Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Alternatives To A Corkscrew

In the middle of a splendid evening with friends and loved ones, someone suggests opening a bottle of wine, but there's no corkscrew. Some people have certain techniques or tricks they have picked up, yet there is always the risk of failure and an unopened bottle of wine. However, there are ways to uncork wine without the use of a corkscrew.


Screw and Pliers


One of the quick fixes for an unlucky evening without a corkscrew is with materials lying around in a drawer or garage. Insert a screw into the cork until it has a firm grip, then use a pair of pliers to pull out the cork. If you don't have pliers, the claw-side of a hammer could be used. A downside to this method is that the screw may just tear through the cork as you try to pull it out.


Push Method








Use a screwdriver, knife or any other similarly shaped object to simply push the cork all the way into the bottom. This will leave the cork floating in the wine. Tilt the bottle and make sure the cork is out of the way and you will be able to pour out the wine into your glasses. This method will leave you unable to re-cork the bottle, but if you plan on drinking the whole bottle, it shouldn't be a real concern.


Build Pressure








A slightly dangerous method consists of hold the bottle horizontal and hitting the bottom against a hard object. Repeating this action slowly builds up pressure in the bottle and forces the cork out. Once the cork is three-quarters of the way out, it can be fully removed with your hands or pliers. While this method can be successful, there is the risk of breaking the bottle or having the cork shoot out if too much force is applied.

Tags: bottle wine, this method, will leave, without corkscrew