# carboy covers



## sangwitch (Jan 12, 2007)

quick and easycarboy cover... take an old t-shirt, snip the collar and thread a cord through the hole all the way around the neck. Then slip the t-shirt onto the carboy and draw the neck closed with the cord. I would take a pic of the one I made if I could find my camera.


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## smurfe (Jan 12, 2007)

I do sort of the same except I don't do anything to the shirt. I just throw it over the carboy. I bunch the fabric up at the neck and call it good. Never thought about running a string through the neck. Good idea though.


Smurfe


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## grapeman (Jan 12, 2007)

I just take the t-shirt by the collar, fold it over and put a clothes pin on it to hold the collar tight against the 'boy neck.


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## masta (Jan 12, 2007)

I just shut the light off...


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## sangwitch (Jan 13, 2007)

ok, so maybe the cord is overkill




my wife was discussing howshe wouldsew one up and the t-shirt idea popped into my head and I ran with it.


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## masta (Jan 13, 2007)

It is a great idea sang and whatever works for you to keep the light away is the main thing.


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## sangwitch (Jan 13, 2007)

yea the t-shirt part is, but I think I'll go with appleman's clothes pin modification rather than threading the cord! 


Until my wife sews up some fancy ones of course. There's something in the joy of making your own thangs.


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## Waldo (Jan 14, 2007)

This seller on e-bay has several sizes and colors sang..maybe your wife could get an idea of how to make one from these
http://cgi.ebay.com/Carboy-Cover-6-Gallon-Purple-Corks-Beer-Brewing-Wine_W0QQitemZ180074689380QQihZ008QQcategoryZ38172QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


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## Wade E (Jan 14, 2007)

Thats pretty cool Waldo.


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## jcnoren (Jan 14, 2007)

*Edited by: jcnoren *


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## jcnoren (Jan 14, 2007)

OK i figured out how to upload a picture but was unable to then insert dialog. Here is a easy carboy cover. If you look on the left you will see a rectangular piece of fabric that basically was folded in half and stitched along one edge. The botton edge was turned under and the top edge was folded and stitched to create a casting (something to hold in this case a draw string OR an elastic could have been used). 


Easy....and it works. Waldo I like the one you located, it is more sculptured form fitting, less fabric... will give that one a go.


JC


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## Wade E (Jan 14, 2007)

Very nice jc. Dont use airlocks huh?


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## jcnoren (Jan 14, 2007)

Yes I do use airlocks, those carboys were not in use at the time, a situation which I have since corrected.



JC *Edited by: jcnoren *


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## Wade E (Jan 14, 2007)

Ok, thats great. I like the way the purple blends in to the comforter
or whatever that is behind it. Maybe someone should make these out of
camou so as that people do not see what we have going!



Stealth wine!


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## jcnoren (Jan 14, 2007)

Under the blanket houses my primary pail with must in it and heater along side to keep it nice and warm. JC


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## jcnoren (Jan 14, 2007)

You will note, I start my primary pail on the highest platform I have in this case an old filing cabinet. When it is time to move the wine from the primary to the secondary I place my carboy where the heater is on a(old dresser).When the secondary carboy needs to be transfered to another carboy, the next carboy is placed onto the inverted crock pot below the old dresser. I onlylift my must/wine once, to get itinto the primary. Iutilize gravity after that,no lifting easy on the back. 


The food saver on the freezer is what I use to degass. 


Not pretty but it works



JC*Edited by: jcnoren *


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## NorthernWinos (Jan 14, 2007)

jcnoren said:


> Easy....and it works.  Waldo I like the one you located, it is more sculptured form fitting, less fabric... will give that one a go.
> 
> JC



Actually the form fitting ones take up more fabric, you have to make two 'arc' shaped pieces to make the top part...a bit more tricky too....but they do look really nice.

I make mine like yours, quick and easy and they get the job done.


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## jcnoren (Jan 14, 2007)

[/QUOTE]
Actually the form fitting ones take up more fabric, you have to make two 'arc' shaped pieces to make the top part...a bit more tricky too....but they do look really nice. 

I make mine like yours, quick and easy and they get the job done.[/QUOTE] 


2 "arc" shaped pieces hmmm. I don't bother to line my carboy covers.I notice that the onein ebay staes it is lined. Waldo, do you still need 2 arc shaped pieces if you don't line it? I am thinking that yep you still need to.JC*Edited by: jcnoren *


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## NorthernWinos (Jan 14, 2007)

Here are some that a local brewing supply catalog sell...they are about $20 US funds plus shipping...we know we can make them for a whole lot less than that.

I made mine with decorator fabric that a friend gave me, it was just a remnant, made as many as I could with that peice...The decorator fabrics are heavier, but think they will shrink...so I'll be needing some 3 and 5 gallon carboys after I wash them...I am a bad one for not washing fabric before I sew something...


