Hi folks:

My first batch of Savignon Blanc is still in the carboy, currently getting
nice and clear sitting on the basement floor. I'll probably be filtering and
bottling tomorrow. Overall I've really enjoyed this, and since I regularly
enjoy wine from the liquor store, I see myself continuing to do this for
years to come.

Question though...in my household, I have several things that affect where I
do my winemaking - a husband who doesn't want to trip over things, cats who
are naturally curious and want to investigate the fizzing bucket by knocking
off the lid, etc. I did my fermentation in a closet in a spare upstairs
bedroom, because my basement was too cold a month ago. I drag a stool into
the bedroom when I'm going to siphon since there really isn't a table in
there, have hubby there to hold things steady and stuff everything back into
the closet when i'm done.

So as I've been doing my thing with the wine kit, I've often had thoughts of
a table that would make things easier for the person without lots of space.
In my mind, my fictional winemaking table has higher shelf for placing the
primary for ease of siphoning, a groove for it to fit into to make it
unlikely to tip. A lower shelf for the carboy to sit on with a groove too,
maybe even something bottles would fit into once you're ready to start
bottling, to keep them steady. Even a storage area to put your stuff when
you're not using it. All of this would fit in a standard closet.

Surely I'm not the first person to think of this. Is there such a thing as a
table for this purpose? Or do I have to build my own?

Thanks!

KD

<<snip>>
> So as I've been doing my thing with the wine kit, I've often had thoughts of
> a table that would make things easier for the person without lots of space.
> In my mind, my fictional winemaking table has higher shelf for placing the
> primary for ease of siphoning, a groove for it to fit into to make it
> unlikely to tip. A lower shelf for the carboy to sit on with a groove too,
> maybe even something bottles would fit into once you're ready to start
> bottling, to keep them steady. Even a storage area to put your stuff when
> you're not using it. All of this would fit in a standard closet.
>
> Surely I'm not the first person to think of this. Is there such a thing as a
> table for this purpose? Or do I have to build my own?

KD -
I don't recall ever seeing / hearing about a
specially-constructed table for stuff like this. I think just about
any kind of table or workbench with a work surface from 30" to 36"
off the floor should be fine, provided it's strong enough to support
full pails / carboys, and wouldn't be damaged by the occasional drip
or spill.

I don't think you'd want a higher shelf for siphoning - it would
be harder to lift full containers onto, and the top of said containers
would be inconveniently far off the ground, I think, considering that
you'd need to insert the siphoning wand into the top of the carboy.
You could put the siphoning tubing in first, but then it's a little
more clumsy, hoisting the full carboy up if it has tubing dangling
down from it. And if you are trying to be careful and not disturb the
sediment on the bottom of the carboy, you don't want the siphoning
wand flopping around inside the carboy as you are lifiting it up . . .

Floor corkers do a pretty good job holding the bottles still during
corking - you may not have one now, but you'll probably want one
pretty soon, if you get hooked.

As for storing all of the required stuff in a standard closet -- I
guess I don't know what a standard closet is, but I know my winemaking
stuff would never fit into any closet in any house I've ever lived in.
Winemaking really should be done in a space like a basement or
utility room - some place with non-carpeted floor, where the odd spill
won't do any permanent damage before you can mop it up.

Personally, I'd recommend you take another look at the basement.
Unless the inside temp is significantly below freezing in the winter
(which is unusual for basements) you should be able to find a workable
approach. Winemaking supply outlets will be glad to sell you electric
heating belts for keeping the "must" warm enough for the yeast to
function properly. Cold really isn't a problem for aging, once the
active fermentation phase is complete, so long as the wine doesn't
freeze solid (not good for the carboy!). There's bound to be a way to
combine some insulation and maybe a space heater or two to create a
suitable environment.

I guess that's why there isn't a big demand for such a table at the
moment. But if it makes sense to you, go for it. Sounds like a good
husband project.

Happy fermenting --
Doug

"KD" > wrote in message
...
> Hi folks:

> Question though...in my household, I have several things that affect where
I
> do my winemaking - a husband who doesn't want to trip over things, cats
who
> are naturally curious and want to investigate the fizzing bucket by
knocking
> off the lid, etc. I did my fermentation in a closet in a spare upstairs
> bedroom, because my basement was too cold a month ago. I drag a stool into
> the bedroom when I'm going to siphon since there really isn't a table in
> there, have hubby there to hold things steady and stuff everything back
into
> the closet when i'm done.
>

Might want to see if you can hunt one of these down
http://www.gibs-web.ca/lift.html A photo of a lift I managed to pick up
for $150, my son's father in law had it laying around and wasn't using it
any more. This one is rated at 500 lbs and has a hydraulic ram you pump up
to lift the full carboy to about 4.5 ft. My back gave out a few years ago
and I mainly use it to lift the carboys to table height where I slide them
off onto the table. Store it the laundry room out of the way when not in
use.


