in my pile of junk i got a can full of wine corks that have plastic
mushroom caps. can someone clue me in on these? they must be for short
term drinking wine as the exposed cork is only about about an inch.

I have about 30+ plus of these, they all look in farily good
condition, not sure how'd you use a corker on them.

I'm temped to find a way to pull the plastic off and use the corks
straight. very nice looking wood on them

They are frequently called tasters or tasting corks. In tasting rooms, when
they open a bottle for someone to taste the wine, they do not want to leave
the bottle sitting out open such that it quickly oxidizes and they do not
want to put the same cork back in the bottle as it is hard to put in and
take out. The tasters corks serve the purpose. Easy to insert and remove
by hand. I use them when it do not finish all of a bottle. I will often
pore the remaining wine into a half bottle (a split) and use a tasters cork
and put in in the refrigerator for a day or two.

Ray

"Tater" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> in my pile of junk i got a can full of wine corks that have plastic
> mushroom caps. can someone clue me in on these? they must be for short
> term drinking wine as the exposed cork is only about about an inch.
>
> I have about 30+ plus of these, they all look in farily good
> condition, not sure how'd you use a corker on them.
>
> I'm temped to find a way to pull the plastic off and use the corks
> straight. very nice looking wood on them
>

> They are frequently called tasters or tasting corks.

Another name for them is T Tops (short for tasters).

Don't take them apart, you can keep wine under them for at least 6
months if they seal tight. I use them for vinegar I give away along
with what Ray uses them for too.

They make a synthetic one that is really nice too.

Joe

On Mar 19, 4:48 pm, "Joe Sallustio" > wrote:
> > They are frequently called tasters or tasting corks.
>
> Another name for them is T Tops (short for tasters).
>
> Don't take them apart, you can keep wine under them for at least 6
> months if they seal tight. I use them for vinegar I give away along
> with what Ray uses them for too.

tried with one and noticed that it was much shorter than the other
corks that i have(which i will toss after i play with them enough)

I am considering just bulk storing the wine in extra carboys then only
using a hand corker and bottles for the few that i might give away.

of course this brings up other issues that i'll post in another topic

If Ray and I understand you correctly thay are supposed to be shorter
and narrower than a regular cork becuase they are made to be pushed in
by hand. They have a little chamfer on them to allow you to start
them easily.

Joe

C.J.J.Berry, one of the old time WineMaker Authors, suggested that you keep
your wine in bulk storage carboys, maybe 1 gallon size, and just bottle a
short term supply as you need them. I bottle in bulk but thought you might
be interested in that comment.

Ray

"Tater" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> On Mar 19, 4:48 pm, "Joe Sallustio" > wrote:
>> > They are frequently called tasters or tasting corks.
>>
>> Another name for them is T Tops (short for tasters).
>>
>> Don't take them apart, you can keep wine under them for at least 6
>> months if they seal tight. I use them for vinegar I give away along
>> with what Ray uses them for too.
>
> tried with one and noticed that it was much shorter than the other
> corks that i have(which i will toss after i play with them enough)
>
> I am considering just bulk storing the wine in extra carboys then only
> using a hand corker and bottles for the few that i might give away.
>
> of course this brings up other issues that i'll post in another topic
>

"Tater" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> On Mar 19, 4:48 pm, "Joe Sallustio" > wrote:
> > > They are frequently called tasters or tasting corks.
> >
> > Another name for them is T Tops (short for tasters).
> >
> > Don't take them apart, you can keep wine under them for at least 6
> > months if they seal tight. I use them for vinegar I give away along
> > with what Ray uses them for too.
>
> tried with one and noticed that it was much shorter than the other
> corks that i have(which i will toss after i play with them enough)
>
> I am considering just bulk storing the wine in extra carboys then only
> using a hand corker and bottles for the few that i might give away.
>
> of course this brings up other issues that i'll post in another topic
>

....but not before you sanitise the corks, your hands and anything else that
will come into contact with the wine.... ;-)

Mike