# Storing wine while bulk aging



## Teamsterjohn (Mar 29, 2010)

How are some of you guysstoring your wine as you are aging it? What I mean is, to keep the light away from it. In the dark, in the basement with a boxover the carboy, with a sheet over it?


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## vcasey (Mar 29, 2010)

I cover mine up, you can use an old towel or a t-shirt. Store the carboys in an out of the way somewhat temperature controlled (meaning a place where the temps are stable) place.


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## Bartman (Mar 29, 2010)

I keeep mine in a closet that has an east window, so it may get some morning sun, but nothing direct or strong. In th pantry and under the stairs are good places too - pretty dark, not much temperature variance.


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## Tom (Mar 29, 2010)

What you want is a constant temp. I put a brown paper bag over my glass carboy with a hole cut out for the airlock


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## Goodfella (Mar 30, 2010)

Good tip Tepe


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## Teamsterjohn (Mar 30, 2010)

Great ideas, Thanks alot


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## ibglowin (Mar 30, 2010)

I have an outside office (160 square feet) connected to the garage. It was originally an art studio for the first owner of the house. It has heat, water and even a natural gas outlet (pottery kiln I suspect). The one window has a room darkening cellular shade plus I have it blacked out even more with a couple of black poster boards, lets just say its DARK in there with the lights out! 

This Summer I will have to add some supplemental cooling I suspect so I may put in a small window AC unit or one of the stand alone AC units that I will duct into the heat vent in the floor. I did add 9" of attic blanket this Fall over the winery so that the temp swings should be much more moderated this Summer as well. I have been able to keep the room between 56-58 all Winter.






My carboys get to bulk age au natural!


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## smurfe (Apr 1, 2010)

I would like to add as well that when you store them away to bulk age, REMEMBER them! I just dumped 3 carboys of pretty expensive kits (all Mosti All Juice kits, one a Meglioli) that I had stuck in the closet of the utility room and forgot all about them until I found them yesterday. They have been there a good 2+ years with no attention and had oxidized. I had added no extra k-meta and one of them the airlock was dry. I had put them there because the regular wine making area had no extra space at the time as I had a lot of beer fermenting. I was going to move them back after I finished the beer but plain forgot them. 

I also found 6 cases of bottled wine I forgot I had in the cabinets under the regular wine making area. I popped one open tonight, a 2006 Crushendo Super Tuscan and it was fantastic. Needless to say, I sat here tonight and did a lot of reminder alarms in my calendar program on the computer tonight so this will never happen again.


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## vcasey (Apr 1, 2010)

smurfe said:


> Needless to say, I sat here tonight and did a lot of reminder alarms in my calendar program on the computer tonight so this will never happen again.



With all that I have going and in so many different stages, I have a checklist and reminders in my calendar as well. Most of my monthly wine work gets done at the first of the month, airlocks checked, SO2 checked, etc. A simple monthly "TO DO" list that I've printed and posted helps also.


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## fivebk (Apr 1, 2010)

My wife made me some drawstring blankets to slide over the carboys and draw tight around the neck. they are made out of fleece so they do double duty. One they help insulate keeping temps more constant and two they keep all sunlight away from the wine.

BOB


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## AlFulchino (Apr 1, 2010)

Mike..let me know what stand alone ac unit you decide on..i am also in the market for one


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## ibglowin (Apr 1, 2010)

This one at Costco looks interesting. The problem with the stand alone units seems to be higher cost compared to a window unit, noise since the whole thing sits in the room and poor cooling compared to a window unit.

I have a window and could install this one from Amazon as well. Its MUCH cheaper and seems to be getting good reviews. Only problem is the installation. I have a slider window that slides from left to right and not up an down making the install more difficult or next to impossible unless I put in a new window as well.

Decisions, decisions.........


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## Goodfella (Apr 2, 2010)

What do you guys think about these units compared to the ones designed specifically for cellars? 


The cellar units are very expensive, and many of them have poor reviews.... But i'm sure some are great, but worth the money????