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## Waldo (Jan 15, 2007)

As I don't wear tee shirts, it was a quick trip to the Family Dollar Store for me and $12.00 later my carboys are all cozy in their new Fruit of The Loom black tee shirts. Now all I have to do is find some clothes pins and I am done.....Thanks sang for the great tip 



*Edited by: Waldo *


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## NorthernWinos (Jan 15, 2007)

That's quite a gang of 'boys' you got there waldo, all decked out in their black tees....


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## masta (Jan 15, 2007)

"Men in Black"


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## sangwitch (Jan 15, 2007)

I was fine with the t-shirts, but my wife went to the fabric store saturday morning and purchased some supplies to make covers. She left the house with a fever and borderline hallucinations, but had it in her head to make something so there was no stopping her. I'm sure everyone here can relate. 
I like the idea of a drawstring rather than the elastic top because I think it will be easier to get over the airlock.The wife alsothought of a little twist, which I will post when she's done making one.


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## NorthernWinos (Jan 15, 2007)

I have been thinking about the carboy covers...I just use a drawstring through the top hem....

I like the form fitting ones in one of the photos that was posted eariler....that one had a seam at the shoulder area and it looked like two arc shaped pieces sewn to make the shoulders form fitting.

My tiny little brain has figured that if you turn the cover inside out and put it over the carboy....mark the shoulder area...then 'nip and tuck'...from the shoulder area and sew some darts up to the neck opening...You would have to make several darts all the way around ...

I will try to draw this out on a paper, scan and Post it later today...I am still thinking...


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## NorthernWinos (Jan 15, 2007)

Okay, here are my sketches on how to make a form fitting carboy cover without having to do the arc shaped pieces for the shoulder part of the carboy...this should work...

[hope they come through for some of you]

don't know if they make any sense, 

or if they will help anyone...

....but I tried...





Edit....seems the sketches were replaced with another photo...so I deleted them
*Edited by: Northern Winos *


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## sangwitch (Jan 15, 2007)

thanks NW. I'm going to show that to the wife when she gets up.


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## OGrav (Jan 16, 2007)

Has anyone ever thought of turtleneck sweaters? I've done some cold tours so I had some lying around with zipper necks. Easy to install, remove, kind of thick so they offer some insulation and protection. I guess anything would work. Anybody come up with protection for the bottles, or are they stacked so close you don't really worry about it anymore? I just bottled some cranberry wine, that is a beautiful soft red and I don't want to lose the color.


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## jcnoren (Jan 16, 2007)

I was thinking the exact same thing....nurtleneck sweaters. 


Covers for bottles other than gift bags no, I think they are stacked close enough covering is not necessary (I am assuming you store you bottled wine in a dark cool area). 


JC


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## OGrav (Jan 24, 2007)

No, the wife wants to display them proudly on the kitchen counter. One of those decorating things, you see. Probably in light about 15 hours a day. I see a lot of nice wine racks, but it seems like everyone has them displayed pretty prominently. I didn't know if the sheets come out when they are not being shown off.


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## jcnoren (Jan 24, 2007)

My concern would be storage temperature. If you have them out 15 hours a day... I don't display my wine, I keep it in a room where I can regulate the temperature and light (rather keeping it out of the light) conditions. My inlaws have a nice looking wine rack in their living room but no longer keep wine in it because the temp and light was a consern.

JC


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## Johnd (Aug 17, 2015)

OK, so I thought I was being original until I searched for carboy covers before uploading this photo, seems I'm 8 years late. At any rate, my wife bought some kids medium black tees, cut off the sleeves, sewed the holes shut and embroidered the fronts. They make some pretty good covers and look nice too.


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## wineforfun (Aug 17, 2015)

Those are very cool looking. I like the embroidery.
I have to ask, what is the reason for keeping the carboys covered?


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## Johnd (Aug 17, 2015)

Thanks, wish I could take the credit, the better half did all of the talented work. 
For my purposes, they are to limit as much as possible, exposure to light. I have no basement and keep my carboys in the best air conditioned part of my home during the summer (south Louisiana), where there happens to be a fair amount of light. Excessive exposure to light can affect the color retention of the wine.
Once bottled, things get better, into a dark, refrigerated wine storage cellar for aging.


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## JohnT (Aug 18, 2015)

Really cool. 

Years ago, my wife knitted a pink "carboy cozy". I only used it once and I could just taste the embarrassment and humiliation in the resulting wine. Yours are much more befitting.


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## olusteebus (Aug 18, 2015)

I would like to employ carpet material as covers. I would like to fold it in a manner so that there is carpet on the bottom bot also the sides well protected. I believe it could easily be done. After banging my carbons two times last week, I feel a need to do that soon

I might could hot glue the sides but sewing it would be better. If I do that I will share the design for a small fee ok, maybe not real small. I do need to finance my winemaking.


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