Well, what friendly gatherings are complete without a bottle or two of wine. Now imagine that there is no corkscrew in the house. And if men carry with them a folding knife with this device on it, then such a device is a rarity in a lady’s handbag. So that a meeting with girlfriends or friends is not overshadowed, we will tell you all the ways to open wine without a corkscrew using a variety of available means.
All the ways to open wine without a corkscrew:
- Heat the bottle in boiling water
- Heat the bottle with a lighter
- Knock out the cork
- Open a bottle of wine with a screw
- Open a bottle of wine with a knife
- Push the plug with your finger
- Push out the plug with a syringe filled with water.
- Seal the cork with two paper clips
- Blow out with a bicycle pump
- Use water hammer force
- Remove the cork with nails and a hammer
- Pull the plug with a string
- Open a bottle with a drill
- Knock out the cork with a plastic bottle
- Cut off the neck with a sharp object
- How to open wine in a clay bottle
Heat the bottle in boiling water
If the wine is not from the refrigerator, a fairly simple and quick way to open the bottle without a corkscrew is to immerse it up to the neck in a pan of water and start boiling. There is air inside the bottle, which expands when heated and pushes the cork up. Fill a deep saucepan with water, place a folded towel on the bottom, place the wine and heat gradually. When the water is hot enough, the cork will begin to come out of the bottle.
pros
The clear advantage of the method is the gradual expansion of air and the release of the plug slowly, millimeter by millimeter at a time. You can see how much is left and how the process is going. There will be no sudden opening or pouring of wine; the bottle can be held vertically.
Minuses
Not available in nature or other places, the method is only suitable for home use and for wine at room temperature. If the bottle is too cold, the glass may crack.
Advice!
The method is suitable for opening a bottle with a plastic cap tightly seated in the neck.
What to do with…
Corks made from different materials are opened in different ways. The methods described above are suitable for dry-pressed corks. Plastic and rubber ones open differently.
Plastic stopper
The plastic plugs are additionally closed with wire. To open the plug, it must be unscrewed slowly. If the wine is sparkling, the plug will move on its own. It must be held from above so that it does not fly out.
If the cork does not move on its own, it is easy to remove it by slightly loosening it with your fingers. In addition, the plastic on its surface is corrugated. It is made this way to prevent hands from slipping and to simplify opening.
Rubber stopper
The rubber stopper can be removed using the heating method. This can be done with hot water or a lighter. But you can’t pour boiling water on the rubber stopper itself, because by changing the shape, it can get even deeper. It will be more difficult to remove it.
Heat the bottle with a lighter
For smokers, there is an easy way to uncork wine in a couple of minutes - heat the neck with a lighter. Bring the fire around the glass in a circle, constantly turning the bottle until the cork begins to gradually pull out. Watch the moment when it comes out almost completely and remove it manually. Before heating, remove the film with markings from the neck.
pros
A safe and fairly fast way. The fire of a lighter will not crack the glass, the main thing is to heat the junction of the neck and the bottle.
Minuses
During the process, the glass becomes very hot; hold the bottle through a towel.
Advice!
To open wine faster, turn the lighter on full power.
Syringe
Peculiarities. If you don’t have a corkscrew, you can open the wine using an “injection.” You will need a syringe with a thick and long needle. An undeniable advantage is that the cork does not crumble.
Procedure
- Carefully insert the needle into the plug.
- Pump air into the container. When the pressure in it rises, the plug will fly out.
- Don't overdo it, as the bottle may burst.
If you have a pump, then that will come in handy. Same operating principle. Only instead of a syringe we put an inflation device on the needle. A plug that fits very tightly will not come out this way.
Knock out the cork
A proven way to open wine without a corkscrew for a girl is to knock out the cork. You need to use a little physical force and hit the bottom very carefully so as not to break it. Wrap the bottle with thick cloth up to the middle and hold it firmly in your hand, hold the neck with your other hand and hold the cork with your finger.
Carefully, half-heartedly begin to tap the bottom of the bottle on the ground, table or other hard surface. The air pressure will cause the plug to gradually come out.
pros
The method takes 1-2 minutes, is suitable for a female company and does not require physical strength. The most accessible life hack for opening a bottle of wine in nature.
Minuses
If you hit too hard, you may break the bottle. It is necessary to monitor the movement of the cork so that the wine does not spill out with sudden movement.
Advice!
When knocking, hold the plug with your thumb.
