bag in a box

[globalnavigator]

Has anyone used bags for their finished wine? Example - I bulk age a top-end wine kit for a year. At bottling, I bottle a dozen or two for 1 year+ additional ageing, and place the remaining wine into 1.5 liter, or other size, bags for consumption over the course of a year.

According to a manufacturer:

Bag in box delivers outstanding product preservation with up to 12 month shelf life. Bag-in-box maintains freshness and taste by protecting the wine from contact with oxygen while delivering high quality flavor in every glass. Consumers can expect fresh wine from 4 – 6 weeks after opening.

Here's a link to a retail outlet. Although it's out of the country, I'm sure there are US sellers as well.

 

[bkisel]

I don't but I'm interested in the concept.

How difficult would those bags be to fill without purchasing expensive equipment?

 

[cmason1957]

Our friend (and second place to look for anything Amazon, first being great god Google) sells these. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FI55VLO/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

It looks like the bags, boxes and such are about $30 for carboy sized bags, cheaper for smaller. The filler looks to be about $10. It might be nice for a big party where everyone was drinking the same thing, but I think I'd rather open up the whole wine cellar and say have it, you get a cab sauv, you get chardonnay, you get skeeter pee, etc.

 

[globalnavigator]

I don't but I'm interested in the concept.

How difficult would those bags be to fill without purchasing expensive equipment?

It looks like you just siphon the wine in, screw on the spout, and press out the air.

https://www.brew2bottle.co.uk/blog/2011/01/17/bag-box-hassle-wine-dispensing/

 

[globalnavigator]

Our friend (and second place to look for anything Amazon, first being great god Google) sells these. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FI55VLO/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

It looks like the bags, boxes and such are about $30 for carboy sized bags, cheaper for smaller. The filler looks to be about $10. It might be nice for a big party where everyone was drinking the same thing, but I think I'd rather open up the whole wine cellar and say have it, you get a cab sauv, you get chardonnay, you get skeeter pee, etc.

I see they also sell 1.5L bags. That size would be a perfect complement to 750ml bottles. "Opening" a bag that size between me and my wife won't last that long.
It works for a party as well. If someone only drinks a glass or two of a certain wine, I won't have an open glass bottle of wine sitting around - that would require me to either toss it, or, gulp, drink it myself in a day or two

Thanks for the heads-up for Astrapouch!

 

[bkisel]

I don't but I'm interested in the concept.

How difficult would those bags be to fill without purchasing expensive equipment?

To answer my own questions... https://astrapouch-na.com/video/astrofill_100.html?iframe=true&width=650&height=380

 

[balatonwine]

https://astrapouch-na.com/video/astrofill_100.html?iframe=true&width=650&height=380

That they sell a small filling tool is really interesting. Something to consider. Thanks for the link.

 

[marino]

I just read yesterday that the bags are more oxygen permeable than bottles by quite a bit. I bought 4x5L bags but know that won't be using these for long term storage. Or maybe I'll put port in then and see how oxidation works?

 

[sour_grapes]

To answer my own questions... https://astrapouch-na.com/video/astrofill_100.html?iframe=true&width=650&height=380

This makes absolutely no difference to anything, but two things cracked me up about that video.

He makes a huge deal about filling the wine to the correct level. Evidently, this is aimed at commercial wineries, where being nearly exact on the amount of wine you actually give the customer is required (by law).

Accordingly, he has you correct for the specific gravity of the wine. However, for this Paso Robles Sauvignon Blanc, he uses a SG figure of 1.050. That would be one sweet Sauv Blanc!

Then, as he fills the bag while weighing it, he reminds us that, per TTB rules, you have to be within 1%. He stops filling the bag, a bit short of his target, but tells us that he is within the TTB-mandated 1%. However, according to the number he gave us, he was 3% shy of his target.

(Oh, well, at least mistakes #1 and #2 essentially cancel!)

 

[bkisel]

This makes absolutely no difference to anything, but two things cracked me up about that video.

He makes a huge deal about filling the wine to the correct level. Evidently, this is aimed at commercial wineries, where being nearly exact on the amount of wine you actually give the customer is required (by law).

Accordingly, he has you correct for the specific gravity of the wine. However, for this Paso Robles Sauvignon Blanc, he uses a SG figure of 1.050. That would be one sweet Sauv Blanc!

Then, as he fills the bag while weighing it, he reminds us that, per TTB rules, you have to be within 1%. He stops filling the bag, a bit short of his target, but tells us that he is within the TTB-mandated 1%. However, according to the number he gave us, he was 3% shy of his target.

(Oh, well, at least mistakes #1 and #2 essentially cancel!)

Wow, I'm impressed by your critique of the video. I didn't pick up on any of that stuff.

 

[sour_grapes]

Wow, I'm impressed by your critique of the video. I didn't pick up on any of that stuff.

Glad you were impressed. Upon second reading of my critique, I am almost embarrassed by the niggling!

 

[bkisel]

Glad you were impressed. Upon second reading of my critique, I am almost embarrassed by the niggling!

Niggling? I thought I knew niggling until moving to PA a few years ago... One of the friends I've made since moving here is a retired Nuclear Plant QC Inspector. Let us just say that Bob adds new meaning to the word.

 

[sour_grapes]

Niggling? I thought I knew niggling until moving to PA a few years ago... One of the friends I've made since moving here is a retired Nuclear Plant QC Inspector. Let us just say that Bob adds new meaning to the word.

Nice! I think we want that in a Nuclear Plant QC Inspector!

Perhaps not to that extent, but it is an occupational hazard for me, too. We are trained to always look for errors. Not in a mean way, but just as a way to do the checks you can.

 

[dcbrown73]

Says for storage up to 12 months.

For me, I think that would only include my fruit wines which generally drink more openly than my grape wines.

I try to hid my grape wines so I don't drink them up too quickly!

 

[balatonwine]

He makes a huge deal about filling the wine to the correct level. Evidently, this is aimed at commercial wineries, where being nearly exact on the amount of wine you actually give the customer is required (by law).

It is not difficult to use a prior fill fixed volume reservoir then gravity feed wine into the pouch. So was not even sure why he filled by weight... But it is his video not mine and it does give a method most anyone can use (as most anyone has a scale).

But, even so, I am sure even a small commercial winery will mostly consider using their $2,700 machine with volume level for resale bags, not so much the little $200 one in the video.

https://astrapouch-na.com/video/astrofill_1000.html?iframe=true&width=650&height=380

But even I found the little unit to load up bags for demos or give aways really something to consider. Easier to carry to events, conferences, potential clients, etc than bottles. And then exact volumes are not so important.

Then, as he fills the bag while weighing it, he reminds us that, per TTB rules, you have to be within 1%. He stops filling the bag, a bit short of his target, but tells us that he is within the TTB-mandated 1%. However, according to the number he gave us, he was 3% shy of his target.

You are correct that, didactically, this is sub optimal.

But I think this is more an example of not wanting to bore the video audience with micromanaging the method in the video, just claim to do as I say not as I do, and then move more quickly to the rest of the demo.

Let's just say the videos were clearly not made by video professional consultants. But I don't mind that. If they were too slick, and polished, I would probably not trust them.

 

[balatonwine]

I am almost embarrassed by the niggling!

Naw. Don't be. Who amongst us who has not niggled a video for the errors we see therein should throw the first camera at you. Trust me, you are safe from harm.

 

[Johnd]

I am almost embarrassed by the niggling!

Personally, I quite enjoy your niggling.........