6 months ( red wines in dark demi jons) plugged with air trap .
Check for fresh thrown " lees" and rack if needed,apart from that time does improve country wines vastly.
Screw tops do work fine with or without corks or lids.