I plan on doing 3-4 carboys this season from grapes. I live right outside Sacramento with 110 degree days and my coolest temp in the house will be mid 70's. I have garage space and will be building a work area, but I'm assuming that I also need to plan on temperature controlled bulk storage. A search didn't show anything, but I have to imagine this is a common problem? Anyone have a solution for carboys now and perhaps 30 gallon barrel in the future?
You do risk ruining your wine especially for long term storage. 70's is really skirting it.
Do a search for wine temperature storage's 70 is too high - ideal long term storage of finished wine is about 52 degrees. I read one guy complained his wine went bad in his apartment in Montreal - because of the heat - he had no safe room when temp went over 80 for a few days.
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Fermenting is usually over 70 or in the 70's but finishing it probably is better in 60's.or lower and storage is lower.
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For that much wine I would build a air con work area or find a basement.
Thirty Gallons !!! That's a lot of wine to ruin. about six batches or 150 bottles.
Just under my trailer drops the temperature in summer to 60.
In the summer I cannot store my wine in my trailer or even porch until I finish a small room with air-con - which I think I will - it is a very small room air tight air con will not cost much. And I am in the Canadian Prairies and even summer here is too hot for wine.
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The fellow in Bali said he had tropical fruit wines or local product wines and also didn't say how long they were kept - might not be a good standard for California wine.
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Oh yeah I spent one summer keeping carboys cool in the bathtub - it works . The temperature of my intake water was really cool It works even if the room is hot just don't let the sunlight touch the carboy.
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The carboy just needs to be immersed a little in the water maybe a quarter or to a half - whatever works. Get a wine thermometer and run an occasional temp check of the internal carboy. and you can develop a system of just touching the outside water and knowing if it's cool enough.
The water is really cool and it keeps the carboy cool - doubtless your source of house water is also cold or cool - if you have a big tub or whatever keep your carboys in them and everyday or so run a hose , refresh the water and have a run off for the water -that will work.