Adviсe
Below are tips to help you solve unusual wine opening problems.
Is it worth breaking off the neck of a bottle?
The neck can be cut off only in rare cases when there is no more humane method. Inexperienced people can break the bottle into pieces or knock off the neck so that small fragments fall into the alcohol. When using a saber, you need to be confident not only in its sharpness, but also in the correct application of technology.
How to open a bottle of wine if the cork is stuck
Everything will depend on the position of the plug:
- The plug is pressed in. If the cork is pressed inside the bottle, but is still holding tightly, use a self-tapping screw and pliers, unless, of course, you don’t have a corkscrew. You don't need to use much force to screw in the screw.
- The plug is stuck tightly. Sometimes a wine may be sold with a minor design defect, such as a bottle of non-standard sizes. Do not screw in thick objects under any circumstances, as the neck may fail and crack. The best item would be a small knife. Drive it all the way into the cork to release excess pressure in the bottle. Using the same object, try to turn the plug and try to pull it out. If the knife doesn't help, then try pressing the cork into the bottle.
- The cork broke. There are times when part of the cork comes off, and some part of it remains in the neck. In this situation, we use steel wire or paper clips. We create a hook, drive it between the glass and the cork, turn it to the middle and push it out.
If none of the methods help, then take radical measures - cut off the neck, using all possible safety precautions.
How to open a bottle of wine if the corkscrew is stuck in the cork
When the corkscrew is in the cork, it means there is already a lot of pressure in the neck. First, let out the air using a thin knife. Then we try to unclog the blockage and pull it out. If that doesn't work, then use paper clips as a hook. Push them into the side of the cork and try to pull it out. When screwing in a second corkscrew or an object of the same size, it is likely that the neck will not withstand the pressure and will crack.
All methods using thin and sharp objects are suitable for the solution, but if none of them turned out to be effective, then try inserting another corkscrew or self-tapping screw. To do this, it is recommended to place the bottle close to a horizontal position so that large fragments do not fall into the wine.
How to close an open bottle of wine
A bottle of wine does not always spill to the bottom, so let’s look at the most popular ways to close wine:
- Own traffic jam. The standard cork is 6 mm larger than the neck, so bottles are sealed at factories with special mechanisms. However, it is possible to close the bottle yourself with your own cork. If you have enough strength, then turn it over and try to insert it into the neck. You can also reduce the bark plug using a knife. Cut the material little by little and evenly, as the diamond shape will lead to gaps and the wine will interact with oxygen, thereby oxidizing.
- Special plugs. There are a large number of bottle caps sold in stores. They have different mechanisms, so their prices vary.
- Decanter. Any container with a stopper will do. In everyday life, glass or clay decanters with the same lids are more often used, but use them on the condition that the wine will not be stored in them for a long time.
- Gag. For long-term storage of wine, use a gag. It is made from polyethylene, paper or fabric. The last option is the most suitable, since it tightly holds alcohol and vapors. Cellophane can change the smell in the bottle, and the paper will simply dry out.
Store wine in a cool place, away from direct sunlight.
Open a bottle of wine with a screw
If you have a long enough screw and pliers on hand, you can use them to make an improvised corkscrew and easily open the wine. Place the screw in the center of the plug and carefully screw it in with pliers, leaving 1 centimeter. Grab the remaining top of the screw with pliers and pull sharply.
pros
A fairly easy way to open a bottle of wine without a corkscrew. It does not require much physical strength and is accessible to girls. Instead of using pliers, you can use two pencils or sushi chopsticks to grab the screw and screw it into the cork.
Minuses
You need to find a long and thin screw. A short and thick one will crumble the cork and you will have to remove the remains.
Advice!
Instead of a screw, a bolt bracket or self-tapping screw will do.
Open a bottle of wine with a screw
Types of corkscrew and how to use it
There are a large number of corkscrews, they all differ in the technology for removing wine corks and in cost. Let's take a closer look at them.
How to open wine using a classic corkscrew design
The classic corkscrew is most common among the average family. It consists of a horizontal holder and a vertical spiral. To open the bottle, press the end of the spiral onto the cork and twist clockwise. Then, using the holder, pull the corkscrew towards you. The advantages include simplicity of design and low cost. But there is also a drawback: when pulling the cork, you can miscalculate the force and spill the wine.