As far as the cold basement I built a box out of plywood a few years ago
slightly larger than a 5 gallon carboy. I placed a 100 watt light powered
through a thermostat. Worked like a charm the bulb gave off enough heat to
keep the inside of the box at whatever temp. I set the thermostat for.

After knocking over a couple bottles during filling I hunted around and
found the plastic milk carton seen sitting on the lift platform it holds 16
bottles and no fear of knocking them over any more. I got a couple and they
hold more than enough bottles to do a 5 gal. batch of wine.


> So as I've been doing my thing with the wine kit, I've often had thoughts
of
> a table that would make things easier for the person without lots of
space.
> In my mind, my fictional winemaking table has higher shelf for placing the
> primary for ease of siphoning, a groove for it to fit into to make it
> unlikely to tip. A lower shelf for the carboy to sit on with a groove too,
> maybe even something bottles would fit into once you're ready to start
> bottling, to keep them steady. Even a storage area to put your stuff when
> you're not using it. All of this would fit in a standard closet.
>
> Surely I'm not the first person to think of this. Is there such a thing as
a
> table for this purpose? Or do I have to build my own?
>
> Thanks!
>
> KD
>
>

Hi all,

Thanks for the responses.

Doug, I'm thinking you may have a point in moving my operation into the
basement. It doesn't go below freezing down there, but when I started the
wine back in May it was still fairly chilly here in Atlantic Canada. I
usually have my main floor no warmer than about 60-65 F in winter, so the
basement was probably ten degrees lower, a bit chilly to start the
fermentation process. May be that the answer would be to invest in a heating
belt for that portion. I had considered the furnace room, but while that's
warmer, it could provide some unwanted flavours. Nothing like that fuel oil
note to round out a good white wine.

The light bulb idea is also worth trying out. Someone else once told me to
just get a lamp with a 100 watt bulb in it and have it aimed in the general
direction of your primary, that warms it sufficiently for your yeast to
catch.

Looks like I have some experimentation to do! So far my winemaking equipment
is mostly just the basics, but eventually I may overtake a whole room
instead of a closet! There are so many little doodads that I'd like to
have...

Thanks,

KD





"KD" > wrote in message
...
> Hi folks:
>
> My first batch of Savignon Blanc is still in the carboy, currently getting
> nice and clear sitting on the basement floor. I'll probably be filtering
and
> bottling tomorrow. Overall I've really enjoyed this, and since I regularly
> enjoy wine from the liquor store, I see myself continuing to do this for
> years to come.
>
> Question though...in my household, I have several things that affect where
I
> do my winemaking - a husband who doesn't want to trip over things, cats
who
> are naturally curious and want to investigate the fizzing bucket by
knocking
> off the lid, etc. I did my fermentation in a closet in a spare upstairs
> bedroom, because my basement was too cold a month ago. I drag a stool into
> the bedroom when I'm going to siphon since there really isn't a table in
> there, have hubby there to hold things steady and stuff everything back
into
> the closet when i'm done.
>
> So as I've been doing my thing with the wine kit, I've often had thoughts
of
> a table that would make things easier for the person without lots of
space.
> In my mind, my fictional winemaking table has higher shelf for placing the
> primary for ease of siphoning, a groove for it to fit into to make it
> unlikely to tip. A lower shelf for the carboy to sit on with a groove too,
> maybe even something bottles would fit into once you're ready to start
> bottling, to keep them steady. Even a storage area to put your stuff when
> you're not using it. All of this would fit in a standard closet.
>
> Surely I'm not the first person to think of this. Is there such a thing as
a
> table for this purpose? Or do I have to build my own?
>
> Thanks!
>
> KD
>
>

Rick - Does the lift have a name on it? Thanks.
Bill Frazier
Olathe, Kansas USA

"Rick Gibson" > wrote in message
...
>
> Might want to see if you can hunt one of these down
> http://www.gibs-web.ca/lift.html A photo of a lift I managed to pick up
> for $150, my son's father in law had it laying around and wasn't using it
> any more. This one is rated at 500 lbs and has a hydraulic ram you pump
up
> to lift the full carboy to about 4.5 ft. My back gave out a few years ago
> and I mainly use it to lift the carboys to table height where I slide them
> off onto the table. Store it the laundry room out of the way when not in
> use.

KD the odd heating pad lying around the house and a few old bath
towels work fine too. 55 F is not too cold for fermenting whites; if
you want to retains some of the fresh fruity flavors that is
recommended. Sauv Blanc can go either way on that. The fermentation
actually provides a little heat once it gets going too. The furnace
room is a bad idea as you already know, the fumes and the temperature
variations would be a bad situation.

