# Wine room - must haves, nice to haves??



## homesteader26 (Feb 21, 2015)

So i have been making wine from fruit and grapes for about 6 months. While I wait for those to be ready I've been making DB and SP. I just purchased a few kits to get more wine in the "to enjoy down the road" pipeline. So DH says to me today that he could make a subbasement area a dedicated wine room for me to rack and bulk age my wines. I didn't think it would be worth having if I don't have water and sink and he says he can do that with large sink/and 6 ft counter space (insert giddy face here!!). So my question is what are the must haves like sink/counter and what are the gee that would be nice to have if you were building such a room. The space is about 12 ft x 12 ft and the temperature in the dead of our NE winter still remains about 50. Is that too cold for storage/aging? I would ferment inside like I have been doing but once racked into secondary would go there. Thoughts suggestions welcome!! Thanks!!


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## richmke (Feb 21, 2015)

I would want cabinets or shelves to store the AIO and other equipment.
Electrical for the AIO.
Something above the sink to hang tubing to dry out.

Ideally, you would want a stainless steel counter that has edges and drains into the sink. A suspended sprayer to make it easier to clean pails.
Something like this:


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## dralarms (Feb 21, 2015)

I want one of those sprayers. I set mine up in a 10 by 20 building (6 ft decated to storage) I got a utility sink, 10 ft counter space with cabinets underneath. Freezer, and 2 carts where my wine resides while making. I do have an electric hoist to move carboys from counter top to cart, cart to counter top, and counter top to floor for bottling. I do have the all in one and can not imagine doing this with out it.

If you would like pictures I can take some.


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## dralarms (Feb 21, 2015)

Found me a faucet. I'm ordering it next week.


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## Arne (Feb 22, 2015)

A peg board is really nice to hang some of your equipment on. A small refrigerator to keep your chemicals, yeast, and maybe even a beer or two in. Bottle trees are great todry your bottles after washing. If you have a floor corker, maybe a stand so you don't have to bend to the floor to place the bottle on it. Install plenty of lights, makes it easy to find whatever has dropped to the floor. And the list goes on and on. Now we have your 12X12 room filled so you can't turn around in it. Maybe time to add on, lol, Arne.


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## mike_d (Feb 22, 2015)

A dry erase board.


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## Turock (Feb 22, 2015)

You can also do this without spending a ton of money on fancy items. You can buy some low-end cabinets at the Big Box store and add a pre-made laminate countertop. A microwave is nice to have for dissolving sugar for backsweetening. A double tub with a pullout sprayer--handy for cleaning vats. 

Our wine area is almost like a kitchen. When the kitchen was remodeled, we brought all the old cabinets to the winery. Base cabinets give you lots of storage space.


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## dralarms (Feb 22, 2015)

Yes, I got my cabinets from home depot, they had a 20% off sale, and 2 of mine were "damaged", minor crap but no the less they took another 30 bucks off the 2 giving me an extra 60.00 discount.


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## homesteader26 (Feb 22, 2015)

*Dralarms - hoist?*

Dralarms Yes, I would love to see your set up! The hoist idea sounds AMAZING!  I struggle with the 5 gallon glass carboys when they are full - one shoulder I have a rotator cuff injury and the other arm I have a tricep injury (nursing injuries - hazards of the trade!). 

The idea of raising the floor corker so I don't have to bend - YES!! Super idea that puppy will be mounted or raised!

The spray washer and stainless steel counter are beautiful - not sure I will get a stainless counter (he already has the counter) but the sink for certain and the spray washer seem like must haves!!

Electricity will not be a problem (he is an electrician) but the small fridge I did not think of nice to have a "cold one" handy or perhaps yes, just to keep my yeast fresh!

I do need bottle trees - leaning those bottles up to drain/dry them is already growing old!

AIO Richmke? I'm not sure what that is ....  

Am I forgetting anything important?? Temperature - will the room be too cool in the winter at 50 degrees ?? He says we can put a small heater in for the extreme cold days if we had to. Thoughts on temp??


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## mike_d (Feb 22, 2015)

homesteader26 said:


> AIO Richmke? I'm not sure what that is ....



That's the All-in-One wine pump.

As for bottle trees, mount a couple 2x4's to the wall, and drive some long screws or sturdy nails into it at a downward angle, and you have a wall mounted bottle "tree".


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## homesteader26 (Feb 22, 2015)

*All in one pump*

I just watched the video for the all in one wine pump and that has now moved up to the first thing on my I MUST HAVE list! lol Just yesterday I told DH that I would like an oak barrel for Mother's Day but this wine pump has now nudged the barrel out! I can wait for my birthday for the barrel 

This is exactly why I posted this thread - I need to know what I NEED!


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## dralarms (Feb 22, 2015)

My hoist set up.


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## dralarms (Feb 22, 2015)

My storage area.


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## dralarms (Feb 22, 2015)

My work space


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## dralarms (Feb 22, 2015)

And my mobile carboys


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## dralarms (Feb 22, 2015)

I did a panoramic picture but it must not have saved. I have a freezer, and a sink across from the countertop.


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## dralarms (Feb 22, 2015)

The problem panoramic picture want to post sideways so if you want to see it pm me your email addy.


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## homesteader26 (Feb 22, 2015)

Wow Dralarms that is quite the set up!! Love it! I can see mine growing like that over the years - 6 months in and this hobby has quickly added up! I really like experimenting and the science behind it - hoping that when my wines are ready they are worth all this "work". 

I like how you have notes on each of your carboys! I am trying to figure out a good system for that and the scraps of paper I have been using I can see is a bad system. I just started putting all my notes in a notebook - but there is still a bit of question as to batches I have blended (such a noob!). 