Wine corkscrew "butterfly"
The design resembles a butterfly spreading its wings. There is a screw in the center, and two levers on the sides. To open the bottle, with one hand we guide the spiral in the center of the cork and press, with the other hand we begin to tighten the screw to the base. As you screw in, the levers on the sides will begin to rise. When they reach a horizontal position, place the bottle level and simultaneously press the levers with both hands.
The disadvantage of such a corkscrew is that it is not able to capture plugs located deep in the neck.
Sommelier knife
This device is used by almost every professional bartender because it is simple in design and convenient for opening wine. A sommelier knife is a handle with a small blade, a spiral and a supporting part. There are two types of sommelier knife:
- Single stage. The design of the knife includes one notch in the supporting part.
- Two-stage. The corkscrew is equipped with a support part with two notches.
The two-stage design is more practical, since with its help you can open bottles with old, fragile corks and at great depths.
The process of opening wine with a sommelier's knife is as follows:
- Using a blade, carefully cut off the foil and the top of the package at the neck;
- screw the spiral exactly vertically to the end of the base of the plug;
- We rest the first stage of the supporting part against the neck and press on the base of the corkscrew;
- after the plug is halfway out, we intercept the step of the supporting part and completely pull out the blockage.
The technology allows you to open wine without unnecessary noise or sudden movements, so it is almost impossible to spill it.
Screw corkscrew
The design resembles a “butterfly”, but the process is slightly different. Place the spiral in the center and screw it clockwise to the end of the base of the plug. Then we make reverse movements and open the bottle. The advantage of a corkscrew is its ease of use, so even a fragile girl can open wine without effort.
Pneumatic corkscrew (pump action)
In Russia, this type of corkscrew is not always seen because it is expensive. It looks like a syringe with a needle. To open the wine, insert the rod into the cork so that it comes right through. Then we pump up the air ourselves or using a button. The essence of the process is to introduce oxygen into the bottle, which, under pressure, pushes the cork out. There are models with manual or electric pumping.
Gypsy Corkscrew ("The Butler's Friend")
The design of the gypsy corkscrew is considered one of the simplest. From the handle there are two directly proportional knives, the distance between them is on average 18–22 mm. To open the wine, we insert both ends between the cork and the bottle and wiggle our way deep into the neck. After you have completely lowered the blades, use circular movements and force yourself to pull out the cork.
The process of removing the cork is not the easiest, so male strength is needed here. The advantage of a gypsy corkscrew is the integrity of the cork after opening. This design is also relevant when opening old bottles with fragile corks.
Electric corkscrew
A modern corkscrew with a closed, complex design. With its help you will open a bottle of wine without any effort. Inside there is a battery and an automatic pump mechanism. Depending on the cost and manufacturer, an electric corkscrew may have various indicators and additional functions.
To remove the top layer of foil, place a corkscrew on the top of the neck and press and rotate it 90 degrees. Then we place the mechanism exactly vertically in the center of the cork and press the corresponding button. Each corkscrew may have a different indication, but generally the cork grab button is indicated by a down symbol. After completing the intake, press the opposite button up and the mechanism will automatically push the blockage out. The disadvantages include a large number of low-quality fakes on the market.
Open a bottle of wine with a knife
Another simple way to open it outdoors or at home; you always have a knife at hand. You will need a narrow, pointed knife and a little effort. Place the bottle vertically and use a blade to make a cut in the middle of the cork. Using gradual pressure, insert the knife all the way until the tip appears at the bottom. Carefully turn the plug slowly in a circle, while pulling up and to the side.
pros
The method is simple and convenient, you don’t need to have a lot of strength, just a sharp sharpened knife.
Minuses
You need to find a knife with a thin and narrow blade that will fit into the neck of the bottle. You can easily break the cork into two parts and crumble it, then you will need to make an effort to get the particles out and open the bottle.
Advice!
Choose a knife with a blade width smaller than the cork to avoid breaking it in half.
Open a bottle of wine with a knife
History of creation
The appearance of the corkscrew is directly related to the development of the tradition of sealing bottles with a cork stopper. For many centuries, wine was stored in barrels and served immediately in jugs. The necks of the vessels were plugged with rags or covered with clay and resin. The custom of using cork tree bark only became established in the 18th century, along with the development of the wine trade, when it was necessary to transport large volumes of wine so that the drink did not spoil along the way.
The first corkscrew was patented in 1795 by the English priest Samuel Hanshall, but the “steel worm” was used as early as the 17th century. This most elementary design is created in the image of a gunpowder - a tool for removing a projectile from the muzzle of a failed gunpowder weapon.
