Hi all,

I am about to bottle my first batch of kit wine in about three weeks. I had
someone tell me that it is a good idea to dip the corks in melted wax
(paraffin) before corking. The reason I guess is to get a better seal and
to make it easier to remove the cork later. Is this common practice? Is it
a good idea? Never heard anyone on this board mention it before.

Also, how important is it to add Sodium Meta-bisulfate right before
bottling. I added some on my last racking a couple of weeks ago. Is that
sufficient or do I need to do it again. If so, how soon before bottling?

Never heard of the wax dipping, I always soak the corks in water before
bottling and add 1/4 tsp M B S to 5 gal at bottling. Never had a bottle go bad
in 15 years.

Mike K

There are some that will put glycerin on their corks to make them go in
easy. (I don't.) There are also some who cork and then dip the bottle neck
in wax as an extra seal. But I never heard of dipping the cork itself.
;o\
Ray

"Michael E. Carey" > wrote in message
...
> Hi all,
>
> I am about to bottle my first batch of kit wine in about three weeks. I
had
> someone tell me that it is a good idea to dip the corks in melted wax
> (paraffin) before corking. The reason I guess is to get a better seal and
> to make it easier to remove the cork later. Is this common practice? Is
it
> a good idea? Never heard anyone on this board mention it before.
>
> Also, how important is it to add Sodium Meta-bisulfate right before
> bottling. I added some on my last racking a couple of weeks ago. Is that
> sufficient or do I need to do it again. If so, how soon before bottling?
>
>

Just remember, if it makes the cork easier to insert, it also makes it
easier to come out, temp heave, etc.

CHEERS!

"Michael E. Carey" > wrote in message
...
> Hi all,
>
> I am about to bottle my first batch of kit wine in about three weeks. I
had
> someone tell me that it is a good idea to dip the corks in melted wax
> (paraffin) before corking. The reason I guess is to get a better seal and
> to make it easier to remove the cork later. Is this common practice? Is
it
> a good idea? Never heard anyone on this board mention it before.
>
> Also, how important is it to add Sodium Meta-bisulfate right before
> bottling. I added some on my last racking a couple of weeks ago. Is that
> sufficient or do I need to do it again. If so, how soon before bottling?
>
>

someone mentioned they put wax over top of the cork after it was corked but
not soaking the cork in wax. just what I read.
Stephen
"Michael E. Carey" > wrote in message
...
> Hi all,
>
> I am about to bottle my first batch of kit wine in about three weeks. I
had
> someone tell me that it is a good idea to dip the corks in melted wax
> (paraffin) before corking. The reason I guess is to get a better seal and
> to make it easier to remove the cork later. Is this common practice? Is
it
> a good idea? Never heard anyone on this board mention it before.
>
> Also, how important is it to add Sodium Meta-bisulfate right before
> bottling. I added some on my last racking a couple of weeks ago. Is that
> sufficient or do I need to do it again. If so, how soon before bottling?
>
>

Here (UK) corks are already waxed. I don't think there's much point in
doing that yourself. I soak them just before use in cold water with a
bit of metabisulphite, but you can also drive them in dry. Don't boil
corks!
Adding meta to wine before bottling is just one of those precautions
against spoilage and oxidation. With a bit of care, it is not really
necessary for red wines.

Rene.


"Stephen" > wrote in message news:<LPaCb.509830$Tr4.1416389@attbi_s03>...
> someone mentioned they put wax over top of the cork after it was corked but
> not soaking the cork in wax. just what I read.
> Stephen
> "Michael E. Carey" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Hi all,
> >
> > I am about to bottle my first batch of kit wine in about three weeks. I
> had
> > someone tell me that it is a good idea to dip the corks in melted wax
> > (paraffin) before corking. The reason I guess is to get a better seal and
> > to make it easier to remove the cork later. Is this common practice? Is
> it
> > a good idea? Never heard anyone on this board mention it before.
> >
> > Also, how important is it to add Sodium Meta-bisulfate right before
> > bottling. I added some on my last racking a couple of weeks ago. Is that
> > sufficient or do I need to do it again. If so, how soon before bottling?
> >
> >

"Michael E. Carey" > wrote in message
...
> Hi all,
>
> I am about to bottle my first batch of kit wine in about three weeks. I
had
> someone tell me that it is a good idea to dip the corks in melted wax
> (paraffin) before corking. The reason I guess is to get a better seal and
> to make it easier to remove the cork later. Is this common practice?

That is NOT common practice. In fact, I've never heard of anyone doing
that. I've heard of dipping the end of bottles into wax _after_ corking,
but personally I don't like that treatment. It looks good on the bottle but
it's a PIA to remove when opening the bottle, and even worse when it comes
to reusing the bottles.

> Also, how important is it to add Sodium Meta-bisulfate right before
> bottling. I added some on my last racking a couple of weeks ago. Is that
> sufficient or do I need to do it again. If so, how soon before bottling?

It's a good idea to check the free SO2 just at bottling time to make sure
that it's in line with the wine's pH. The general rule of thumb is the free
SO2 should be approximately at the level of the two digits to the right of
the decimal of the wine's pH. E.g., at pH 3.40 the free SO2 should be 40
ppm; at 3.60 pH the free SO2 should be 60 ppm, etc.

Tom S