Carboy Cover

[texasermd]

The other day, my wife and I were shopping at JoAnn Fabric store for some craft items for the kids. I have had a fabric carboy cover for my reds in the back-of-my-mind-to-do-list for some time. I bought the fabric and with a few simple steps came up with this:

Below is the inside out view. I simply cut a rectangle of fabric about 2 inches longer than the circumference of my 5 gallon carboy. As it turns out, fabric comes on bolts and is folded in half already. The height of the fabric, already folded in half, is exactly the height I needed for my cover so...each rectangle will make 2 covers. Then, whip out the sewing machine, load the right color thread and start sewing. A half-inch seam at the bottom keeps the fabric from fraying. A 3 inch seam at the top will form a pocket for the string. Once the top and bottom are sewn, bring the ends together and sew the last seam, making sure that the cover will slide easily over the carboy when you are done....not too tight, not too loose. I ironed the last seam flat before I turned the cover right-side-out. Many size strings or rope would work fine.

Then slide it down over your carboy and tie shut. No need to cover the bottom as it is sitting on the shelf so no light can get in.

Well, that's one down and a few more to go....

I hope someone will find this little project useful.


Cheers,


John

 

[Wade E]

Looks like a nice stitch job, you can stitch me up anytime. I havent had the need for them in awhile. Knock on wood.

 

[jcnoren]

quick and simple ....like it. 36 carboys wow, I only have 2.


JC

 

[Steve]

Looks good. That is a lot of carboys!!! And several cases of bottles next door...

 

[dfwwino]

Now the Doctor even has the best dressed carboys too! Very industrious. Now I've just got to persuade my spouse to pull out the sewing machine and get busy.

Edited by: dfwwino

 

[Dean]

Very cool! Here is a post from early 2006 on this board of the same idea. We used a black liner to make sure no light can penetrate.

http://www.finevinewines.com//Wiz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1318Edited by: Dean

 

[texasermd]

Wow, deja vu. I decided that I didn't need super light control as my lights are only on via automatic switch for 2 minutes at a time if there is movement in the attached 2-car garage or if I am in the wine area itself.

 

[dfwwino]

Dean,


I suppose I have to revise my comment. Your carboys are the most colorfully dressed. But the doctor's solids are also very nice.

In my former house (owned by SWMBO no more), I had a 7 x 10 x 10 wine room with a breezeaire unit where I kept my carboys on a heavy duty storage rack. It was great because it was pitch black in the room. Now I'm using the carboy boxes to shelter the carboys. But this is a much better idea and much more aesthetic.

 

[bevie55]

I have a dumb question. Why do you want to cover your carboy?

 

[JimCook]

Bevie,


Light exposure will breakdown wine in a similar fashion that oxygen exposure can. Since light is energy, it does a little number on the molecular connections of the wine. Since the carboys are not made with colored glass like most wine bottles, light exposure can be a problem.


- Jim

 

[bevie55]

Ah! Then putting my carboy in my storm shelter where the only light is what the turban fan lets in will solve that problem?

 

[Joanie]

Somehow I missed this post. That cover looks beautiful, Bevie! Nice work!