General tips:
- Before removing the cork, cut the foil off the neck of the bottle. Sommelier knives have a special blade for this; a regular kitchen knife, scissors, or even a nail file will also work.
- Check how sharp the screw is. The corkscrew should easily penetrate the cork and not crumble or tear the material. It is best if the working part of the corkscrew is made of stainless steel and well polished - then less physical effort will be required, the blade will slide easily in the material and the cork will easily come out of the neck.
- Always set the point perpendicular to the surface: if the spiral enters crookedly, it will only damage the cork, but will not pull it out.
- Finally, do not press the corkscrew too hard, otherwise the bottle will burst.
Push the plug with your finger
Definitely the most difficult way. You need to take the bottle, press it firmly with one hand to the floor or other hard, stable surface and press the cork with your finger. Under air pressure it will begin to slide down and end up inside.
pros
There is one obvious advantage in this method - no improvised means are needed.
Minuses
You need to have remarkable strength in your hands to press the cork and push it inside a full bottle of wine. And if you are a girl, a manicure will prevent you from opening wine without a corkscrew; it will be very difficult to do it with your finger.
Advice!
Instead of a finger, it is more convenient to use a strong object with a diameter slightly smaller than the neck of a bottle - for example, a tube of lipstick or mascara.
Push the plug with your finger
Pull out the cork by crumbling it
Without a bottle opener, you can open the bottle by crumbling the cork. Just take any object that looks sharp and poke at it until it starts to crumble and fall into the bottle. But in this case, you will have to try a drink with additional content - with crumbs, which is not very pleasant. If you want to open a bottle of champagne when the cork has broken or crumbled, then there is a way out - pour the wine through a strainer (gauze) or make a large enough hole and pour the contents through it.
Push out the plug with a syringe filled with water.
Labor-intensive method. Fill a clean syringe with water and start pricking the plug with liquid in several places. As soon as all the voids inside are filled, the bottle will open under water pressure.
pros
Safe - no need to knock, heat or perform other actions that could break the wine bottle.
Minuses
You must have a new syringe and water with you; no one carries such things with them on purpose.
Advice!
Insert the needle as deeply as possible so that the liquid under pressure pushes the plug up faster.
Push out the plug with a syringe filled with water.
Methods for opening champagne
While some people may not be able to cope with a wine cork, others may find it difficult to uncork a bottle of champagne. It would seem that this is not a big deal, but it is still worth learning the basics of proper opening, so that the treasured milliliters of sparkling wine do not fly out along with the clogging product.
The basic rules are as follows:
- The bottle of champagne must be placed in the refrigerator and cooled. This reduces the pressure and the amount of carbon dioxide in it. The standard pressure in a bottle of champagne is 6 atm, after cooling it decreases slightly.
- A container with sparkling wine should not be shaken or turned over, so as not to lose the valuable drink when opening, and also to avoid the cork “shooting”. It should be wrapped in a rag to prevent it from slipping out of your hands when uncorking. How to open a bottle of champagne This can happen due to the difference in temperature between the champagne and the room inside, causing drops of condensation to appear on it.
- The bottom of the bottle must be rested against a hard surface at an angle of 45⁰, having first freed the neck from the foil and wire clamp. Holding the cap firmly and adjusting its release, rotate the bottle with the other hand until it “pops.” A quiet opening with a “smoke” following indicates the correct process of uncorking a container of champagne.
It should be borne in mind that in the process of opening champagne, the speed of the cork “departure” can reach 40-50 km/h, and the pressure in the bottle is equal to the air pressure in a passenger car tire. For the safety of others, you should not overheat the container with sparkling wine, and during the joyful moment of uncorking, do not point the neck of the bottle you are opening at glass objects, mirrors, chandeliers, other people or valuable objects.
Seal the cork with two paper clips
If you are going to celebrate at the office, there is an easy way to uncork a bottle of wine in a few minutes. Take two metal paper clips and bend them to create wires with one curved edge. Carefully push each one down between the side of the neck and the stopper, then turn it around so that the folded edges rest against the bottom.
Leave about 2 cm at the top and twist it into something like a bridge. Hold the bottle with one hand, insert a spoon under the metal cord with the other and sharply pull out the cap.
pros
The method is convenient for those who want to drink wine at work, where they always have a couple of paper clips at hand.