I'm on the east coast too and my basement is similar to yours, I do
everything down there. If you work with fresh juice or grapes next
year the fermentation will be done long before it gets cold, those
teperatures will help you clear and stabilize your wine.
Regards,
Joe


>
> Doug, I'm thinking you may have a point in moving my operation into the
> basement. It doesn't go below freezing down there, but when I started the
> wine back in May it was still fairly chilly here in Atlantic Canada. I
> usually have my main floor no warmer than about 60-65 F in winter, so the
> basement was probably ten degrees lower, a bit chilly to start the
> fermentation process. May be that the answer would be to invest in a heating
> belt for that portion. I had considered the furnace room, but while that's
> warmer, it could provide some unwanted flavours. Nothing like that fuel oil
> note to round out a good white wine.

"William Frazier" > wrote in message
...
> Rick - Does the lift have a name on it? Thanks.
> Bill Frazier
> Olathe, Kansas USA

Wesco Manufacturing Lansdale PA Model number etc is to obscured to read
any more. It's old but works and sure saves my back.

Rick
>
> "Rick Gibson" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > Might want to see if you can hunt one of these down
> > http://www.gibs-web.ca/lift.html A photo of a lift I managed to pick
up
> > for $150, my son's father in law had it laying around and wasn't using
it
> > any more. This one is rated at 500 lbs and has a hydraulic ram you pump
> up
> > to lift the full carboy to about 4.5 ft. My back gave out a few years
ago
> > and I mainly use it to lift the carboys to table height where I slide
them
> > off onto the table. Store it the laundry room out of the way when not
in
> > use.
>
>

Hey,
You're right, you probably will take over the basement. That's what I've
done. I store my wine bottles (empty and full) down there, most of my
equipment, and bulk age my carboys down there. Since I only do 1 gallon
carboys, I still do most of the primary ferments in my kitchen.
Darlene

"KD" > wrote in message
...
> Hi all,
>
> Thanks for the responses.
>
> Doug, I'm thinking you may have a point in moving my operation into the
> basement. It doesn't go below freezing down there, but when I started the
> wine back in May it was still fairly chilly here in Atlantic Canada. I
> usually have my main floor no warmer than about 60-65 F in winter, so the
> basement was probably ten degrees lower, a bit chilly to start the
> fermentation process. May be that the answer would be to invest in a
heating
> belt for that portion. I had considered the furnace room, but while that's
> warmer, it could provide some unwanted flavours. Nothing like that fuel
oil
> note to round out a good white wine.
>
> The light bulb idea is also worth trying out. Someone else once told me to
> just get a lamp with a 100 watt bulb in it and have it aimed in the
general
> direction of your primary, that warms it sufficiently for your yeast to
> catch.
>
> Looks like I have some experimentation to do! So far my winemaking
equipment
> is mostly just the basics, but eventually I may overtake a whole room
> instead of a closet! There are so many little doodads that I'd like to
> have...
>
> Thanks,
>
> KD
>
>
>
>
>
> "KD" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Hi folks:
> >
> > My first batch of Savignon Blanc is still in the carboy, currently
getting
> > nice and clear sitting on the basement floor. I'll probably be filtering
> and
> > bottling tomorrow. Overall I've really enjoyed this, and since I
regularly
> > enjoy wine from the liquor store, I see myself continuing to do this for
> > years to come.
> >
> > Question though...in my household, I have several things that affect
where
> I
> > do my winemaking - a husband who doesn't want to trip over things, cats
> who
> > are naturally curious and want to investigate the fizzing bucket by
> knocking
> > off the lid, etc. I did my fermentation in a closet in a spare upstairs
> > bedroom, because my basement was too cold a month ago. I drag a stool
into
> > the bedroom when I'm going to siphon since there really isn't a table in
> > there, have hubby there to hold things steady and stuff everything back
> into
> > the closet when i'm done.
> >
> > So as I've been doing my thing with the wine kit, I've often had
thoughts
> of
> > a table that would make things easier for the person without lots of
> space.
> > In my mind, my fictional winemaking table has higher shelf for placing
the
> > primary for ease of siphoning, a groove for it to fit into to make it
> > unlikely to tip. A lower shelf for the carboy to sit on with a groove
too,
> > maybe even something bottles would fit into once you're ready to start
> > bottling, to keep them steady. Even a storage area to put your stuff
when
> > you're not using it. All of this would fit in a standard closet.
> >
> > Surely I'm not the first person to think of this. Is there such a thing
as
> a
> > table for this purpose? Or do I have to build my own?
> >
> > Thanks!
> >
> > KD
> >
> >
>
>

A heating pad, what a great idea! A hot water bottle might do it too, just
to get it going. How long would you leave the heating pad on? I'd be a bit
wary of leaving it on for hours at a time when I'm not around to make sure
it's all right.

