How to use a Floor Corker? (and a Sanitation Question)

UDV said:

I ended up getting my corker today, http://morebeer.com/view_product/19436/

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That's the same one I have UDV and to use it is as follows:

1) Lift the arm / handle up as far as it will go - doing this will open up the bronze collet.

2) Place your bottle on the spring-loaded platform - it is adjustable in height so adjust it so that the bottle fits under the collet and is held there in place by spring tension.

3) Insert a cork in the collet - which will be open at this point so the cork just pops right in.

4) Pull the arm / handle all the way down - doing so will close the bronze collet which will in turn compress the cork, at which point a 'plunger' (which is adjustable for depth) which is attached to the arm / handle will drive the cork into the neck of the bottle.

You may want to wad up a paper towel and run it through the collet a couple times (without a bottle) to wipe away the lube which is on it from the factory.

UDV said:

I also ended up getting http://morebeer.com/view_product/15682/102303

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Again, same one I have. Using it is simple:

1) Fill up the resevoir with the sanitizer solution of your choice (I use One-Step)

2) Take a bottle and, neck down, insert it on the top of the discharge and press down several times. This will inject the sanitizer into the bottle.

3) Take bottle, again neck down, and insert it into a peg on a drying tree (if you have one - if not, you should get one as they are very handy)

I've always washed my bottles with a bottle washer and then sanitize right before I'm going to actually fill them.

- GL63

The floor corker isn't very hard to use, but you may need to play with it on an empty bottle a few times to get things adjusted right. There should be a bottle height adjustment, and a depth adjustment on the cork plunger. The one I use is a little different but should operate the same.

The base plate should have enough spring tension to keep the bottle in place while the cork is being inserted. The cork depth depends somewhat on the presentation you want. You may want it flush with the top of the bottle, or set a bit deeper if you were to add a wax seal. These are rugged and easy enough to use. Just start by corking an empty bottle or three to get a feel for it. Try it again with a bottle filled with water. You will notice more resistance with minimal air space, but the end result should be the same.

Good luck and have fun.

David