# Bottle Drying Rack



## BrianD (Apr 26, 2007)

I had an "Ah Ha!!"




moment while contemplating buying a bottle tree or building a drying rack out of plywood. I was thrilled when I tried inserting a bottle and found out that it really worked! The child safety gate is too low for our flying miniature dachshund, anyway. And it easily holds 30 bottles. 

EDIT: I refer to this now as the Derm-O-Matic Bottle Dryer....












So, here's how I spent my night. First, I sent my assistant, Roomba, on a search and destroy mission on the kitchen floor after I had cleaned off the countertops and wiped them down with sanitizer. While Roomba was going, I grabbed my FIRST BATCH OF WINE, my 'Graduation Day Pinot Noir', that was hiding behind my newer Welch's and Peach wines in the utility closet. Note that I added four square peel-and-stick vinyl floor tiles to my small aging area to hopefully elminate carboy fractures.






I racked to a primary with a spigot, so that I could add the optional K Meta and then bottle using the spigot. I can't imagine not doing it that way now, it made it so easy.

About an hour later, 1,2,3,4,5.....30!






And then another 35 minutes (notice it's now 12:45am), I was finished except for the cleanup. Notice that I'm not having any real consistency with the corking. Some are recessed nicely, but quite a few are sticking out a bit from the bottle. This was done using a double lever hand corker. There doesn't seem to be much rhyme or reason to how they turn out....I tried my best to be steady and consistent.







I'm very happy with the whole experience. Thanks to all that offered advice along the way, both on the forum and off.


Brian

*Edited by: BrianD *


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## grapeman (Apr 26, 2007)

I like the idea. The legs you "made" are a great touch. 
As you get more experience bottling and corking, things should even out. I did buy a floor corker to eliminate the uneven corks in the end. I had trouble like you but others use them just fine.


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## Crashtest (Apr 26, 2007)

Clever Brian. I'm a fan of "use what you have".


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## NorthernWinos (Apr 26, 2007)

Hello Crashtest...welcome...stay awhile.


I too like Brian's idea....I am kind of a use what you have person too....anything that can double duty is a real keeper....


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## grapeman (Apr 26, 2007)

Welcome Crashtest! Give us a little history of your winemaking endeavors. This is a friendly place to learn and share with others.


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## Crashtest (Apr 26, 2007)

Well thanks. I'm lucky to live close to George's shop and I started with a sparkling cider, quickly went to mead (did 22 gallons when I bought a 5 of orange blossom honey out of California), have done a few batches of a Peach Apricot that I adapted from C.J.J. Berry's First Steps in Winemaking that are made from canned peaches, I put a little canned apricot in, and it has malt extract too. I like that one because it's just too funny (the last batch is well over 17% because I used EC 1118). I've also done a couple of red kits. Those are nice and I need to get another going. The first was the Vieux Chateau du Roi and the second was a Valpolicella, both pretty nice. I'm a scooter rider and I like to have a little something to share at scooter parties, campouts, rallies, etc., plus they're nice gifts. I'll sometimes scooter by and drop a bottle off at one of my friends. That's where I'm at right now. I did register once but couldn't find what my username was, so I just re-registered with my scooter forums ID. 


Hey George, I'll be swinging by to see you soon again! I'm thinking another Valpolicella.


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## Wade E (Apr 26, 2007)

Welcome Crash, I hope you dont call yourself that because you do that!


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## rgecaprock (Apr 26, 2007)

BrianD, Ingenious idea. That will be easier than pulling them off the bottle tree.


Crashtest,,,,,,,Welcome to you and BrianD to this fine forum.


Ramona


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## Wade E (Apr 26, 2007)

Hey Brian, now if you can only keep the kids from falling down the stairs while the bottles are drying!


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## BrianD (Apr 26, 2007)

wade said:


> Hey Brian, now if you can only keep the kids from falling down the stairs while the bottles are drying!



I'm glad my new dog fell asleep and left me alone during the bottling. I was afraid I'd need the gate to keep him out of the kitchen. He's what they call a "velcro" dog when it comes to me.

A bottle tree would still be nice, but now it can be a birthday gift instead of such a necessity. 

Brian


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## Crashtest (Apr 27, 2007)

Up in the top photos I see you used 5 wine bottles to hold the rack up. Here's how I used 2 once to hold up the back of my scooter while changing the rear wheel.


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## BrianD (Apr 27, 2007)

Well that falls under 'reduce, REUSE, recycle', doesn't it?





Kind of like the designer Carlo Rossi jug wine couch, lamp, etc... on their web site. Of course, we have a better use for the Carlo Rossi jugs. Small batches!


Brian


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