Since this was my first batch, I was a bit reluctant to leave it to start in
a cool place, afraid it wouldn't work at all and I would ruin it. I may be
willing to try that next time though, even without the heating pad. If I
were to leave it to do its own thing in the basement with no added heat, and
after a few days it did nothing, would I still be able to save it by warming
it?

KD


"Joe Sallustio" > wrote in message
om...
> KD the odd heating pad lying around the house and a few old bath
> towels work fine too. 55 F is not too cold for fermenting whites; if
> you want to retains some of the fresh fruity flavors that is
> recommended. Sauv Blanc can go either way on that. The fermentation
> actually provides a little heat once it gets going too. The furnace
> room is a bad idea as you already know, the fumes and the temperature
> variations would be a bad situation.
>
> I'm on the east coast too and my basement is similar to yours, I do
> everything down there. If you work with fresh juice or grapes next
> year the fermentation will be done long before it gets cold, those
> teperatures will help you clear and stabilize your wine.
> Regards,
> Joe
>
>
> >
> > Doug, I'm thinking you may have a point in moving my operation into the
> > basement. It doesn't go below freezing down there, but when I started
the
> > wine back in May it was still fairly chilly here in Atlantic Canada. I
> > usually have my main floor no warmer than about 60-65 F in winter, so
the
> > basement was probably ten degrees lower, a bit chilly to start the
> > fermentation process. May be that the answer would be to invest in a
heating
> > belt for that portion. I had considered the furnace room, but while
that's
> > warmer, it could provide some unwanted flavours. Nothing like that fuel
oil
> > note to round out a good white wine.

BTW, I use an electric blanket wrapped around my carboys. A thermometer is
placed between the blanked and glass. Regulates at a nice 70 degrees F.

KB



"Dar V" > wrote in message
...
> Hey,
> You're right, you probably will take over the basement. That's what I've
> done. I store my wine bottles (empty and full) down there, most of my
> equipment, and bulk age my carboys down there. Since I only do 1 gallon
> carboys, I still do most of the primary ferments in my kitchen.
> Darlene
>
> "KD" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Hi all,
> >
> > Thanks for the responses.
> >
> > Doug, I'm thinking you may have a point in moving my operation into the
> > basement. It doesn't go below freezing down there, but when I started
the
> > wine back in May it was still fairly chilly here in Atlantic Canada. I
> > usually have my main floor no warmer than about 60-65 F in winter, so
the
> > basement was probably ten degrees lower, a bit chilly to start the
> > fermentation process. May be that the answer would be to invest in a
> heating
> > belt for that portion. I had considered the furnace room, but while
that's
> > warmer, it could provide some unwanted flavours. Nothing like that fuel
> oil
> > note to round out a good white wine.
> >
> > The light bulb idea is also worth trying out. Someone else once told me
to
> > just get a lamp with a 100 watt bulb in it and have it aimed in the
> general
> > direction of your primary, that warms it sufficiently for your yeast to
> > catch.
> >
> > Looks like I have some experimentation to do! So far my winemaking
> equipment
> > is mostly just the basics, but eventually I may overtake a whole room
> > instead of a closet! There are so many little doodads that I'd like to
> > have...
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > KD
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > "KD" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > Hi folks:
> > >
> > > My first batch of Savignon Blanc is still in the carboy, currently
> getting
> > > nice and clear sitting on the basement floor. I'll probably be
filtering
> > and
> > > bottling tomorrow. Overall I've really enjoyed this, and since I
> regularly
> > > enjoy wine from the liquor store, I see myself continuing to do this
for
> > > years to come.
> > >
> > > Question though...in my household, I have several things that affect
> where
> > I
> > > do my winemaking - a husband who doesn't want to trip over things,
cats
> > who
> > > are naturally curious and want to investigate the fizzing bucket by
> > knocking
> > > off the lid, etc. I did my fermentation in a closet in a spare
upstairs
> > > bedroom, because my basement was too cold a month ago. I drag a stool
> into
> > > the bedroom when I'm going to siphon since there really isn't a table
in
> > > there, have hubby there to hold things steady and stuff everything
back
> > into
> > > the closet when i'm done.
> > >
> > > So as I've been doing my thing with the wine kit, I've often had
> thoughts
> > of
> > > a table that would make things easier for the person without lots of
> > space.
> > > In my mind, my fictional winemaking table has higher shelf for placing
> the
> > > primary for ease of siphoning, a groove for it to fit into to make it
> > > unlikely to tip. A lower shelf for the carboy to sit on with a groove
> too,
> > > maybe even something bottles would fit into once you're ready to start
> > > bottling, to keep them steady. Even a storage area to put your stuff
> when
> > > you're not using it. All of this would fit in a standard closet.
> > >
> > > Surely I'm not the first person to think of this. Is there such a
thing
> as
> > a
> > > table for this purpose? Or do I have to build my own?
> > >
> > > Thanks!
> > >
> > > KD
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>