Wine Storage

[hendu2875]

Ok.. So I'm getting into the WINE MAKING... very soon..
But I really have NO WHERE to store it!
I have NO BASEMENT.. I do have a BIG GARAGE.. But I live in Michigan where the temps Dip below Zero quite often.
I do plan to keep it heated as soon as I insulate it, but I prolly wouldnt heat it much more than 40 degrees in the winter.
I have a utility room that would prolly work best, and I could keep that at a tempurature more constant than any place else i would think..

What are your suggestions? My garage also has a LARGE Room above, Maybe I could wall off a section, Insulate and keep a constant temp in there..

 

[Runningwolf]

Well since you haven't even started making wine yet, how much do you plan on making. A small wine cooler will hold 15-100 bottles. Maybe that will be enough. Any reds could be stored in cases in a closet or anywhere else. At this time just make enough for drinking in a years time. Start with a quick drinker then do a red if you like them.

 

[MN-winer]

The big thing with storage is consistency of temperature and at least my garage is anything but that. I'm in MN granted, but it gets down to 20 in the winter and very hot in the summer. There are parts of my basement that remain about 55-60 year round so I use that area and have a 56 bottle wine fridge.

 

[Minnesotamaker]

You might have to get creative. Some people convert a closet, others have gotten a nice antique cabinet or wardrobe with doors and converted it. If you're not worried about displaying your wine, you can always store the bottles upside-down in cardboard boxes made for wine bottles.

 

[hendu2875]

I not worried about displaying it, i'm worried more about keeping the TEMPS good for storage! I'd prefer to have it stored in my garage where my bar and pooltable are... but not sure how to go about doing that with such drastic changes in tempurature.. I guess I could get a 28 bottle cooler, but then in the winter I'd have to have the temp in garage Warm enough.. I dnt knw.. I guess I'll worry about that after i actually have some BOTTLES bottled!

 

[winemaker_3352]

You might have to get creative. Some people convert a closet, others have gotten a nice antique cabinet or wardrobe with doors and converted it. If you're not worried about displaying your wine, you can always store the bottles upside-down in cardboard boxes made for wine bottles.

Yeah - i have a converted chest freezer. I bought a thermostat override and keep the temps where i want it.

 

[Airplanedoc]

You could always stud off a small closet in the garage. Insulate the walls heavily, and vent to the interior of your house or provide a small heating unit for winter

 

[Runningwolf]

Yeah - i have a converted chest freezer. I bought a thermostat override and keep the temps where i want it.

For the price and temps, I like this idea best.

 

[djrockinsteve]

The hard part is "how much am I going to make?" You can do 1 gallons or 3's, they take up little space and most of us use a corner in the kitchen or warm area to ferment. From there the aging comes awkward for you. How much is important.

A deep freezer with a heater to keep it from freezing would work. I'd even see if it could be arranged to lay on it's back with a clasp to keep it closed, or get a standup freezer. I would insulate the thing as best as possibe.

Once insulated it would need little heat to maintain a 50 degree temp. for a few months.

Other option do you have any relatives that could store some of your wine. Perhaps two of you could work and share the rewards together.

Do you have an attic. Small amounts that are consumed over winter or early spring might work but be awkward.

How about an outside wall in the living room, under the couch. Thinking outside the box and no idea isn't not worth thinking about. If you are not concerned about longevity your wine could be kept on any wine rack or cubby hole around the house. Perhaps gallon batches would be the best. Make wine as you have room for a few bottles.

Hope this helps a bit. I always liked the question........"What If?" I get a lot of ideas from that.

 

[winemaker_3352]

For the price and temps, I like this idea best.

$100 bucks - and it can hold 5 6 gallon carboys and several 1 gallons or some 3 gallons.

Could also hold several wine bottles - get some small wine racks - and good to go.

 

[Minnesotamaker]

.........A deep freezer with a heater to keep it from freezing would work. I'd even see if it could be arranged to lay on it's back with a clasp to keep it closed, or get a stand-up freezer. I would insulate the thing as best as possible......

If you use a freezer and you're planning to use the "workings" that come with it, make sure you check the manual. Many times the compressor needs to be kept upright in order to work.

There was another person who had a similar space restriction and I think they were contemplating digging a wine cellar in the back yard "like an old fashioned root cellar". As long as you were below the frost line and you didn't have a high water table, it would give you fairly stable and close to ideal temps.How to build a root cellar