Has Anyone Noticed? (In Re the Screwcap/Cork Debate)

Do you want a cork on your beer bottle?

As a rule, no. Just for the record though, an increasing number of beers from Belgium are indeed closed with corks, many of those comng in 750 cl. bottles.

Best
Rogov

Do you suppose that is because they can charge more for the beer that way, or because it's actually better?
I do prefer bottles to cans for beer, but I'll happily drink from a can.

John

In some cases indeed the cork is to add a sense of "status" and to up the price but in many 750 cl or liter containers it is often a logical choice, the glass and the cork holding the flavors, texture and liveliness of the wine more closely to its original intent.


Best
Rogov

Do you want a cork on your beer bottle?

As a rule, no. Just for the record though, an increasing number of beers from Belgium are indeed closed with corks, many of those comng in 750 cl. bottles.

Best
Rogov

Wouldn't 750cl be more like a keg? Par-tay.

Ah well.....750 cl vs 750 ml. One of those cases of shoot the typist but I won't because I was the typist.

Best
Rogov

In some cases indeed the cork is to add a sense of "status" and to up the price but in many 750 cl or liter containers it is often a logical choice, the glass and the cork holding the flavors, texture and liveliness of the wine more closely to its original intent.


Best
Rogov

Why is cork a more 'logical choice' than the conventional crown cap?

...Why is cork a more 'logical choice' than the conventional crown cap?

Oliver, Hi.....

I did not say it was "more" logical but that it was logical at times, that because using a crown cap on such bottles, sometimes even thicker and heavier than Champagne bottles, requires far more special equipment than might the use of cork. Also because many of these beers are meant for cellaring and because most beer fans do not have formal "cellars" the bottles are subjected to more knocking about than might be appropriate for a crown cap over time.

Aside from which, I've never had a corked beer but I have had some that have gone flat or otherwise off because of crown caps that have been compromised..


Best
Rogov

I was under the impression that the crown cap was actually a very solid and stable closure; I wonder what the experience of the Champagne producers is, given that their wines are under crown cap for most of their aging. I have asked my Prosecco producer to consider using crown caps, but it's actually not allowed by the DOC for the best wines....

I wonder what the experience of the Champagne producers is, given that their wines are under crown cap for most of their aging.

While under crown cap in Champagne the bottles are stacked in a cellar unmoved until disgorgement.

I have had ony a few wines closed with crown caps and my experienced is soured by one of the first which the closure had presumably had a knock and the contents were undrinkable.

I cannot see any advantage to a crown cap closure primarily because a special tool is need to open it. One of the pleasures of a screw-cap is the ease of opening.

My most recent crown cap closed wine was last month (Domaine Chandon sparkling Pinot Meunier) and we failed to find a proper opener and levred if off with a waiters friend. A traditional champagne cork closure needs no tool.

Daniel, do you think there could just be a left-brain / right-brain thing going on? People who come from a predominantly left-brained approach look at issues more in a black and white / wrong and right way. These folks pretty much know it all about whatever interests them, and think any person who doesn’t see it their way, i.e., the ‘right way’, is wrong and sometimes even stupid for their opinion.

Artistic types kind of say ‘whatever’, but can easily articulate their preferences. It is no wonder that right-brained people might prefer a cork and understand that their reasons for their preference are not even relevant, even if they could be understood, and they probably can’t be. They understand that if you are going to do something, one reason for it is as good as another.

Covert, Hi....

Wow! An entirely new dichotomy to throw onto the fire. A good question but I not certainly not enough into MRI technology or research that I wouldn't dare make a guess at answering.

Best
Rogov

I wonder what the experience of the Champagne producers is, given that their wines are under crown cap for most of their aging.

While under crown cap in Champagne the bottles are stacked in a cellar unmoved until disgorgement.

I have had ony a few wines closed with crown caps and my experienced is soured by one of the first which the closure had presumably had a knock and the contents were undrinkable.

I cannot see any advantage to a crown cap closure primarily because a special tool is need to open it. One of the pleasures of a screw-cap is the ease of opening.

My most recent crown cap closed wine was last month (Domaine Chandon sparkling Pinot Meunier) and we failed to find a proper opener and levred if off with a waiters friend. A traditional champagne cork closure needs no tool.

Screw caps cannot be used with sparkling wines. I applaud Chandon for moving to the technical alternative to the mushroom cork, crown caps. I have had some atrocious problems with Champagne corks (when used in Prosecco, a less demanding application), both the conventional problem (TCA) and 'woodiness' leading to flat wine.

I have never had a problem with a beer bottle because of the closure. Surely the crown cap has a far lower failure rate overall than any kind of cork?

I wonder what the experience of the Champagne producers is, given that their wines are under crown cap for most of their aging.

While under crown cap in Champagne the bottles are stacked in a cellar unmoved until disgorgement.

I have had ony a few wines closed with crown caps and my experienced is soured by one of the first which the closure had presumably had a knock and the contents were undrinkable.

I cannot see any advantage to a crown cap closure primarily because a special tool is need to open it. One of the pleasures of a screw-cap is the ease of opening.

My most recent crown cap closed wine was last month (Domaine Chandon sparkling Pinot Meunier) and we failed to find a proper opener and levred if off with a waiters friend. A traditional champagne cork closure needs no tool.

Screw caps cannot be used with sparkling wines. I applaud Chandon for moving to the technical alternative to the mushroom cork, crown caps. I have had some atrocious problems with Champagne corks (when used in Prosecco, a less demanding application), both the conventional problem (TCA) and 'woodiness' leading to flat wine.

I have never had a problem with a beer bottle because of the closure. Surely the crown cap has a far lower failure rate overall than any kind of cork?

Did you keep track of opening those bottles with your left brain or your right brain, Oliver?

Surely the crown cap has a far lower failure rate overall than any kind of cork?

Oliver, Hi...

From the research I have read this is as true for wine as it is for beer. And indeed crown caps can be adapted even to Champagne bottles.

Now (from the left and right side of the brain striving diligently to cooperate with each other), if you to ask me if I want my fine wines sealed under crown caps...............

Best
Rogov

I understand, Daniel, I just wanted to be clear about the actual utility of crown caps.

I think that the battle to accustom the consumer to screwcaps is well under way, in fact clearly already won in some markets, but the battle for crown caps on sparkling wine is hardly begun. I suspect that people will be loathe to give up the 'pop.'

Oliver, Hi...

Actually the "pop" will not be lost. In fact, it might even be louder. The danger at this stage lies primarily in the crown cap leaving the bottle as a flying missile and taking someone's eye out. Another practical problem is the too sudden loss of gas. That is, after all, why sane people the world all over open their Champagne bottles gently ... in order for the pop and loss of gas be minimized.

Best
Rogov