Cork vs Synthetic cord vs screw tops

[fishnbowljoe]

I have a ziplock bag full of old corks for emergency breakages. Takes up less space than old empties.

I keep a bag full of old cooks too, but I also keep a few empties on hand. You know, just in case.

Joe

[oke&coke]

I also keep a bag of corks in case of breakage. Any bottles with a good screw top also gets saved. Those flimsy metal screw tops are crap though.

[TunnelTiger]

I have a ziplock bag full of old corks for emergency breakages. Takes up less space than old empties.

Duh, that is another fantastic idea. The amount of information that one can recieve on SB continues to amaze me.

[Vadertime]

Can synth cork taint a spirit? I have a bottle of Kirkland Bourbon that has a strange rubber taste in the finish. Am I imagining this? Or is it a rye taste characteristic?

[Harry in WashDC]

Can synth cork taint a spirit? I have a bottle of Kirkland Bourbon that has a strange rubber taste in the finish. Am I imagining this? Or is it a rye taste characteristic?

<BR>

I just did a quick perusal of the www.fda.gov website and scanned the list of "Indirect Additives Used in Food Contact Substances". They don't have "synthetic cork" as a category, but there's no denying that the material in a synthetic cork - whatever it is - contacts a consumable and, therefore, is covered. Hence, it's supposed to be nonreactive (i.e., no flavor or aroma effect, let alone it should not be a poison).

"Supposed to be" is the operative phrase, of course. No telling what happens if, for example, the synthetic cork (probably a complex hydrocarbon) gets exposed to heat above the cork's working temperature or to some external hostile chemical (like box glue, heavy diesel fumes, etc.).

[Flyfish]

Or just use a big ole 1.75 empty to vat the leftovers.

[squire]

Bottles of whisky that contain a small amount left over from the last tasting session.

[squire]

I started to say the last drinking session but that didn't sound right since we're paragons of moderation around here.

[fishnbowljoe]

I noticed a post by BigBoldBully in the BOTM thread about the possibility of a synthetic cork on his newly purchased bottle of EC 12. Got me to thinking. (Yeah, I know that can be dangerous. ) I was getting ready to start a new thread, when I remembered this one. Thought I'd bump this one up instead of starting a new one.

In reference to the aforementioned post, I'm kinda' curious to hear from other members as to what bottlings they've seen with synthetic corks, and what their experiences have been with those synthetic corks. :skep:

I'll start the ball rolling.

I can think of two bottles that I've recently opened that have synthetic corks. The first bottle is a KCSB. No problems for me at all. Not hard to open, good fit, and it still has that "Thwuuuck" sound when you pop the cork. :grin: Also easy to get the cork back in the bottle. The second bottle is a 750 of MMCS. Not sure what to say here, so I'll just let 'er rip. This cork is a freakin' pain in the ass! I sure do like MMCS, but I don't like having to work so hard just to have a pour. :banghead: Very, very tight fitting cork. I was a bit careful and had to work some just to get the cork out. It's also a mutha' to get the cork back in! :skep: Heck, I need a double after going through all that.

So, any similar or different experiences from anyone else? Let's hear what y'all have to say about synthetic corks.

Cheers! Joe

[amg]

The current SAOS bottles have synthetic corks and all of those I've had have worked well.

[fozzy71]

I never cared for the EC12 corks as they seem to swell under the seal then not seal well and if synthetic prevents what just happened to my Bookers I am all for it:

Edit: same thing happened to my stagg jr and I have 2 of each bunkered.

[MOwhisky4me]

I've noticed a lot of the decorative wine bottle stoppers use black rubber for the seal... I wonder if that would work for bourbon or if the rubber could affect the taste. The black rubber stoppers are certainly durable and you can get any size you want at most hardware stores.

[BigBoldBully]

Just to clarify, and not sure if I'm up on my terminology, but I was thinking the new EC12 cork looked like one of those wine corks that are made of a bunch of little pieces of real cork stuck together (which I call a "composite" cork but may be wrong) rather than the more homogeneous type such as KCSB and Jefferson's have been using. Like fozzy I am not a huge fan of the EC12 corks I am used to, and yet the looks of these new ones made me imagine they may well fail at an even greater rate or more quickly.

[TunnelTiger]

Agree with Joe about the MMCS cork. The tightest cork I've ever had.

Also I've had two ETL corks break off in the past year.

[Flyfish]

I never cared for the EC12 corks as they seem to swell under the seal then not seal well and if synthetic prevents what just happened to my Bookers I am all for it.

[Golzee]

Jim Beam SB is the first bourbon I have gotten with a synthetic cork. It was on tighter than any natural cork I have had in the past. A few friends commented that they didn't like the synthetic cork, but, I am sure that was due to aesthetic reasons. I am all for a complete switch to synthetic cork. I don't want an expensive bottle of bourbon to have a screw cap. Picture RHF with a gigantic screw cap...

[BigBoldBully]

Jim Beam SB is the first bourbon I have gotten with a synthetic cork. It was on tighter than any natural cork I have had in the past. A few friends commented that they didn't like the synthetic cork, but, I am sure that was due to aesthetic reasons. I am all for a complete switch to synthetic cork. I don't want an expensive bottle of bourbon to have a screw cap. Picture RHF with a gigantic screw cap...

As far as how the bottle looks on the shelf, at least, they could make screw cap tops pretty attractive if they wanted to. I am thinking of some of those beautiful wooden tequila tops that hide screw threads within.

[fozzy71]

Feel free to post pic of your broken synthetic corks...

(crickets)

[drunkenjayhawk]

I have had lots of natural corks crumble into the bottle slowly or fail altogether. I prefer the synthetic corks or if possible screw caps. Its not fancy to me to see lots debris on the bottom I realize that some of it is the spirit itself but not all. I do wish natural corks were not considered "high end " so to speak.

[Scotch Neat]

Funny as Booker's is a favorite of mine and it does seem to have a tight cork (kind of tapered).

I will take the natural product rather than the synthetic, do we know what happens to synthetic stoppers after a long period of time?

We shall see.

[Darwin]

The sound of a cork being pulled generally announces quality to me. Kinda like how I associate enjoyable refreshments with the sound of a beer being opened. :cool:

I know the screw on is better, safer and more secure... but I like good corks. :toast:

[fozzy71]

I just heard a nice pop from a synthetic in a handle of larceny with a synthetic cork................

[Harry in WashDC]

I don't mind the synthetics. At my age, I don't think I'll outlive ANY of them. Real corks, of course, is another story.

[squire]

I may not outlive a synthetic cork? Damn Harry, I was in a good mood.

[Harry in WashDC]

Well, then drink up. One way to outlive them is to consume what they protect and then pitch them the hell out.