Midwest Supplies

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Beer and Wine Making Supplies since 1995
5825 Excelsior Blvd.
Minneapolis, MN 55416
952-925-9854 - 888-449-2739
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  1. Straight Corks (9)
  2. Tapered Corks (14)
  3. Zorks (5)
  4. Decorative Stoppers (3)
  5. Champagne (6)

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FAQ-Corks & Closures

Question: I’ve noticed a little bit of mold on top of the corks of some of my wines. Is the wine spoiled? Is the bottle leaking?
   Answer: This isn’t necessarily a sign that your wine has leaked through. It could be that a small amount of wine stayed on top of the cork at bottling and has molded there. Carefully wipe the top of the cork and the bottle neck with a clean damp cloth before extracting the cork, and the wine should be fine....Click to Read full Answer


Question: Why are my corks popping out of the bottle?
   Answer: Your corks keep popping out because you are bottling your wine too early and it is continuing to ferment in the bottle. As the yeast consumes the sugar still in the wine, it produces both alcohol and carbon dioxide (CO2) gas. In your carboy, the CO2 escapes through the airlock as bubbles. Once you bottle the wine there is no place for the gas to go. Some of it is absorbed into the wine and the wine changes from a still wine into a sparkling wine. When the wine has absorbed all of the CO2 it can absorb and the pressure continues to build, either the cork is blown out of the bottle or the bottle explodes. You should never bottle a wine that has not been stabilized or at least has a specific gravity lower than 1.000 and shows no sign of refermentation for 30 days after racking. Here are some tips to keep this from happening again: 1) When apparent fermentation has stopped, rack the wine into a clean, sanitized secondary and reattach the airlock. Look at the wine 24 hours later. If there is positive pressure in the secondary (you are seeing bubbles coming out of the airlock), the yeast is still working. Racking allows the wine to absorb oxygen and this extra shot of oxygen often rejuvenates a wine that previously seemed finished. 2) When the pressure inside a carboy appears to go negative (i.e. the liquid inside the airlock is being pushed toward the part of the airlock connected to the bung), check it daily for two weeks to see if it swings back to positive. When high pressure weather fronts pass through an area, the liquid in an airlock will tend to be pushed downward by the high pressure and it will appear that fermentation has finally ended when in fact it hasn’t. The only way to know for sure is to take a hydrometer reading. 3) When you are sure all fermentation has stopped, check the specific gravity of the wine. If it is not dry (1.000 or lower), repeat the procedures in step 1, above. If it is dry, crush one Campden tablet per gallon of wine (or use 1/4 level teaspoon of potassium metabisulfite per 5 gallons of wine -- do not exceed this amount) and dissolve it and 1/2 teaspoon potassium sorbate per gallon of wine of in a half-cup to full cup of the wine. Stir very well to ensure it is completely dissolved. Pour this into a clean, sanitized carboy and rack the wine into it. Reattach the airlock and wait 10-14 days minimum (Midwest recommends waiting a full month). Then bottle your wine as you normally do....Click to Read full Answer


Question: How long should I store a wine before I drink it?
   Answer:

Although the concentrate kits can be done quickly, some winemakers elect to store the wine longer before they start to drink it. The reason is because a good wine can become a great wine when you allow it to age. However, this is all a matter of taste to the individual. Some wine drinkers really enjoy a bold, strong, new tasting wine, and others want a very smooth, laid back, easy drinking wine. Try a bottle of your wine from time to time until you are happy with the flavor. There is no set time frame on when you will enjoy the wine that you made.The following are some general considerations for wine storage.

...Click to Read full Answer


Question: What is the difference in cork sizes?
   Answer: Cork size can play a huge roll on how long your wine is able to be stored because the size of the cork will determine how much air is allowed to transfer over time. What a lot of wine makers don’t realize is that you do want slight amounts of air to come in contact with the wine to allow the wine to age. The more air transfer, the faster the wine will go bad. Let’s give you a little understanding of how to figure out what the different numbers mean when looking at a cork label. Typically, the first number on the package is going to give you the indication of the diameter of the cork. For example, you might see a label that reads #8 X 1 ¾”. The #8 is in reference to the diameter of the cork. To make it easy, the higher the first number the larger the diameter of the cork. The 1 ¾” is in reference to the length of the cork. Cork Size Storage Time #7 X 1 ¾” *3-6 Months #8 X 1 ¾” *1-2 Years #9 X 1 ¾” *2-7 Years...Click to Read full Answer