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## Jack on Rainy (Apr 3, 2010)

smurfe said:


> I would like to add as well that when you store them away to bulk age, REMEMBER them! I just dumped 3 carboys of pretty expensive kits (all Mosti All Juice kits, one a Meglioli) that I had stuck in the closet of the utility room and forgot all about them until I found them yesterday. They have been there a good 2+ years with no attention and had oxidized. I had added no extra k-meta and one of them the airlock was dry. I had put them there because the regular wine making area had no extra space at the time as I had a lot of beer fermenting. I was going to move them back after I finished the beer but plain forgot them.
> 
> I also found 6 cases of bottled wine I forgot I had in the cabinets under the regular wine making area. I popped one open tonight, a 2006 Crushendo Super Tuscan and it was fantastic. Needless to say, I sat here tonight and did a lot of reminder alarms in my calendar program on the computer tonight so this will never happen again.


Smurf, LOL'd when I read this. found a few cases stashed myself when I cleaned out the cellar a couple of months ago. BTW, I use old T shirts around the carboys. They used to be white....


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## Wine-O (Apr 13, 2010)

Smurf, how on earth can you forget about good wine that you slaved over??!!!


Where I bulk age my wine is in a wine cellar unit I bought for $1200 that holds 500 bottles. I took the bottom 4 shelves out and I can store 8 - 5 gallon carboys on the bottom shelf. The unit keeps my wine at 57 degrees and since I'm always looking in my unit I can't forget where I put my carboys!!(sorry Smurf, I couldn't resist!). I do have an older unit that holds 250 bottles and I can also store 4 carboys in there as well if need be.
Dave


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## robie (Apr 14, 2010)

Wine-O,

Wow, a unit like that might be a good investment in the long run. I wonder how much many of us will spend piece-milling it over a long period of time and in the end, end up with less than had we just spent the $1200 up front?

Tell us more about your unit. I'm interested.


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## toddrod (Nov 27, 2010)

I just use a 15gal SS beer keg


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## Randoneur (Nov 28, 2010)

Wine-O said:


> Smurf, how on earth can you forget about good wine that you slaved over??!!!
> 
> 
> Where I bulk age my wine is in a wine cellar unit I bought for $1200 that holds 500 bottles. I took the bottom 4 shelves out and I can store 8 - 5 gallon carboys on the bottom shelf. The unit keeps my wine at 57 degrees and since I'm always looking in my unit I can't forget where I put my carboys!!(sorry Smurf, I couldn't resist!). I do have an older unit that holds 250 bottles and I can also store 4 carboys in there as well if need be.
> Dave


I keep everything protected from light by putting a black heavy garbage bag over the carboy. I add about a 1/16 teaspoon of kmbs every month to the solution in the airlock to make sure there is gas in the airlock to sterilize any air that enters. I don't have too much problem with temp swings in my walkout basement. 


*I like wine-o's plan!!*


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## tonyt (Nov 28, 2010)

smurfe said:


> Needless to say, I sat here tonight and did a lot of reminder alarms in my calendar program on the computer tonight so this will never happen again.


What a great idea, I just learned how to use the calendar program in Outlook a few weeks ago. Am adding tons of wine reminders tonight, if I remember.


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## Rocky (Mar 26, 2011)

I keep the boxes that George ships the carboys and fermenters in and invert them over the wine in carboys while aging.


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## Robert123Carr (Mar 28, 2011)

I don't have anywhere to bulk age at 55 degrees. I do have a closet that is 68 to 70 degrees. Is this ok or would it be better to bottle and store in my wine cellar that hold 200 bottles?


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## grapeman (Mar 28, 2011)

How long has your wine been going? If it has only been a month, then yes, it would store OK in there for a month or two more. That will allow it to drop any remaining sediment before bottling. If it is a few months old and crystal clear then you could bottle now and store in the cooler.


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## Wade E (Mar 28, 2011)

You dont need 55* but more importantly a stable temp. 55* is best though.


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## Robert123Carr (Mar 28, 2011)

Appleman, I starting aging 1/10/11. The temp is really stable.


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