The Barking Dog "Cellar"

[ssteph2747]

Hey all, I'm new to winemaking - got a kit for X-mas, so we've (of course) gone crazy and started collecting all sorts of stuff. We're going to call ourselves The Barking Dog Winery ('course we're not selling, just for labels and such), since my dogs are notorious for their uncontrollable barking.

Thought I'd attach some pictures for fun - we found a 5 shelf rack at Wal-Mart for $47, and bought some wood ($20) to stabilize the shelves so it could hold more weight. We got the 100 bottle William & Sonoma wine rack off Craigslist for $80 bucks, and our "racking station" is an old Ikea dresser (we keep the tubes, etc. in the drawers).

We're working on putting dark curtains up to protect the wine, since the wine rack is right by a window. We've shoved the primary fermenter in the closet (since it's stinky!), but I think we may have to move the bottle rack in their too. We have a space heater and A/C window unit to temperature control the room.

 

[xanxer82]

That's a nice setup you have there.

 

[Green Mountains]

Yup, you've got the bug.

It all looks good....welcome aboard.

 

[Wade E]

Time to get some smaller bungs and airlocks also to replace those balloons. Looks nice!

 

[Dufresne11]

Very nice

I am jealous of the space you have.

 

[AlFulchino]

yep, this guy has the bug.....next year he will be stucco-ing the walls, tile on the floor....music....a bistro table....his wife will always know where to find him

 

[TeamKA]

Very nice =)

 

[rawlus]

instead of darkening the room you can just put a dark pillowcase over the carboys - cut a small hole in the bottom of the pillowcase for the neck of the bottle to go through.
your setup looks good!

 

[ssteph2747]

Thanks everyone!! My HUSBAND does know where to find me - I take my book in there to read (we have a sleeper sofa along the other wall). I enjoy the sound of the airlocks and the smell of the wine.

Wade: I'm making the trip to the local brew shop this week - balloons were a quick fix; only had them on a week.

I like the pillow case idea to protect the carboys. We're debating on sticking the wine bottle rack in the closet, but I don't know how temperate controlled it is. Maybe I'll hang curtains around it, instead.

It's funny - I never considered our house as SPACIOUS- in Houston, most homes (especially suburban homes) average at 2,000 sqft - mine is 1,300. Since there's only two of us, we can use that room as anything we want! My boss's home is 6,000 sqft. He has a wine cellar (a real one!!) right by his front entry way. *envious*

 

[jdammer]

Nice job on the wine rack. I think that Sweedish rack goes for 250 bucks on brookstone.

 

[rodo]

Looks like a great start!