Cold Stabilization

[kutya]

Anyone try cold stabilizing their wine. I picked up an old fridge for the garage, and thought I would give it a try. I'm not sure of the pro's or con's of the whole thing. Any suggestions???

 

[masta]

Here is a great post that Martina put together:


http://www.finevinewines.com/Wiz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1264

 

[PeterZ]

My local wine and beer making shop gave me a great idea. Pilsners need to ferment at 45 - 45F and this is Memphis, so that kind of ambient temp in our non-existent basements is out of the question. What the pilsner brewers here do is build a box out of foil backed structural foam (used for making plenums and for house sheathing - avail at hardware stores) big enough for the carboy with airlock and 2 - 4 two liter soda bottles.

Fill the soda bottles with water and freeze them. For a 5 gallon batch of pilsner put the carboy (or primary) in the box with 2 ice bottles. Swap the bottles out daily for frozen ones.

Seems to me that a 6 gal carboy with 4 ice bottles, swapped out 2x per day, could probably keep the wine in the high 30's for as long ass you were willing to keep up freezing the 2L bottles.

 

[kutya]

Peter, good idea,



masta, thanks for the post. I'm thinking about trying my chokecherry in the fridge, but it's so cold here, I think I may freeze it... (Last night 38 below). I may wait till summer to try this???

 

[NorthernWinos]

Peter, good idea,



masta, thanks for the post.  I'm thinking about trying my chokecherry in the fridge, but it's so cold here, I think I may freeze it...  (Last night 38 below).  I may wait till summer to try this???

Are you kidding....-38*F..is that correct??? Yikes...usually what you get comes here next....

Last week we were having temperatures in the 50's and 60's*F...then the other day we were having thunder, rain, drizzle and cold weather moved in....very strong winds...It was 38*F when we turned in for the night..it was so hot in the house we had the window open.....In the morning it was -3*F..and since then our window is froze partially open....

The cold front is now making it's way across the country, creating very bad storms....So, everyone is getting a taste of it.

Sure hope we don't get many more temps below zero...we need some snow to insulate the ground first....On the bright side....the lakes are freezing over...so ice fishing will be happening soon.

Edited by: Northern Winos

 

[PeterZ]

Northern,

Where are you? Yesterday in Memphis the high was 70F. Today it was 38!!

 

[NorthernWinos]

Northern,Where are you?  Yesterday in Memphis the high was 70F.  Today it was 38!!

Did you get any of that heavy rain or snow that has swept parts of the country???
I am in NW Minnesota...we are getting some light snow tonight....that will insulate the ground....the temps have moderated somewhat, but more cold on the way.
Tomorrow I am going to take the hair dryer and try and melt the ice from the freezing rainstorm that has frozen our bedroom window open slightly...we like sleeping with fresh air...but zero F* is a little too fresh..

 

[Joseph1]

Peter, this may be what they were talking about:
<?amespace prefix = o ns = "urnchemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" />
http://home.elp.rr.com/brewbeer/chiller/chiller.PDF

 

[pkcook]

Got up this morning to about 55 deg here in central Ohio and by 2pm the temp was in the low 30s with flurries, wind chill in the teens!

 

[Wade E]

Today it hit 70* and Sunday its supposed to be 7*. Monday were supposed
to finally get our first winter weather. Snow is in the forecast!


Edited by: wadewade

 

[PolishWineP]

But, we do live in the north, so I guess we get what we expect. Everyone around here did manage to get their lights up around Thanksgiving, so even my drive through Grand Forks on my way home can be fun!

We've gotten enough snow now to at least cover the bases on our yard decorations. It's looking good out there!

 

[OldWino1]

oh god thanks yesterday rainy 76 today sunny and 56

 

[Angell Wine]

We got snow &amp; Ice &amp; sleet &amp; almost a day off. Business &amp; schools did not open until 10:00 AM.

 

[kutya]

Our school was closed on Tue. By now Pwp and Northern you must be getting our weather from earlier this week. I saw some serious snow on the TV in your neck of the woods. PWP, I was in Grand forks this past summer, and Northern Not sure where you are, but I spent the night in Bemiji on the same trip heading to WI. I understand it's the home of ole Paul Bunyon?? Did I spell his name right???? IT's not to bad tonight it's only 4 below.... Welcome to the North.....jh

 

[PolishWineP]

Well the next time you're going to be in Grand Forks, let us know! Maybe we can do lunch, breakfast, lefse break or exchange wines. Bemidji is indeed the home of Paul Bunyan. Big guy! He has a special place in my family's heart.

Where in Wisconsin did you go? That's my original home state and I try to spend as much time as I can there.

 

[NorthernWinos]

We had -10*F this morning, nice and sunny now and a blistering -5*F at 11 AM.....Got about 3 inches of snow, so that will help insulate the ground....
We dégorged some more wine last night, had the bottle of topping-up wine out on the deck for a short time...it froze...was mighty tasty drinking Sparkling Apple Slushies....

 

[kutya]

I was heading to Westby to visit the new winery there. Vernon wines. Actually I had to visit some of my wife's family, but saw the winery and skipped over there for a taste... Next time I'm through I will definately let you know... Would love to meet some of the people on this forum.