Bottling Photos - UPDATED - More Photos...

[tcb54]

I did some bottling yesterday; it was the first time I ever bottled more than one batch at a time. After getting all 90 bottles cleaned and sterilized it wasn't so bad.
Here are some before and after photos that I wanted to share. The wines are (Front to Back/L-R): Muller-Thurgau, White Zinfandel and Argentine Malbec. This isdone in my basement (yes, that's my poker table). I havedecided to put in granite countertops and a big sink down here. This little bar sink just doesn't make it! I will have to build a cabinet under the counter to support the weight of the granite top, and I think I'm going to move the wall cabinet higher up to give me more room. I'm going to put in some kind of tiled backsplash (maybe tumbled Travertine). When I built all this 16 years ago I had absolutely no idea that making wine was in my future.


I'll post some pictures as I get things done so maybe I can get some ideas from you creative folks out there...

Edited by: tcb54

 

[grapeman]

90 Bottles of wine in a row, 90 bottles of wine. Take one down pass it around, 89 bottles of wine to go..................




I love that last picture. Great job bottling. Be sure to try and age at least a few of them if you can keep them from your poker buddies!

 

[tcb54]

Appleman, that's funny because my wife started singing the exact thing when she came home and saw that wine sitting there!


Here's what I'm trying to do with my wine... my wine racks have 9 bottles per row. I'm putting the foil wrappers on this 9 and putting all 9 away for at least a year. I do not put foil on the others so after 3 - 6 months I have started "sampling" a few here and there.


Friday night is poker night (Man Law), so I make sure I have all the bottlesput up before they get here. They remind sometimes of the story of the Little Red Hen. They always ask about breaking out a bottle of wine (or two), but most of them are always busy when it comes to making or bottling.


For those of you that don't know the Little Red Hen story, here it is... Who is it out there that makes up great poetry?Maybehe could make up one of his famous poems based on this story. What do you say?





One summer day the Little Red Hen found a grain of wheat.
"A grain of wheat!" said the Little Red Hen to herself. "I will plant it."
She asked the duck: "Will you help me plant this grain of wheat?"
"Not I," said the duck.
She asked the goose: "Will you help me plant this grain of wheat?"
"Not I," said the goose.
She asked the cat: "Will you help me plant this grain of wheat?"
"Not I," said the cat.
She asked the pig: "Will you help me plant this grain of wheat?"
"Not I," said the pig.
"Then I will plant it myself," said the Little Red Hen.
And she did.


Soon the wheat grew tall, and the Little Red Hen knew it was time to reap it.
"Who will help me reap the wheat?" she asked.
"Not I," said the duck.
"Not I," said the goose.
"Not I," said the cat.
"Not I," said the pig.
"Then I will reap it myself," said the Little Red Hen.
And she did.


So she reaped the wheat, and it was ready to take to the mill to be made into flour.
"Who will help me carry the wheat to the mill?" she asked.
"Not I," said the duck.
"Not I," said the goose.
"Not I," said the cat.
"Not I," said the pig.
"Then I will carry it myself," said the Little Red Hen.
And she did.


So she carried the wheat to the mill and the miller made it into flour, and she carried the flour home.
When she got there, she asked, "Who will help me make the flour into dough?"
"Not I," said the duck.
"Not I," said the goose.
"Not I," said the cat.
"Not I," said the pig.
"Then I will make the dough myself," said the Little Red Hen.
And she did.


So she put on a white apron, and mixed the dough. Soon the bread was ready to go into the oven.
"Who will help me bake the bread?" said the Little Red Hen.
"Not I," said the duck.
"Not I," said the goose.
"Not I," said the cat.
"Not I," said the pig.
"Then I will bake it myself," said the Little Red Hen.
And she did.


After the loaf had been taken from the oven it was set on the table to cool.
"And now," said the Little Red Hen, "who will help me to eat the bread?"
"I will!" said the duck.
"I will!" said the goose.
"I will!" said the cat.
"I will!" said the pig.
"No, I will eat it myself!" said the Little Red Hen.


And she did.


Edited by: tcb54

 

[montyfox]

Fantastic pics! I'm getting ready for my very first bottling in about 2 weeks. I can't wait!