Question: What size corks should I use with my Plastic Plunger Corker?
   Answer: Midwest suggests using only #8 corks with the plastic plunger corker. Larger corks are just too difficult to load into the corker, and even more difficult to force into the bottle. The reason that the plastic plunger corker is the one we include in our starter kit is that most winemakers eventually upgrade to a floor corker (#8253, 8254, 8256, 8258). The plunger corker allows us to offer a winemaking equipment kit at a reasonable price. Two upgrades, the Double Lever Corker (#8201) and the Gilda Single Lever Corker (#8202) are available for only a few dollars more, respectively....Click to Read full Answer


Question: How to prepare corks
   Answer: If you are using a high quality, iris- jawed floor corker there is no need to soak or sulfite any of the corks that Midwest sells. Simply insert them dry. If you are using a small, hand-held corker (plunger, single or double-lever types) you may need to prepare your corks by soaking them in warm water for 20 minutes. If you have trouble getting corks to pass through your hand-held corker, you may want to try adding 1 cup glycerin to every four liters of warm water that you use for soaking. This ensures that the corks get enough moisture to lubricate their passage through the corker, not so wet that the corks will crumble apart....Click to Read full Answer


Question: Can I use screw cap bottles for my wine?
   Answer: Sure! Studies are finding that in many ways, screw capped wines are actually better than natural cork and synthetic corks. The number one reason to use screw caps, is that you will not encounter any wine that has "cork taint", developed from a fungus that grows on corks and spoils wine. Studies are also finding that screw caps may just preserve the freshness of your wine better than synthetic corks and at least as well as natural cork. As there is more room in the neck of the bottle, you may wish to use Private Preserve (A6031) to purge the headspace of oxygen, preventing oxidation, before you cap the wine....Click to Read full Answer


Question: Why does my wine have a brown tint to it?
   Answer: The reason your wine browns is because it is oxidizing. The biggest cause of early oxidation in homemade wines is the failure to use sulfites, or not using them properly. The second biggest cause of early oxidation is improper handling of the wine during fermentation, rackings, aging, bottling, and storage. All wines oxidize, but well-made, well-protected, and well-balanced wines resist oxidation for many, many years, and exceptional wines can last for 50-100 years without doing so....Click to Read full Answer


Question: What are the differences between the various types of corks?
   Answer:
  • Agglomerated corks are made from chipped cork pieces ground to a specific size and glued together with non-reactive polyurethane glue. Inexpensive and easy to handle, these are suitable for wines that will be held for six months to a year.
  • Synthetic corks will not become tainted, won’t dry out, crumble, break or leak. A great way to provide a barrier to oxidation for wines that will be aged for a few years. We recommend using the Gilda Single level corker or one of the floor corkers when using these corks, as more force is required to get them in.
  • Natural cut corks are just that: simply punched out from cork bark. They rely on the density and elasticity of the natural cork bark to seal the bottle.

Another thing that comes in to play when choosing a cork is the bevel. This is the tapered edge that some of the less expensive corks have around the top and bottom of the cork. This is to allow easier insertion with hand held corkers.

...Click to Read full Answer


Question: Why are my corks turning red?
   Answer: Your corks are probably turning red because wine has gotten between the cork and the sides of the bottle neck. This happens because when you force a cork into a bottle, the air between the cork and the wine gets compressed. If you leave the bottle standing upright for 2-3 days, the pressure will work its way out around the cork. If, on the other hand, you lay the bottle down immediately, the pressure pushes the wine (instead of the compressed air) out around the cork. Leave your bottles upright 2-3 days, then lay them on their sides and watch them for a few days thereafter. The bottles should not leak. If they do, pull the corks and put in new ones. Make sure your corks are the correct size for a good fit....Click to Read full Answer

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Midwest Homebrewing Supplies
5825 Excelsior Blvd.
Minneapolis, MN 55416
Phone: 1 (952) 925-9854
Toll Free: 1 (888) 449-BREW
Shipping Inquiries: 1 (888) 449-2739
Fax: 1 (952) 925-9867
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Midwest Supplies Home Beer and Wine Making
Midwest Supplies Home Beer and Wine Making
Midwest Supplies Home Beer and Wine Making
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