Minuses
You need to make an effort, since pulling the metal handle with a spoon is inconvenient.
Advice!
Choose large paper clips so that when unbent their length is at least 7-8 centimeters.
Seal the cork with two paper clips
How to open corks depending on the material
There are more than five types of corks used to seal wine. They all differ in tightness and durability. Let's look at several of the most common types of corks and how to remove them from a bottle.
Wooden plugs
The classic version of wine stoppers is made from oak bark. The advantages include the absence of chemical elements in the composition and aesthetic appearance. However, there are also disadvantages. The wooden cork dries out in a vertical position and oxygen begins to leak into the bottle. There is also a substance in oak bark that can give a musty smell. Corks made from pure tree bark are often not intended for long-term storage, so they can rarely be found in stores.
Plastic stoppers
They are more often used in cheap products that do not stand out for good aging and natural fermentation. There aren't as many of them now as there used to be, but they're hard to get out of the bottle. The plastic stopper tightly closes the neck from oxygen, but this is not always good, since good wine must be enriched with air in small doses.
How to open wine in a clay bottle
Wine in a clay bottle is often sealed with a bark stopper. The bottle itself is not very strong, so when using a classic corkscrew, the neck may break off. In this case, the best option would be to use a gypsy corkscrew, as it will not create much pressure between the neck and the cork. The sommelier's knife will be the most irrelevant, since when opening it will rely on the bottle itself.
Blow out with a bicycle pump
Definitely a spectacular way to open a bottle of wine without a corkscrew on the street while cycling. You will need a pump with a needle-shaped nozzle, which must be inserted into the plug in the center. Then carefully pump air into the bottle, 1-2 strokes are enough to open the wine.
pros
The method does not require effort, suitable for girls without physical strength.
Minuses
If you pump too much air into the bottle, the glass may crack in your hands.
Advice!
Wrap the bottle in a thick cloth so that if it cracks, you won't get cut by the shards.
Corkscrews
The first corkscrews were drills, which were used to pull stuck bullets out of weapons when they misfired. The corkscrew was invented in England by an unknown gunsmith. It was originally used to open apothecary bottles and perfume bottles. The first models had a special brush for brushing away crumbs of cork and wax.
In 1802, Edward Thomason received a patent for the manufacture of double-action corkscrews. Napoleon Bonaparte introduced a corkscrew as a mandatory item of equipment for French soldiers. In 1894, dentist William Robert Maud developed a device with a central part in the shape of a molar. This tool did not destroy the cork when opening the bottle. The new instrument began to be sold in pharmacies along with bottles of medicine.
In 1979, Herbert Allen created a Teflon-coated corkscrew that allowed the cork to be pulled out effortlessly. He also invented the lever-type corkscrew. The world's largest corkscrew weighs 350 kilograms. It was put together by Rob Higgs. The design allows you to uncork the bottle and pour wine into a glass. It took 3 years to make it.
There are currently 350 types of wine bottle openers. The corkscrew has become a collector's item. Rare specimens are sold at auctions for several thousand dollars. The largest corkscrew museum is located in the French city of Rouen. His collection numbers 15 thousand copies. Professional sommeliers use a special knife to open bottles. It was invented by Karl Weinke in 1883.
Use water hammer force
Let's not delve into the school physics course; this method of opening wine without a corkscrew has been proven. You need to wrap the bottom of the bottle in a towel or other thick fabric and tap it on a wall or wood if you are outdoors. The liquid will create pressure on the air, and the plug will begin to come out little by little. When half is left, open the wine with your hands.
pros
Convenient and simple way. It does not require any force; even a fragile girl can uncork the bottle.
Minuses
You need to carefully monitor the degree of release of the cork so that it does not pop out suddenly and the wine spills out. At night in your apartment, knocking on the wall may not please your neighbors.
Advice!
Instead of a towel, you can take a boot with a thick sole or sneakers.
Open using the horsemen's methods
If you have sparkling wine, you skillfully wield a saber and, most importantly, you have one, then the horsemen’s method will come to your aid:
- Chill the bottle.
- Remove all excess from it - foil, wire.
- Take the bottle in your left hand, and with your right hand, sharply cut off the edge with a saber.
Observe safety precautions when using this opening method:
- Move away from other people.
- Check to see if you have a sharp weapon.
- Do not use this method on wine that does not have gas. Drinking a still drink opened in this way can be life-threatening, since small fragments of glass will not come out along with the fountain of contents.
