2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14
Wine is one of the most popular alcoholic beverages in the world. It has been produced since ancient times. The first wine was made to preserve perishable grape varieties. Every ancient religion had its own god of wine. It is mentioned more than 500 times in the Bible. Thanks to Christianity, wine spread throughout Europe.
Vessels and plugs
At first, people used animal stomachs to store drinks. Later, vessels made of skins, wood, clay and metal began to be used for this. The containers had to be sealed with something. After all, tightly closed wine does not come into contact with air and improves its taste qualities over time. Corks were made from soft woods. They absorbed moisture, increased and broke the vessels. To solve this problem, the top part of the cork was poured with resin, covered with clay and wrapped in a cloth. This is how amphoras were sealed in Ancient Greece. It was convenient to transport wine in these vessels. Archaeologists are still excavating vessels with hardened wine inside.
History
The Romans used oak bark to make corks. After the collapse of the empire, the lands on which this type of tree grew were captured by the Ottomans. As a result, this material was forgotten for a long time. The creator of champagne, the French monk Pierre Pérignon, invented the universal cork in the shape of a cone.
Wine was not produced in Ancient Russia. It was bought in other countries. In those days, any alcoholic beverage was called wine. The situation changed only after the Crimean Peninsula became part of the Russian Empire. In the 17th century, the production of glass vessels began. They could already be hermetically sealed with corks. After the invention of the corkscrew, the shape of the plugs changed significantly. Wooden cylinders began to drive into the neck of the bottle.
Corkscrews
The first corkscrews were used by drills, which were used to pull out stuck bullets from a weapon during a misfire. The corkscrew was invented in England by an unknown gunsmith. Initially, it was used to open pharmaceutical bottles and perfume bottles. The first models had a special brush for brushing off crumbs of cork and wax.
In 1802, Edward Thomason received a patent for the manufacture of double action corkscrews. Napoleon Bonaparte introduced the corkscrew into the number of mandatory items of ammunition for French soldiers. In 1894, dentist William Robert Maud developed a molar-shaped device. Such a tool did not destroy the cork when opening the bottle. The new tool began to be sold in pharmacies along with medicine bottles.
In 1979, Herbert Allen created a Teflon-coated corkscrew that allowed the cork to be pulled out effortlessly. He also owns the invention of the lever-type corkscrew. The world's largest corkscrew weighs 350 kilograms. It was collected by Rob Higgs. The design allows you to uncork the bottle and pour the wine into a glass. It took 3 years to make it.
Currently, there are 350 kinds of wine bottle openers. The corkscrew has become a collector's item. Rare specimens are bought at auctions for several thousand dollars. The largest museum of corkscrews is located in the French city of Rouen. His collection includes 15 thousand copies. Professional sommeliers use a special knife to open bottles. It was invented by Carl Weinke in 1883.
Production of caps
In the 19th century, the industrial production of corks began. Currently, the main material for them is cork tree bark. This evergreen tree began to be specially grown in many countries with a hot climate. Its bark is very elastic and does not let liquids through. At the same time, it is easily separated from the tree. The thick bark of twenty-five-year-old trees is used to make corks.
After the first cut, the bark from the oak is removed once every ten years. The removed bark is dried for 5 months. Then it is transported to the factory, where it is boiled in purified water. Next, the bark is rolled into flat sheets and cut into blanks. Corks are cut out of them using a special machine. Finished products are carefully polished and waxed. Then they put the manufacturer's logo on them. Also on the cork indicate the year of release of the wine. The information on the bottle label must match the information on the cork. At all stages of production, all cork raw materials are carefully sorted. Rubber, plastic, glass and metal are also used to make corks.
How to get the cork out of a bottle without a corkscrew?
Often there is a situation when you need to open a bottle of wine, but there is no corkscrew at hand. How to take a cork out of a bottle? There are several ways to solve the problem.
In the beginning, you need to free the neck of the bottle from polyethylene. The first method is the safest of all. For it you will need pliers and a self-tapping screw. The greater the distance between the turns of the screw, the better. Procedure: screw a self-tapping screw into the cork, leaving a protrusion of a couple of centimeters on the surface. Pull it out along with the cork with pliers, a nail puller or a fork.
You can also pull out the self-tapping screw by grabbing it with two pencils. If a suitable self-tapping screw is not available, a series of short nails can be hammered into the cork.
Pushing the cork
How to get the cork out of the bottle? The next way is to push the cork inside the bottle. The cork is pierced with a sharp object. This reduces the pressure in the container. After the bottle is placed on a horizontal surface. Then the cork is pushed into the bottle with a finger or any object with a blunt cylindrical end. You can rest the object against the wall and put pressure on itneck. When using this method, some of the wine will spill, so you should stock up on napkins. If the cork has crumbled, it is necessary to pour the wine into another vessel using gauze or a strainer.
Pump and other methods
How to get the cork out of the bottle? For the third method, you need a pump. The tube is pierced. A pump hose is inserted into the hole and air is pumped into the bottle. Under pressure, the cork will come out of the bottle. This principle is used in pump-type corkscrews. The container must be wrapped in a towel. It can burst due to strong pressure. How else to get the cork out of the bottle?
The vessel can be opened with a key or a serrated knife. To do this, insert the tool into the cork at an angle of 45 degrees and pull it out by scrolling and pulling it towards you.
How to get the cork out of a bottle of wine? For the next method, you will need a towel. The bottle is wrapped in it and the bottom is tapped on the wall. With a strong blow, the cork will jump out of the bottle abruptly and the wine will spill. You can place a book between the wall and the bottle so that the container does not break.
If you don't have a towel handy, you can use a hard-soled boot. A bottle is inserted upside down into it and tapped with a heel on the wall. In nature, you can use a tree or a suitable board.
The cork is knocked out with a plastic bottle filled with water. How to get the cork out of a bottle of vodka? For the next method, you will need two paper clips and a pencil. The paper clips are straightened and inserted between the cork and the neck. Then their upper ends are fastened together and the cork is pulled out using a pencil.
How to get a plastic cork out of a bottle? A hole is drilled in the cork. A cord with a knot at the end is inserted into it. The cork is pulled out of the bottle. The next method is to screw a suitable hook into the cork. For example, cycling. You can make it from wire. A rope is tied to it, for which the cork is pulled out.
How to get the cork out of an empty bottle? The last way is to heat the neck of the bottle. The cork will gradually rise up and pop out of it.
Safety measures
How to get a broken cork out of a bottle? You can break the bottle in the pan by wrapping it in a towel. All fragments should remain in the towel. When using the above methods, safety precautions must be observed. A broken bottle can cause serious injury. All tools and objects used must be clean. Don't try to open the bottle with your teeth.
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