Sterilsing corks

[jimbeefish]

Hi all, I'm still an apprentice here and have just gone from screw tops to cork for wine, I soaked corks in sterile solution then rinsed and put in bottles, I opened one after 2 weeks and wine had foisted smell and taste, the cork was damp and disintegrated when opening and had very foisty smell, my local brew shop says he never washes corks just puts them straight in, so.... what do other members do? Is my question when its drilled into me EVERYTHING that touches wine MUST. be sterilized, ...cheers jim

 

[Barry32ni]

Where they new pre-sterilized corks or used ones? Soaking corks will give them time to soak up what ever they are in and this will then be squeezed into your wine when you bottle. Corks are cheap so I would never re-use corks.

 

[jimbeefish]

Got them from Wilkos in a sealed box, don't know if they pre-sterile tho that's why I did

 

[jimbeefish]

so I take it I squeezed solution into wine?

 

[oldbloke]

The cork disintegrating is just wrong, whether soaked in sanitiser or not. Bad batch? Cheap corks? Hard to say.

I use Larsen corks, give them a short dip in sanitiser (VWP), then rinse them very very thoroughly and leave them in a bowl of clean water until needed. No problems so far.
But, this is an obvious area to switch to a no-rinse sanitiser (Starsan, Videne). If I didn't have a big tub of VWP I would have already switched.

 

[Barry32ni]

If they where soaking for any length of time it would be a good bet unfortunately. I tend to buy the corks in sealed bags. Not sure if time will fix your wine or make it worse. Maybe someone with a bit more knowledge can tell you that.

 

[Moley]

Got them from Wilkos

There's your problem, in my opinion Young's corks (or however they are re-packaged) are rubbish.

Next time, look online for the ‘Favourite’ branded or other corks which don't crumble like Wensleydale and don't need soaking.

It does still help to wet them though, mine just get a quick dunk in steriliser before they are used, but only for a minute or so while I'm getting everything else ready.

 

[MattN]

Got them from Wilkos

There's your problem, in my opinion Young's corks (or however they are re-packaged) are rubbish.

Next time, look online for the ‘Favourite’ branded or other corks which don't crumble like Wensleydale and don't need soaking.

It does still help to wet them though, mine just get a quick dunk in steriliser before they are used, but only for a minute or so while I'm getting everything else ready.

+1
I will using 'Favourite' again having recently had a bad experience with cheap corks (Brewmaker)

 

[oldbloke]

Yes, I generally buy Larsen but I've had Favourite and they were good too.

 

[jimbeefish]

Thanks for advice I've just ordered some "favourite" corks off e-bay, any thoughts in making a sprayer with crushed campden tablets then maybee not have to rinse?