2018Q1SpiritedVirginia - 25

T

here are several ways to plug
a bottle of spirits-screw
cap, cork, synthetic cork, glass or
rubber stopper. We tend to think
of cork as the most authentic and
sophisticated choice, but it's not
necessarily the best way to stop a
bottle. The truth is more complex.
For starters, what is cork and
why do we use it?
Cork is the outer layer of bark
from the cork oak tree. It can be
harvested once the tree reaches
20-25 years of age, and every 9-12
years thereafter. A single tree
can be used for an average of
150 years, which makes cork an
appealing, sustainable resource.
The material itself is buoyant,
impermeable and elastic, perfect
for jamming into the top of a
bottle to keep your beverage fresh.
Most of the world's cork is grown
in North Africa and Southern
Europe.

Distilled spirits have three
formidable adversaries: light,
heat and oxygen. The first two are
easy enough to manage-simply
keep your bottles in a cool, dark
place. Oxygen is a little more
complicated. A sealed bottle will
generally last for decades without
any problem but, once opened,
oxygen seeps in and the drink
begins to evaporate. At the same
time, the taste of your drink will
start to degenerate, a process
called oxidation. The more empty
space inside a bottle, the more
quickly it oxidizes. If you're going
to finish the bottle fairly quickly,
this isn't a critical issue, but if you
store spirits for any length of time
it's something to consider.
Since classical times, cork has
been used for a wide variety of
purposes. Stopping bottles of
wine and oil, yes, but also for
insulation, flooring, footwear and

buoys. The Greeks, Romans and
Egyptians all used cork, and by the
17th century it was the primary
tool for sealing bottles.
Sure, cork has been a round for
a long time, but is it effective?
The short answer is yes. Cork is
all-natural, flexible and keeps
an airtight seal. It will reduce
oxidation and keep your drink
fresh.
However, corks aren't perfect.
They can dry out and fall apart.
They can become bloated and
hard to get back into the bottle.
They can break off, allowing bits
of cork to crumble into the drink.
Changes in air pressure and
temperature can make a cork loose
and ineffective.
The biggest risk is decay or
"taint," which occurs when the
cork becomes contaminated with
TCA (2,4,6-trichloroanisole) or
TCB (2,4,6-tribromoanisole). These

SPIRITED VIRGINIA | JANUARY | FEBRUARY | MARCH 2018 25



2018Q1SpiritedVirginia

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of 2018Q1SpiritedVirginia

2018Q1SpiritedVirginia - Cover1
2018Q1SpiritedVirginia - Cover2
2018Q1SpiritedVirginia - 1
2018Q1SpiritedVirginia - 2
2018Q1SpiritedVirginia - 3
2018Q1SpiritedVirginia - 4
2018Q1SpiritedVirginia - 5
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2018Q1SpiritedVirginia - 25
2018Q1SpiritedVirginia - 26
2018Q1SpiritedVirginia - 27
2018Q1SpiritedVirginia - 28
2018Q1SpiritedVirginia - 29
2018Q1SpiritedVirginia - 30
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2018Q1SpiritedVirginia - 64
2018Q1SpiritedVirginia - Cover3
2018Q1SpiritedVirginia - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/spirited-virginia-q1-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/SPVAQ42021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/SPVAQ32021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/SPVAQ22021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/SPVAQ12021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/SPVAQ42020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/SPVAQ32020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/SpiritedVA-Q2-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/SPVAQ12020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/SPVAQ42019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/VTCRecipeBook
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/2019Q3SpiritedVA
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/2019Q2SpiritedVA
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/2019Q1SpiritedVA
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/2018Q4SpiritedVA
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/2018Q3SpiritedVA
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/2018Q2SpiritedVA
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/2018Q1SpiritedVirginia
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/Spirited_Virginia_Q4_2017
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com