Remove the cork with nails and a hammer
Take 3-4 thin and long nails and insert them deeply into the cork, leaving about 1 cm to grip. Hold the bottle tightly between your knees and hold the neck with one hand. Using a claw hammer, pick up the remaining parts of the nails and pull the plug up.
pros
The method replaces a regular corkscrew and is completely safe - the bottle will not burst and you do not need to make any effort to open the wine.
Minuses
Girls rarely have improvised means in the form of nails and a hammer; this method is more suitable for men. The nails must be placed strictly on the same line, otherwise it will not be possible to grab them all together.
Advice!
If you don't have a special hammer, use a fork made of durable metal instead.
Remove the cork with nails and a hammer
The most unusual ways to open a bottle
If you have tried everything and even got a lighter with a saber, but still haven’t decided to use them, then it’s time to move on to non-standard methods:
- Reach out to your neighbors. Just like in the good old days, knock on the next door and ask for a corkscrew. The advantage of this method is meeting people with whom you have lived for several years on the same staircase and the opportunity to finally open wine.
- Wrap the bottle in any clean rag, place it in a basin and hit it harder with a hammer. Then you just need to pour the wine into another container and get rid of the fragments.
Pull the plug with a string
A proven life hack on how to open wine without a corkscrew in a couple of minutes. Take a strong rope and tie a fairly large knot at the end. Using an awl or knitting needle, make a narrow through hole in the center of the cork and push the rope inside so that the knot is at the bottom and rests against the cork; it should be large enough, wider than the hole. Hold the bottle with one hand, pull sharply with the other and the cork will fly out.
pros
The method does not require any effort and is safe, since there is no risk of breaking the bottle.
Minuses
You need to spend time carefully pushing the knotted rope through the cork and into the bottle. If you do it quickly, the cork may crumble and then you will have to use other methods.
Advice!
The knot should be wide, not long, so that it rests on the bottom of the cork and prevents the rope from being pulled out through the hole.
Pull the plug with a string
Reviews from those who used the methods
Oleg
It's easy to squeeze with your thumb, using just your thumb for support, unless it's hiking conditions and less than +5 where the arms are curled. Then branches and pencils come to the rescue. The most important thing is to use them. Another problem with squeezing is that when you tilt the bottle, the cork clogs the neck.
Dasha
Ask a Question
One day, my friend and I, walking down the street, opened wine by pressing the cork with the heel of a woman’s shoe, and the force was exerted directly by the woman’s foot. This is suitable for the tightest traffic jams.
Vladislav
Yesterday I tried to open a bottle of wine. It turned out that the cork was not made of ordinary cork material. At first I tried to push the plug inside, but it wouldn't budge. We took a screwdriver, it easily stuck into the cork, as if it were smooth and without threads, it did not catch on the cork and did not allow us to pull it out. We decided to try again to push the cap inside the bottle, and, lo and behold, it went in easily. But a problem arose that when the bottle was tilted, the cork periodically made it difficult to pour the drink into glasses.
Open a bottle with a drill
If you know how to deftly use a drill, you can easily open wine without a corkscrew using this life hack. Select a narrow long drill and install it into the device. Then hold the bottle securely between your knees or hold it with your hand on the table, take a drill and drill the cork halfway. Then sharply pull the drill so that the plug comes out along with the drill.
pros
The fastest method of all described is that it only takes 1 minute to turn on the drill, drill the cork and open the wine.
Minuses
You need to have a very thin drill and excellent drill skills to avoid getting hurt and drilling into the neck of the bottle.
Advice!
Do not drill through the cork to prevent sawdust from getting into the wine.
Break off the neck
Fearless hussars opened champagne in this way - they knocked off the neck with a sharp blow of a saber. Under normal conditions this happens as follows:
- wrap the neck of the bottle with a towel so that the fragments do not fly far, and hit the neck with this neck on a hard surface (table, wall, wood);
- take the knife with the blade towards you and with the back of it, moving away from you, hit the neck of the bottle.
There are no advantages to such an opening. Complete disadvantages. The result is completely unpredictable and not very safe. To get a chance to win the fight for wine, you can first go through the neck of the bottle with a glass cutter. Only then beat back. But this is provided that instead of a corkscrew you accidentally grabbed a glass cutter.
