Making wine in the garage?

[Maverick24]

Hi All,

My question is if you think it would be ok to make wine in the garage even if there is approximately 10 cans of paint and a few quarts of oil in there as well.

I just bottled my first kit last month and am already addicted. I recently purchased a 15 gallon barrel, 50L keg, vinmetrica sc-300, etc so that I can make my first batch from fresh grapes next year.

I've acquired quite a bit of things and don't really have the room to continue making wine inside the house. Do you see anything wrong with making wine in the two car garage even though it may be shared with some chemicals? I just wasn't sure if somehow they could transmit in the air to my wine

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Runningwolf]

The garage is fine but the way you're going you're going to need a new building in the back yard!

 

[Maverick24]

Thanks Dan! Unrelated question, but I'm sure you'll have the answer...

I picked up my french oak barrel today from Artisan Barrels and it's still in plastic wrap. Do I need to hydrate it now and start burning sulfur in it, or can I wait around 6 months and open/hydrate just prior to filling it up?

 

[NorCal]

Garage wineries rock! I have plenty of paints and solvents that share the garage, I just make sure I don't mix them

 

[oldwino54]

where you parking that good lookin Mustang???

 

[Runningwolf]

Do not unwrap out remove the bung yet. A few days before using them, full them with hit water. Empty them and fill with your wine when ready. I usually empty and fill the next day. Keep a solid bung on it the entire time until you add the wine then use an air lock. After mlf I go back to a solid bung.

 

[NorCal]

where you parking that good lookin Mustang???

Unfortunately there was not space for the two hobbies at the same time.

 

[Tenbears]

Before I built my winery and cellars I made mead all over this farm the barn, the garage, the basement of my studio. I cold stabilized out side in mid winter. I have been seen luging full carboys down the road on hand trucks. Back in those day I never made a bad mead. At least I did not know it. Do what you can, and enjoy!

 

[vacuumpumpman]

Unfortunately there was not space for the two hobbies at the same time.

I am glad you have your priorities in the proper order -

 

[Maverick24]

Thanks for all the replies. Glad to hear that I can use the garage. Gives me a lot of room for expansion!

 

[jamesjr]

I have a similar question but I live in central fl. Which we do NOT have stable weather especially this time of year 12 hours ago it was in the 80's now its in the upper 40's ( im quessing but im freezing) any way my girl wants her kitchen back and I have two sheds with no insulation or temp control would I be able to have a successful ferment in there? It was also help me to not drink all my wine before the 3rd rack lol

 

[JohnT]

I have a similar question but I live in central fl. Which we do NOT have stable weather especially this time of year 12 hours ago it was in the 80's now its in the upper 40's ( im quessing but im freezing) any way my girl wants her kitchen back and I have two sheds with no insulation or temp control would I be able to have a successful ferment in there? It was also help me to not drink all my wine before the 3rd rack lol

For Florida environmental control is your biggest hurdle. I would convert a guest bedroom or take over your wife's sewing room. Make it an all over part of your "Man Cave" plan....

 

[jamesjr]

Lol I wish my wife is 4foot 10 inches of Italian furry

 

[TomC]

Lol I wish my wife is 4foot 10 inches of Italian furry

I don't think you will advance your cause by telling the Wine Making Talk world that you have a "FURRY" wife. An Italian "fury" or not; she is not going to be happy. Upgrades to a shed may be needed as you could possibly be sleeping there for awhile.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

Take a look at what NorCal did -
http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f6/making-wine-garage-47923/

I hope you have a attached garage ?

 

[JohnT]

I don't think you will advance your cause by telling the Wine Making Talk world that you have a "FURRY" wife. An Italian "fury" or not; she is not going to be happy. Upgrades to a shed may be needed as you could possibly be sleeping there for awhile.

Well, If she is Italian, then what could be more important than Wine??? the only correct food (other than God and Family) is food. I am with her on moving out of the kitchen, but would draw the line at moving out of the house or into a shed/garage. Surely, there must be some space in the house that you could take over???

 

[jamesjr]

She's an Italian from outer space that doesn't even like red sauce lol i love her to death though. And we actually dont have a big space we sold our old house and moved out in the sticks with more property less house. So that's a no go on the spare room and for the shed it to much of a temp change daily?. She's wanting an office built on for our business im thinking i can get that and set up a sink and some shelf space. That's some time a way though.

 

[JohnT]

She's an Italian from outer space that doesn't even like red sauce lol i love her to death though. And we actually dont have a big space we sold our old house and moved out in the sticks with more property less house. So that's a no go on the spare room and for the shed it to much of a temp change daily?. She's wanting an office built on for our business im thinking i can get that and set up a sink and some shelf space. That's some time a way though.

I would have you know that I (gladly) lived with my in-laws for a year and it was all because I could not find the right house to suit my winemaking needs. No kidding, a year! I had a wife and a realtor that both wanted to kill me. The in-laws didn't mind too much as they liked winemaking as much as I.


If you are building a new room, the cost of adding just a couple more square feet is negligible!!!! I would look into at least adding a small space to do your winemaking. Is it too much for a man to ask for just a couple of square feet to himself???? I think not!

 

[richmke]

Not hard to modify a shed by adding insulation and a window a/c unit. Running electricity to the shed could be a problem.

 

[jamesjr]

Lol ya I wasn't into making wine when we got this house I was into breeding dogs and raising livestock but I think I can manage a few extra sq feet out of her and the one shed I have isnt worth insulting in my opinion it doesn't have but maybe 5 yrs left in . It then my other two sheds one is livestock oriented and the other is packed with deep freezers