 

[PolishWineP]

What a wonderful pictures of all those bottles! Bert! WE need a poker table for better pictures!

 

[Wade E]

I guess by looking at that last photo that you knew when to hold them!

 

[NorthernWinos]

Nice spread!!!!

 

[PolishWineP]

THIS is why we need a nice table for showcasing our bottlings.

Bert did this bottling on one of those cold, -20 January weekends, when I was off to the Twin Cities to play. He really is a prince of a guy.


The wines are, left to right below, Pineapple/Apple/Rhubarb blend, Amarone Mon Diale, German Muller-Thurgau & a Crabapple/Apple. He bottled a total of 19 gallons that weekend.

 

[tcb54]

PWP,


Those are awesome wines. Let me know when you break into the Amarone Mon Diale. I will be bottling my Mosti Masters Edition Amarone Mon Diale next week.


After bottling my White Zinfandel, I had a good sized taste left over. I drank it last night. It was one of the best White Zins I ever tasted. I can't wait to taste it in 3 - 6 months!


By the way, the next time I undertake a 3 or more carboy bottling could you send Bert down here to Georgia?

 

[PolishWineP]

I bet with some forward planning and the right time of year, I could maybe get him on a plane... You could have a great bottling party!

 

[tcb54]

 

[pelican]

PWP,





The little bottles - look like beer bottles - do you do that with all
your batches?


I can imagine that having beer bottle sized to samplealongthe way waiting
forwhen the aging gets tojust right oreven just good enough would be a good
and economical approach.


Just wondering if that's whatyou do with them, or are
they the giveaways tothose "friends" you wouldn't want to waste awhole 750mls
on ?????

 

[PolishWineP]

We use the beer bottles for several reasons. They're good for testing to see how the aging is coming along, they're great for when you don't need to open an entire bottle, and they are great for gifts! Not so much that we don't want to part with much wine to someone, but they may not be much of a wine drinker, or they just want to try that particuar wine. We've even been known to put wine coolers into old soda bottles and take them with us to public events, like parades. No one thinks much about us drinking out of a pop bottle as we watch the parade going by!

 

[scubaman2151]

No one thinks much about us drinking out of a pop bottle as we watch the parade going by!

 

[pelican]

Ok, Cool!

We do have a bottle capper gadget from some time way back. I'll have to start looking for gathering some beer bottles if they aren't the screw type.

Since I am impatient when it comes to my hobbies - you should see me in the garden! "has it sprouted yet??". I like the idea of smaller Tasting Bottles.

Thanks for the inspiration.

 

[NorthernWinos]

Ok, Cool!

We do have a bottle capper gadget from some time way back. I'll have to start looking for gathering some beer bottles if they aren't the screw type.

Since I am impatient when it comes to my hobbies - you should see me in the garden! "has it sprouted yet??". I like the idea of smaller Tasting Bottles.

Thanks for the inspiration.

In the last few batches of bottles you guys gave us were some nice beer bottles....I'll sort the best ones out and save those for you.


BTW...we don't need anymore beer bottles....Have a good supply now...Thanks....

 

[Tomy]

Nice group of full bottles. In my story the Little Red Hen goes into the stew pot way early in the story

Tomy

 

[Poacher]

I just about cried those pics are so beautiful.

 

[tcb54]

Thank you very much for your kind words about the photos.


I have started my remodeling in this area now. I have torn out the bar/counter and have built a cabinet. I've got it almostall stained and will hopefully be building the cabinet doors and putting on the polyeurethane this weekend.


I have also picked out the granite for the countertops and are waiting on the big honking sink (24" and 10" deep) to arrive so the granite people can make the templates and get the granite cut.


Finally, in the area above where the microwave is sitting (under the "Welcome" hanging with the ducks) I built an additional cabinet that looks like the ones to the left and will put the microwave in it... that will free up a lot of counter space.Edited by: tcb54

 

[Poacher]

Well lets see some pictures of that too. I'm making my stuff on the kitchen table. All rooms are full at our house so this is where I'll be for good. I can only dream of a room like yours.