Knock out the cork with a plastic bottle
This simple method is especially useful on a picnic. Take a full 0.5-1 liter plastic bottle of water, beer or other drink. Hold the wine with your knees, neck down, and begin to lightly tap on the bottom. Watch the movement of the cork; when it comes out halfway, pull it out with your hand.
pros
An affordable and simple way to open wine, any bottle of liquid you have on hand is suitable.
Minuses
You need to very carefully monitor the degree of opening of the cork; if you miss the moment when it comes out halfway, the next blow will cause the wine to spill out.
Advice!
If you don’t have a bottle at hand, use a log or other fairly heavy object wrapped in thick cloth.
Methods for girls
Ladies' methods of opening wine do not require special strength or skills in using household or improvised tools; even the smallest and most fragile girl can handle them:
- Push the plug using “feminine things” - eyebrow plucking tweezers, lipstick or mascara, eyeliner brush.
- Hook it up with hairpins or bobby pins.
- Turn on the water in the sink, place the bottle's neck under a strong pressure of hot water, wait until the stopper goes in deeper, close the tap, push the stopper in with your finger or a pen - it will go in easily.
- For lovers of fiction - lean the first volume of "War and Peace" against the wall over its entire area, creating a layer between the wall and the bottom of the wine bottle, tap the bottle on the book - the cork will slowly move and crawl out. This method is best suited for containers with a concave bottom.
Cut off the neck with a sharp object
The “Hussar” method of opening a bottle of wine without a corkscrew looks impressive in the movies; in real life, it can be repeated only if you know how to strike quickly and accurately.
Determine the weak point on the bottle: where the side seam on the glass connects to the neck. With one hand, hold the wine firmly at an angle so that the wine does not spill out during the blow, then use the blunt side of the knife blade to knock off the neck with a sharp movement.
pros
Effective - such a video will definitely appeal to friends and subscribers on social networks.
Minuses
A very dangerous method; if you hit it carelessly, you can break the bottle and cut yourself with fragments.
Advice!
If the glass crumbles and gets inside, drinking wine is strictly prohibited!
Open with a knife
This is a dangerous method of opening, real men can use it. Women should not resort to this option. You need to take a knife with a thin blade, stick it into the cork at an angle of 45 degrees and start turning the knife. After the blade enters deeply into the cork, you should sharply pull it out along with the knife.
Before you handle the knife, you should protect the hand holding the bottle. It needs to be rewound with a kitchen towel or handkerchief. This is done so as not to injure your hand. After this method, pieces of the broken cork may remain in the bottle, but when pouring into glasses they can be easily removed from there.
This method is perfect for nature if you went on a picnic and forgot the corkscrew at home. This method is also used at home, when during a feast it turns out that there is no corkscrew, and expensive wine requires tasting.
How to open wine in a clay bottle
Elite wines are often sold in clay bottles. The difficulty of opening lies in the fragility of the vessel. All the methods described above on how to open wine without a corkscrew are not suitable: the clay will not withstand tapping and blows. To uncork a bottle, use only those methods listed in the article where you need to influence the cork:
- open a bottle of wine with a screw;
- pull out the plug with a cord;
- remove the cork with nails and a hammer;
- push out the plug with a syringe filled with water;
- open the bottle with a drill;
- pick up the cork with two paper clips;
- push the cork with your finger or other handy object;
- uncork a bottle of wine with a knife.
We hope that our tips on how to open a bottle of wine without a corkscrew will be useful to you and that your holiday with friends will not be spoiled by the absence of this device!
Dangerous methods that are best avoided
Due to the variety of advice, some of them are dangerous to health, so it is unwise to use them:
- The horse riding method, which involves striking the neck with a knife, a cleaver, not to mention a pistol, is suitable for those who know how to handle these objects, but in no case for civilians, especially women.
- The pan option, in which the bottle is “boiled,” is effective, but leads to a deterioration in the taste of the drink, and also loses its usefulness (if the wine is good).
- Drilling is an extreme method, and you need to be a real virtuoso to get into the wine accurately. Unless you spend 2-3 hours a day practicing opening bottles with a construction tool, it's not worth even trying.
Any manipulation of nails and screws should be done with extreme caution, making sure you have a firm grip on the hardware with pliers before pulling the wood towards you. The tool has metal jaws, so if they slip, the glass could be damaged and you could be seriously injured.
Even if you know how to open wine without a corkscrew at home, before you tempt fate and use extreme methods, try to find the most harmless tool or device, otherwise your holiday may end before it even begins. After all, no one should have to pay for the pleasure of damage and injury.
