Changes

Corking and caging can be used for both champagne-type bottles and the brown glass 'fat-lipped' Belgian bottles, both of which are generally thicker glass and rated for higher CO2 pressure. Generally corking and caging is used for bottles with 29 mm openings, though some have cork and cage finished bottles with 26 mm openings. Make sure your bottle type can take corks before using it.[https://www.corklink.com/index.php/agglomeratdor-natural-corks/ Agglomerated type corks] are generally used when corking and caging.

The following gives a step by step process for corking and caging with a non-champagne floor corker. For a more detailed description with pictures, see [http://horscategoriebrewing.blogspot.com/2013/11/corking-your-homebrew.html Dave Janssen's blog post about corking]. The more common floor corkers work by both compressing the cork and pushing it into the bottle with the movement of the arm. In order to leave the cork partly exposed, and to control the exposed cork level, place a standard carboy bung on the rod which pushes the cork. This positioning can be adjusted as needed. Push the cork into the bottle until you reach the bung, then bring the arm all the way up. Remove the bung and lower the spring-loaded pedestal holding the bottle. Then, while holding the bottle with one hand, lower the corking arm completely and bring the bottle down, letting the cork be pushed fully out of the compression section of the corker. Play around with cork depth to find the right amount for you for ease of removal based on your corks, bottles and carbonation levels. The amount of cork sticking out should be more than how it appears when it is caged, as the cork is vertically compressed or '"mushroomed' " during the caging process. See [[Corking#Mushrooming|Mushrooming]] below.

"Mushrooming" is the actual or perceived compression of the top part of the cork that protrudes out of the bottle, and is often preferred for the aesthetic appearance. The Some of the practical benefits of mushrooming are debatable, as is the cause of mushrooming when no effort is made by the brewer to manually compress the top portion of the cork. Some people believe that this compression happens naturally after packaging over time and is due to high carbonation in the bottle pushing the cork out of the bottle, which is held in by the cage. However, in many cases this might be just an illusion of appearance and the cork may not actually be compressed at all, but is either manually mushroomed or just appears to be compressed by the cage due to the much thinner "leg" of the cork which is compressed by the lip of the bottle (see [http://www.notcot.com/images/2009/09/gatinoismain.jpg this image] for an example). Some people claim observe that manual mushrooming makes removing the cork easier (due to less cork being inside of the bottle) and allows for more "pop" noiseand less CO² to escape the bottle over time, while others say that mushrooming does not serve any functional purpose and is not necessaryas long as the corks used are able to be inserted at a proper depth and the cages fit. Some have noted that in order to insert some corks to a proper depth (see [[Corking#Cork_Depth|Cork Depth]]), manual mushrooming must be done so that the cage will fit. See [https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/1920123874682484/ this MTF thread] for more opinions from various brewers.

Actual mushrooming of the cork can be accomplished manually by hand, though be aware that flaws in the bottle may cause the neck to break, which would be a very dangerous situation if you are applying the downward force by your hand. It can more easily and safely be applied with a bench capper. Put the cage on the cork and compress both with a bench capper. Hold the bench capper arm in place with your shoulder/armpit, leaving both hands free to orient and twist the cage. Special cage twisting tools are available, though pens such as sharpies or some interchangeable screwdrivers are about the right size. You could also use twist lock pliers if you have them around. There are also machines available that will semi-automate this process for commercial brewers. ====Adjusting to Wire Twists====The wire cage needs to be tightened under the lip of the head of the bottle in order to secure corks from being pushed out by the beer's carbonation. Typically 4-5 twists are done with wire cages to prevent them from becoming brittle or inconveniently removable. However, with thinner bottle necks, longer wires, or a particular wire twisting tool, more twists may be necessary in order to tighten the wire around the neck under the lip. Modifying the wire cage tightener is a hack to work around this problem. See [https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/1959272164100988/ Andrew Holzhauer's post on MTF] for an example of how to account for this while still twisting the wire only 4-5 times.

Corking for cork and cap closures can be used on champagne-style bottles, which are a good source of high-pressure bottles for brewers, but not on 'fat-lipped' Belgian bottles. Cork and cap might let in less oxygen than corking or capping alone. It also protects the beer from coming into contact with a rusting cap or the plastic lining of caps, especially if the bottles are aged horizontally. Under high carbonation, caps can leak if they are accidentally dislodged, but a cork will prevent any significant CO² from escaping <ref>[https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/1920123874682484/?comment_id=1921250141236524&reply_comment_id=1923017917726413&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R9%22%7D James Howat. Milk The Funk thread on corking and capping. 12/18/2017.]</ref>.  Corking and capping is much more straightforward than corking and caging as the cork is pushed entirely into the bottle. Generally cork and cap closures are used on bottles with 29 mm openings, though some have done this with 26 mm bottles. Make sure your bottle can handle corks before using them for a cork and cap finish. A #9 wine cork has been suggested as a good size to use<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/2651422864885911/?comment_id=2651556784872519&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R%22%7D Christophe Venot. Milk The Funk Facebook group thread on using corks with caps and what cork size. 05/07/2019.]</ref>. Although the cork depth is not as important as in corking and caging, the cork still must be far enough into the bottle to not interfere with the cap. Bench corkers are recommended for corking and capping as they allow better control of cork depth than two arm corkers and bench corkers allow the cork to be easily depressed further if it is not far enough into the bottle. For 29 mm bottles, you will also need a 29 mm bell and 29 mm caps for capping.

