Tips for opening champagne bottles safely
Posted Dec 16, 2011 08:56:29 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Drinking this time of year can be dangerous, in terms of eye injuries.
The American Academy of Ophthalmology said the incorrect popping of champagne corks is one of the most common holiday-related eye hazards.
A cork can fly up to 80 kilometres an hour as it leaves the bottle, generating a force powerful enough to shatter glass.
Below are some tips for opening bottles safely (courtesy of American Academy of Ophthalmology):
- Ensure champagne or sparkling wine is chilled to at least 7 C (45 F) before opening
- Don’t shake the bottle
- To open the bottle safely, hold down the cork with the palm of your hand while removing the wire hood
- Point the bottle at a 45-degree angle away from yourself and from any bystanders
- Place a towel over the entire top of the bottle and grasp the cork
- Keep the bottle at a 45-degree angle as you slowly and firmly twist the bottle while holding the cork to break the seal — continue to hold the cork while twisting the bottle and continue until the cork is almost out of the neck
- Counter the force of the cork using slight downward pressure just as the cork breaks free from the bottle
- Don’t use a corkscrew to open a bottle of champagne or sparkling wine
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