Thank you for sharing your room!


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## dralarms (Feb 22, 2015)

I can send you my worksheet.


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## vacuumpumpman (Feb 22, 2015)

dralarms said:


> My work space



Very nice !! 
I would definitely like to have a setup like yours !!


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## homesteader26 (Feb 22, 2015)

I would like that! I just figured out how to do the pm thing. Thanks in advance for the worksheet!


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## Just-a-Guy (Feb 22, 2015)

Wow, dralarms, I'm jealous! 

I've just added "wine making room" to the functions served by my home office/bar/library/music room/hangout. Still working on it, but I built a shelf system basically using dimensions that would accommodate the AIO. I want to add a PVC tube about 6 inches tall next to the AIO for bottling, to put the bottle in so I can free up a hand when I don't have The Assistant Winemaker helping.

Big sink is in adjacent utility room, but I have a small sink in progress on my back bar in this room. Behind me out of the pic is also a cabinet I built to hold primary fermenters, which also has a built in propane burner. All this is still a work in progress.


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## vacuumpumpman (Feb 22, 2015)

homesteader26 said:


> I would like that! I just figured out how to do the pm thing. Thanks in advance for the worksheet!



Go to the persons avatar - and left click and it should have different options. Then click on the one that says send a private message - 

Send Gerald a Pm with your email and I"M sure he would then send you all the information that you requested for


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## terrymck (Feb 22, 2015)

Dralarms,

Is the cart carrying the carboys low enough from the counter top to bottle with an AIO?

Terry


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## dralarms (Feb 22, 2015)

terrymck said:


> Dralarms,
> 
> Is the cart carrying the carboys low enough from the counter top to bottle with an AIO?
> 
> Terry



Nope. I lower them to the floor.


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## TemperanceOwl (Feb 22, 2015)

dralarms said:


> My hoist set up.



Dralarms - that's an amazing setup!
One question about your hoist… is the tube it's mounted to held to the ceiling by something other than the four tiny screws that can be seen in the picture? That looks like a lot of weight but I don't see what's holding it up.


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## dralarms (Feb 22, 2015)

TemperanceOwl said:


> Dralarms - that's an amazing setup!
> One question about your hoist… is the tube it's mounted to held to the ceiling by something other than the four tiny screws that can be seen in the picture? That looks like a lot of weight but I don't see what's holding it up.



Those tiny screws are into studs and are 3 inches long. I picked up my 150 lb son with it to test it out.


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## homesteader26 (Feb 22, 2015)

Here is my space. Currently used for storage - going to change opening from outside to different wall and open it to the real basement which means it is a big project but DH has always wanted to connect real basement (pantry) to sub basement which only has access from outside. 



opening will be on side under window 

the last project I asked for was a chicken coop and this is what I got! Chicken tajmahall! Lol. Can't wait to see what he will make of this space!!


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## TemperanceOwl (Feb 22, 2015)

Oh wow! I LOVE your chicken coop! Can you send your DH over here when he's finished with your wine room? I'd like to see what he could make out of MY basement!


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## homesteader26 (Feb 22, 2015)

Lol temperanceowl he can be subbed out! Here is the other side of where the two rooms will connect - if you see the table that is standing upright in my previous post the two rooms will connect through that area once we have concrete broken through


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## Bergmann (Feb 22, 2015)

homesteader26 said:


> AIO Richmke? I'm not sure what that is ....



Now you know how the rest of the world feels... I am not quite sure if your Designated Hitter lives in Nebraska, or New England.


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## homesteader26 (Feb 22, 2015)

Touché Bergmann! Laugh out loud! (In case that was unclear as well). Lol


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## dralarms (Feb 22, 2015)

TemperanceOwl said:


> Dralarms - that's an amazing setup!
> One question about your hoist… is the tube it's mounted to held to the ceiling by something other than the four tiny screws that can be seen in the picture? That looks like a lot of weight but I don't see what's holding it up.



Oh, and I use a brew hauler around the carboy while using the hoist.


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## dralarms (Feb 22, 2015)

Oh, and the hoist can be used for other stuff too.

Here it is holding up a must bag for draining. I can squeeze the bag without having to try holding it out of the juice in the bucket.


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## dralarms (Feb 22, 2015)

Need a sideway picture fix before the juice runs out.


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## Bergmann (Feb 22, 2015)

homesteader26 said:


> I just watched the video for the all in one wine pump and that has now moved up to the first thing on my I MUST HAVE list! lol Just yesterday I told DH that I would like an oak barrel for Mother's Day but this wine pump has now nudged the barrel out! I can wait for my birthday for the barrel
> 
> This is exactly why I posted this thread - I need to know what I NEED!



A wine pump is defiantly a must have as far as I am concerned. Unless you only make 10 or 15 gallons a year. Efficient, time saving, clean and sanitary racking all in one. As well as the ability to effortlessly degas.


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## Arne (Feb 23, 2015)

If you put your floor corker up higher, make sure you wear safety glasses when you use it. I had a chunk pop out of a bottle once when putting the cork in. I suspect the bottle had a bad spot in it, but made a believer out of me. Be careful and have fun. Arne.


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## Boatboy24 (Feb 23, 2015)

Love your setup, @dralarms . But why anyone would need that much storage space for empty carboys is just beyond my comprehension.


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## dralarms (Feb 23, 2015)

Boatboy24 said:


> Love your setup, @dralarms . But why anyone would need that much storage space for empty carboys is just beyond my comprehension.





My problem is not enough space for full ones. 

I wanted enough rack space to store all my carboys if I needed to.


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