screw top bottles

Screw Top wine bottles are a blight on wine makers.

Answers:

1) No, not all are the same. But many are. (At least, the last three that I have opened are the same.) 2) New caps are not available. Some re-use the commercial caps. They are probably OK for short term storage, but not sure about long term storage.

Polyseal 28mm caps are readily available from many brew stores. However, they fit almost NO commercial wine bottles. Also I have not seen any test results of long term wine storage under these caps. I think they were designed for liquor bottles.

In my experience, you can actually cork most screw top bottles. Probably OK for short term storage, but not sure about long term storage.

And you haven't been paying attention to commercial wine trends. You aren't moving down scale. Screw tops have moved up scale.

Steve

I'd prefer to go to screw tops if they're available and are as good (or better) than corks. Corking is a pain and I'm wondering if the days are coming when we can switch to screw tops.

Might not be for everyone but I'm in this for the wine and not necessarily the window dressing. It's nice to have a good looking bottle and label but I don't think corks really add anything.

Don

Yep, that is my understanding also. Those caps are literally rolled onto the bottle at the time of capping. I doubt anyone will ever make a cheap home winemaker version of that style capper.

Joe

Don, Check with Presque Isle Wine Cellars if you are willing to pay for bottles; they sell both the bottles and better caps.

I would agree with Steve about long term storage of wine under those; I just don't know how good they are. You could ask Doug Moorhead what he thinks at PIWC if you contact them. I am having decent success with NomaCorc; so far I like everything about them.

Joe

snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com wrote:

I don't mind paying more for a cap if it's re-usable. No more corking is worth something especially if the caps are usable for 10 or 20 bottlings.

Don

Wow Don, you must be experienced, it's still by far my favourite bit :)

I got a portuguese floor standing bottler from the start so I guess I spoiled myself with novice-glee. Jim

Go to:

HTH

Or you can switch to swing top (Grolsch type) bottles which have reusable closures. If a seal ever goes bad, you can get replacements here:

HTH

"

These look much better than some of the push-ins that I have seen. However, I will repeat the concern that I expressed earlier about long term storage. Since many (most?) home winemakers don't do the long term storage, then these are probably fine for many.

BTW, if they fit cork finish bottles, they should also fit most screw top commercial bottles.

Steve

Those are not for long term storage, I use them and think they are good for about 6 months. If interested in those, a better t-top using either cork or synthetic might be a better option.

I didn't get the 'most homew> These look much better than some of the push-ins that I have seen.

Nah I just have kids which is inversely related to free time. Between making beer, wine, the cottage, the house, work, hunting, renewing licenses, and the kids, I'm all corked out.

Don

f

Have you used these Fred, are they good for semi-long term storage - 2 to 4 years?

Don

Yes.......and yes. The old ones were solid red in color. I keyed on the word "reusable" and these were the two methods that I used successfully. However, go to:

The cork "t-tops" that Joe is talking about are called "Mushroom corks" by Kraus. These are also good but have to be stored on their sides to keep the cork wet and_cannot_be reused. The "Plastic wine stoppers" that you see there are reusable but are_extremely_hard to remove and I threw out the rest of what I had after trying them.

If you are going to use Red Tops:

1. If you want to reuse them, use only with "cork finished" wine bottles.
2. Make sure you store them in the upright position and_not_on their sides.

HTH

Frederick

I run a Ferment on Premises in BC Canada. Very few of my in-store or at-home customers actually age their wine. Doesn't matter what I say or recommend. Some do, but they are definitely in the minority.

The people on the usenet & internet forums are much different than the average 'home winemaker'.

I stand by my statement.

Steve

I can't believe that someone isn't making re-usuable plastic screw tops. I've read in the past some articles about Australian Riesling makers rating all methods and screw tops coming out as the best.. I think it's only a matter of time and it's probably best to stick with corks until someone comes out with re-usable screw tops.

Don

Don, They do make reusable screw tops, they have one that has a conical plastic insert for the seal. I never used it for long term wine aging though, I use it on vinegar bottles. It's nothing like what the Aussies are talking about though.

Joe

Those are called polyseal caps. I have seen them in 28mm & 38mm. The

38mm fit some gallon jugs. The 28mm fit very few wine bottles (eg Arbor Mist). Some retailers sell bottles that are designed to take these caps.

I am not aware of any testing on aging with these caps. Thus I would recommend for short term only. Personally I wouldn't use them. I don't have many bottles that they fit anyway.

Steve

I have used them for a while now... The oldest wine I have with them is about 5 years old. It is great so far.

Later, A. J.

The Anchorage Fishwrapper and Litterbox Liner Press

I went down to the local wine store and scanned the availablibility of screw tops.There were alot. My guess is that if the bottle threads are standard then it won't be long before someone starts selling re-usable screw caps. It's a market with a vacuum.

Don