* Mitch Ermatinger's guided tour of the manual bottling line at Speciation Artisan Ales ([https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/1628433647184843/ questions answered here on MTF]):

: <youtube height="200" width="300">Au5l6lpxHz4</youtube>

* Levi Funk's guided tour of manual bottling line at Funk Factory Geuzeria:

: <youtube height="200" width="300">DH8LufFltJk</youtube>

* Using a Portuguese corker:

: <youtube height="200" width="300">7dPkSoUB1f0</youtube>

* Using a hand corker (be sure to use beer corks and not champagne corks since champagne corks are too wide; the corks shown in the video below may have been inserted too deeply, especially if better "mushrooming" is desired) <ref>[https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/1710488478979359/?comment_id=1712978092063731&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R%22%7D Dave Janssen. Milk The Funk Facebook group discussion. 06/07/2017.]</ref>:

: <youtube height="200" width="300">thTgrDIkvzo</youtube>

* [[Floor Corker|Floor/Automated Corker]] (small brewers and homebrewers) or [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8QAQdSXC3U Colonna Corker Capper].* [http://www.thevintnervault.com/product/3771/Rapid-Floor-Corker-%2815%29.html Rapid 15 Floor Corker (wine corks only?).]* [https://www.tcwequipment.com/products/rapid-56-manual-floor-corker?taxon_id=5 Rapid 56 manual floor corker.]* [http://www.thevintnervault.com/product/4117/Champagne-Corker-Rapid-49.html Champagne Corker Rapid 49 for small commercial producers]. The bottle seats would have to be changed out though ([https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/1324183294276548/?comment_id=1324294004265477&reply_comment_id=1413971871964356&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R%22%7D see Jeff Porn's comments here on MTF]. Reportedly doesn't last any longer than the cheaper italian floor corker <ref>[https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/1657711040923770/?comment_id=1658593247502216&reply_comment_id=1658820667479474&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R%22%7D Bob Sylvester. Milk The Funk Facebook group. 04/20/2017.]</ref>. (~$4,000)* [https://www.gwkent.com/champagne-corking-caging-machine.html GW Kent Automated Champagne Corker/Cager] <ref>[https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/1657711040923770/?comment_id=1658593247502216&reply_comment_id=1658781814150026&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R%22%7D Levi Funk. Milk The Funk Facebook group. 04/20/2017.]</ref>.* [https://www.gwkent.com/pneumatic-pro-liner-corker.html GW Kent Pneumatic Pro Liner Corker.] ([https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/4071568982871285/?comment_id=4072005559494294&reply_comment_id=4074602419234608 Sean Spiller's feedback using this at Jester King)]* [http://www.thevintnervault.com/category/517/Corkers.html Various other electric/semi-automated corkers (Vintner Vault).]* [https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/2185368601491342/ MTF thread comparing semi-automatic corker/cagers from Criveller, Enolta, MEP, and Cannellitech.]* [https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/?multi_permalinks=4071568982871285 Joel Stickrod's thread on modifying floor cork legs to reduce the need for the operator to bend their back.]

* [https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/beer-cork-44x255mm-1000-count BSG Craft Brewing; 25.5x44 (bulk).]* [https://www.amorimca.com/products Amorimca corks (bulk).]* [http://www.portocork.com/products/ Portocork.] Recommended by Mitch Ermatinger and Mike Karnowski; does printed branding <ref>[https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/1628433647184843/?comment_id=1628475047180703&reply_comment_id=1628499457178262&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R9%22%7D Ermatinger, Mitch. Milk The Funk Facebook group. 03/27/2017.]</ref>. Contact to receive information for exact cork size needed for any given bottle format.

* [https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/1765959683432238/?comment_id=1766945646666975&reply_comment_id=1767396563288550&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R722R8%22%7D Jeff Porn recommends 24mm corks (potentially called "wine corks") for cork and cagewith 500 mL bottle sizes.]

* [http://www.scottlab.com/products-50.aspx Scott Labs.] Also does printed branding on the corks; bulk orders only <ref>[https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/1983455311682673/?comment_id=1983461895015348&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R%22%7D Andy Hannas. Milk The Funk facebook post on Scott Labs branding corks. 02/09/2018.]</ref>* [https://corksupply.eu/eu/ Cork Supply; EU supplier (does free branding on 5000 or more corks).]