Opening wine this way is dangerous! I advise you not to take these methods into account at all and it is better to choose another drink that does not require a bottle opener. In case you choose another drink, I want to tell you the difference between whiskey and scotch.
There are ways to open bottles of wine without a corkscrew that are not very safe for an inexperienced person.
We take out the wine cap with improvised objects
Plenty of handy tools can help you remove a wine cork safely. For example, Louboutins will help a girl open wine. Place the heel on the plug and press down.
Open with paper clips
At home, it is convenient to open “aristocratic drinks” with large paper clips:
- Align the paper clips to create 2 hooks.
- Insert them into the container parallel to each other.
- Turn the hooks inward and hook the plug.
- Twist the wires sticking out together to form a handle.
- Insert a fork into it.
- Pull up and remove the plug.
The method is effective, but labor-intensive. The downside is the risk of injury. Scratches on the hands appear when the hooks are pushed into the container.
With a lace
In an emergency, a leather cord with a knot tied at the edge and a sharp object, such as an awl or screwdriver, will help you get the cork out of the bottle in an emergency. Make a hole in the center of the plug with an awl, insert a knot, and pull it out along with the plug. The disadvantage of this method is the appearance of dust that gets into the champagne or wine.
With a knife or apartment keys
Opening wine with a small knife is not difficult, because the procedure damages the integrity of the cork.
Use something with a thin but strong blade
Insert it approximately to the middle of the plug, twist it 7 times. The method will make the evening flawless, because it is absolutely safe and does not provoke the appearance of tripe in the wine.
The same algorithm can be used when uncorking a drink with apartment keys (provided that they are pointed at the end). Scroll the object and slowly pull it up.
Material on topic! How to open a threaded jar lid with a knife
Drill
You can open a bottle of wine with a drill, armed with a tool, a screw, or pliers:
- Screw a long screw into a wooden or rubber plug using a drill at low speed, but not all the way.
- Grab the stuck screw from the side with pliers and pull up.
Note! Only a man can uncork a drink this way. Girls, don't even try to use it yourself!
If you don’t want to disturb your neighbors with noise, use a screwdriver instead of a drill.
Impact with increased pressure
Removing the plug by impact is the easiest and safest way, since there is no risk of injury.
To avoid breaking the bottle, tap it through your shoe.
Turn the container upside down and gently tap it with your hand (on top). Under the pressure generated inside it, the plug will come out of the neck, after which you can grab it and pull it out, turning it clockwise.
If the cork is tight and cannot be pulled out, wrap the bottle in a towel and gently tap it on the wall. Use the technique near the sink, as weak plugs may pop out completely after 1 hit.
If you do end up with a wine spill, learn how to remove wine stains.
Syringe and water
A two-cc syringe with water will help you uncork a loose wine cap without a bottle opener. Puncture the plug and release the liquid inside. If the lid gives way, repeat the procedure and then unscrew the lid. If there are no changes after the first procedure, try another method.
Book
Opening a bottle of champagne or wine with a book increases internal pressure. The method is recommended to be carried out in the bathroom, because the algorithm requires the use of a blow.
Take the bottle by the neck, turn it upside down, and tap it with a thick book.
Lighter
Heating the neck will cause the bottle to uncork. Aim the fire of 2 lighters at the neck and hold. When half of the plug comes out, unscrew it using a rotating motion.
This is interesting!
Pump
If you have a bicycle pump handy, use a dropper needle to inject air into the bottle by piercing the bottle.
Be careful! The method is suitable for people who have a sense of proportion. A well-sealed bottle can crack due to too much pressure in it.
Paper clip and wire
You can get to the drink using paper clips or wire. For example, we take a piece of wire, make a hook at the end, and then push it between the cork and the glass neck. As soon as the wire has passed, we hook the plug and pull it to the exit.
The second way is to pull it out with two paper clips. If paper clips are found, they need to be unbent and pushed into the bottle on both sides of the cork at an angle of 90 degrees until the hooks are under the cork. Connect the upper ends of the paper clip together, insert a fork or ballpoint pen through them and pull up. If you don’t have an object at hand that needs to be pulled through the connected paper clips, then you should stick your finger through. This is an absolutely safe way.
This opening option is suitable for those who are late at work on holidays. In any office there is always a paperclip or wire that will come in handy at such a moment.
