Nothing screams CELEBRATE like popping a bottle of bubbly. Especially, when the bottle is opened with a saber. Truly special occasions such as graduations, milestone birthdays, anniversary’s, and holidays, demand a little extra attention and warrant the time honored art and tradition of Sabrage. In the sabrage technique, the saber appears to slice the neck of the bottle open, separating the cork and the collar from the rest of the bottle. I say “appears” because (as we shall see) the opening is actually caused by physics and not a slice at all!
We recently had an extra special event in my family, the marriage of my daughter, so it was time to whip out the saber. The sabrage was to be executed at the wedding reception by my husband following his “father of the bride speech”. Upon lopping open the bottle he would then fill a tower of champagne glasses and we would all toast the happy couple. Sounds picture perfect doesn’t it? Ah, but only if you follow the science.
The Science
Champagne is made from a mix of grapes, typically pint meunier, pinot noir and chardonnay grapes. The grape mixture is crushed and the sugar in the juices allowed to ferment in stainless steel tanks or oak barrels for several weeks at 64-68°F. The fermentation process produces alcohol and carbon dioxide and may be represented chemically as shown below.
C6H12O6 → 2CH3CH2OH + 2CO2
The fermented grapes are now wine, (called still wine) and are combined with reserve wines to create the base wine of the champagne. The base wine is poured into a champagne bottle, mixed with yeast and sugar, and sealed. These three ingredients: alcohol , yeast, and sugar provide the reactants for a second fermentation producing more alcohol and carbon dioxide inside the bottle. The sealed champagne bottle is placed horizontally in a cool cellar (55-60°F) until it is ready for consumption.
The carbon dioxide gas, CO2, produced during this second fermentation not only provides the bubbles in the bubbly but also builds pressure inside the bottle. Typically in 5 – 6 atm of CO2 gas is dissolved in the champagne. When released all at once that’s 90 psi or 620 kPa of pressure–KABOOM! Champagne is basically a bomb waiting to go off!
All of this pressure must move through the narrow neck of the champagne bottle, which is only about 18 millimeters in diameter. So much pressure moving through such a small space creates a force of about 160 N which pushes on the neck of the bottle and the cork. This force creates stress on the glass bottle in two places. 1. At the lip of the bottle and 2. On the vertical seam running down the body of the bottle.
The glass is weakest at the point where these two stress concentrations intersect–the lip of the bottle and the top of the vertical seam. When this weak point in the bottle is hit by a saber, or by any blunt implement for that matter, the impact forms a crack which extends around the neck. The transferred momentum from the saber and the pressure inside the bottle sends the cork flying along with the top, or collar, of the glass bottle.
The Directions
Step 1 – Chill a bottle of champagne. I used an Italian and a California asti spumante for this post. However, for the best results, use a French or Spanish champagne as they have thicker glass for a cleaner break.
Step 2 – Insert the chilled bottle of champagne upside down in a bucket of ice (the freezer will work nicely as well) for 20 – 30 minutes. The neck of the bottle must be 38oF – 40oF. At this temperature the glass particles will slow down and get a little closer together making the glass more brittle and easier to break.
Step 3 – Remove the foil from the bottle.
Step 4 – Remove the cage from around the cork.
Step 5 – Hold the bottle with your non-dominate hand placing your thumb in the “punt” of the bottle (Yes, that’s what its called, the punt.) Tilt the bottle away from your body at about a 45 degree angle. This position keeps your fingers out of the way of the incoming blade. Make sure the bottle is not pointing at anyone standing by!
Step 6 – Rotate the bottle until you find the seam in the glass. Hold the bottle so the seam runs along to the top. The seam and your arm should be in a straight line.
Step 7 – Place the blade on the bottle perpendicular to the seam. You’re aiming for the weakest point on the bottle–the spot where the seam and lip of the bottle meet. This is where you’ll get the clean break. Blunt edge or sharp edge—it doesn’t matter. Remember this is science! The pressure is going to do the work, NOT brute force.
Step 8 – Tip the blade up slightly to hit the lip at a slight angle and not perpendicular to the lip. Swing up along the seam and through—do not stop at the cork. If you’ve performed the task properly, the cork (with a little ring of glass around it) will fly off the end of the bottle about 5 – 10 meters. Ta-da!
Step 10 – Capture the escaping bubbly with your champagne flute and offer a witty toast.
