No basement...too warm?

[gardengrl]

Hi Everyone!


I'm about to venture into home winemaking, but I'm doing lots of research first! I live in Florida and waswondering how this is done without a basement to keepmy fermenting/aging wine from getting too warm.


We normall keep the house temp between 70-75 with the AC and obviously we can't keep any carboys out in the garage...too hot.(what I coulddo with a basement!!!). I plan to keep the carboys in a spare room inthe house.


I know I'm not the only southerner on this forum, so how do you all do it? Where do you keep everything?

 

[Waldo]

As long as you don't get above 75 you will be ok. You can put the fermenter/carboy in a tub with some cool water. draqpe towels around it and let the water wick up on the towel. A small fan blowing on it will usually lower the temp a couple of degrees too Edited by: Waldo

 

[grapeman]

Welcome to the forum Garden Girl. Glad you found us here. Lots of help around. Lots of folks don't have basements and make and store their wine wherever they have room- spare bedroom, extra batch, dining room, etc. Scotty is in Florida and makes his in a spare bedroom and at the kitchen counter/table. Don't fret it, just find a spot that is handy and you keep fairly constant.

 

[Wade E]

Constant temps are more important for storing wines. If you can keep a pretty consistent temp in those ranges you mention then youll be fine. You just wont be able to keep these wines for 5 or more years safely. Some may make it there and possibly even beyond but I wouldnt expect them to. These warmer temps will age the wines faster then in a 55* cellar but most of us deal with it and make very good wine if I may say, wine that would sell commercially in my opinion for $20.00 a bottle.

 

[PeterZ]

Gardengrl, I'm in the same boat. I make and store my wine in a spare bedroom that is the same temp as the rest of the house - low 70's in the winter and high 70's in the summer. We just have to cope. My wine making room also serves as the bedroom for my 5 yorkies. As long as I can keep them out of the wine, all is good.

 

[smurfe]

South Louisiana here. No basement as well. If I had one it would be called an indoor pool.

No real issues. Keep it 68-70 in the house year round. As stated, consistent temps are more important. If it's on the warmer side, you just have to keep a closer eye on fermentation as it will go quicker.

 

[Tomy]

Welcome Gardengrl to the forum. You can purchase a window air conditioner for under $150 that would keep your wines at the tempature of your choice. Cooling a room shouldn't cost that much. Good luck with your wine making and above all have fun. Tomy

 

[gardengrl]

Thanks for the feedback! I'm going to a "winemaking superstore" in the local area tomorrow to get the supplies I need. First batch will be a strawberry wine, but will start with 1 gal batchestill I getthe hang of things. I dojelly making, jams, preserves, andsalsas already, so this is right up my alley.


Tomy, we have an HOA in our neighborhood...no window ACs allowed.

If we were, I would turned the garage into an extra room by now!

 

[Okie1]

If you cant have a window unit, maybe there is some way that you could use one of those portable ac units on wheels.


Just need to find somewhere to vent the hot air.

 

[swillologist]

Sixgallons is just about as easy to make as one gallon. You'll be sorry you didn't make a bigger batch.

 

[Okie1]

Ditto swill, By the time it's drinkable i know that i would rather have 30 bottles of joy than what, about 4 bottles... for almost the same amount of work?
One draw back though is that a 6 gal glass carboy is awfully heavy to lift.

Plus, when your new in wine making, it's hard to go wrong when you have good kit instructions to follow step by step.

 

[uavwmn]

gardengrl, I am here in southern AZ. DRY HEAT. hahahaha
I make my kits beginning in late Sep thru March. In Sep and Oct when it is still warm I use a portable A/C unit I found at a Thrift Store.

I use the spare bedroom and it works pretty well.
I bought a wine cooler that holds 36 bottles. The rest is in the wine rack in the hallway where it is semi dark and the A/C in the summer is at 78.
For me it is much too hot in the summer to make wine. So, I plan on drinking what I made this winter.

 

[joeswine]

a couple of things ,first 6 is just as much fun as 1 and those stand alone or portable ac systems are not cost effective at all,i've sold them to computer cos. who need emt,backup is secured roomsetc,. but as a hvac /r tech find another way,i'am sure the house is good enough to ferment wine,good to have you on site,i have relatives all along the west coast from clearwater to marco island//star fruit wine is pertty taste, i bought some last time i was there,try that for a wine!

 

[gardengrl]

You guys are killing me!

I would LOVE to start a 6 gal batch; we just don't have the room! It'll be easier for me to hide 4-5 bottles at a time than 30. We're in a tiny starter home, which stinks if you like to do things like make wine! LOL


Sigh. Patience grasshoppah'!

 

[Mark]

Read this thread for some other ideas...


http://www.finevinewines.com//Wiz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4872&KW=refrigerator&PID=66015#66015

 

[uavwmn]

Joe, this portable A/C works just fine in the spare bedroom, is cost effective for me and works in a pinch!!

 

[rgecaprock]

Hi gardengirl....Welcome.


I'm in Houston and I don't think you can find a more humid and hot place here....Florida and La. too I guess. But I do find it a worry with the hot summers here and eventhough I keep the ac low by afternoon it gets over 80 with the ac struggling. But that is not the constant temp. I just keep my carboys and my bottled wine on the north side of the apartment in the coolest room I have which is the bedroom. All is well, no problems. As far as long time storage in this climate....well my wines never get to linger and store very long. Good Luck, I think you will find a way to find some room.

Ramona