I just received my shipment of Flanders Fred from the Rare Beer Club and both corks look like this: Is this cause for concern? Should I call and ask them to swap the bottles out or should these be okay? I do plan on drinking one soon but cellaring the others. Thanks for any input.
Is that dried up leakage under the lip of the bottle? If not, I wouldn't worry about it. If it really bothers you, just push the cork back down on the one you're going to age, tighten the cage if it'll help, and wrap it with a high quality electrical tape. Some people say it doesn't help with freshness or keeping in carbonation, but I've heard a pretty strong hiss on more than one occasion while removing tape from some of my bottles.
It appears to just be reflection of the brown glass in the picture, there is no dried up leakage present at all. I was just curious as I've never received corked bottles with the cork protruding that much before. I tried pushing it down but it didn't seem to budge. I'll try when I'm at home.
If there is carbonation in the one you open. I would assume the others are the same. Do as dvelcich said and push the other corks down, tape it. Maybe check up on it every 6 months or so?
Mine were a little misshapen, but not coming out like that. I'd bet it's just from the heat we've been having. Did you open the De Molen yet? I thought it was pretty solid.
Hmm yeah. I'll open one soon to see if carbonation is an issue. If not, I'll just tape the other up good. And I skipped the De Molen and just got a few of the Flanders Fred instead. I sent the club an e-mail just as a precaution, I'll see what they say.
