Hello everyone, How does a synthetic cork in beer (specifically lambic) affect aging? I have a 2006 3F Schaerbeekse Kriek with a synthetic Cork and Cage, and it seems that in the trading market synthetic corks are looked down upon, why is that? Snobbery, or is there an actual reason why synthetic corks are worse for beer aging than the natural variety? Has anyone recently opened a synthetically corked Schaerbeekse Kriek next to a naturally corked one of similar age to compare? Any and all information on the topic would be greatly appreciated.
The synthetic corks have a poor reputation for keeping a good seal, leading to flat & oxidized beer. This is most famous for the 3F bottles in 2006-2007 (Valentines, etc). My *very* small sample size (5!) says about 80% of the bottles are sub-par at this point. Haven't had a Schaerbeekse with a plasti-cork, just Gueuzes. All 5 were drinkable, but only 1 was as good as expected.
