No Cellar…..Storage Options?

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A point of view after a few decades in Houston;
* A non controlled area sitting on a concrete slab will be close to ambient, for me to get 60F I put up a foam wall shed with window AC. Do not expect 50F on the ground.
* I use my under the stairs for storage. I like the spot but for conditioned space insulating will be more work. A refrigerator has about 1.5 inch foam in place, this is good enough. Yes my sample shed was 4” but it sat outside on a slab.
* your number one need is to moderate temperature swings, a constant 75F will be better than swings from 70 at night to 90 in the day. You could reduce the effect with a tight, low mg oxygen per year bottle seal. ie Off the shelf, natural corks breath creating oxidation.
* with green or brown glass bottles one can mostly ignore light. With clear glass the UV from grocery store lights will have tasteable effects over a year.
* Your local AC vendor will have good ideas. They may not have done wine but temperature is an issue on a lot of food products.

My question is how important is this hobby? Are you willing to give up a room? In the ideal you would also run a controlled temp fermentation area. At the minimum size up only long term storage cases with something looking like a fridge.
Part of a wine cellar is display. This means 3’ aisles.

Oxidation will happen even in a freezer. Looking at how to use antioxidants like tannins and free SO2 is a good use of energy. Also head space, oxygen exposure in racking, ,,, “total package oxygen “.
Right now it’s just that……a hobby. I’m looking to store the wine just long enough to have good flavor and then the corks will be popped by myself or by family/friends I’m sure.

I should have thought about the amber bottles, we use the same color bottle for sampling of petroleum distillates at work. All my bottles will be stored inside, roughly 74 in summer and 69-70 in winter, so temps should be fairly stable. Sounds like I may be able to get away with a wine rack in an interior room if it’s not directly in front of a window perhaps? I’m not making 5 gallon batches or barrels, only 1 gallon at a time, and maybe 1 batch every 2 weeks if I have time.
 
Well this is interesting; I do like the low vapor transmission on brown caps with foil.
I should have thought about the amber bottles, we use the same color bottle for sampling of petroleum distillates at work.
The sun issue is heat causes expansion followed be contraction. This can be several mg per year with natural cork. The best food barrier is the aluminum screw cap at under.1mg oxygen per year. (but not hobby equipment)
You are leading me to reminisce about driving I10 and smelling the air. The QA folk could drive I10 and say oh they are making NN today. On a more positive I really like blackened red fish. Can’t find it here.
 

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