Hi all,
I just bottled a belgian dubbel in 750ml belgian bottles which are corked. Do I have to store them on their side like wine bottles? I just want to be sure they are being stored properly.
You can store them on their side, bit then you’ll have to deal with the yeast settling on the side of the bottle, which makes it a pain to pour. Generally they’re stored upright.
Thanks Denny. I wasn’t sure if the corks needed to stay wet like for wine. Keeping them upright certainly makes it easier to store them.
I think it is not so much of an issue with the corks drying out because they are so much tighter. WIth still wine the cork is just barely bigger than the neck of the bottle so if they shrink at all you can exposure to the outside world. but with the larger corks even if they shrink a little it’s not going to let any air in or out.
EDIT this also reduces the chances of getting a reaction with the cork (Corked flavor)
I also believe that the pressure in the bottle helps keep the cork flared and therefore sealed.
I think during the aging process of corked bottles there is an inherent oxidation effect that is part of the complexity that they achieve over time. As long as your racking and bottling process is sound there shouldn’t be any concerns with storing your corked bottles upright. Waxing the corks can also prolong the life as I’m told.