Newbie Question: Can the same setup be used for both wine/be

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Kerouac1964
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Jul 07, 2002 5:45 am

Newbie Question: Can the same setup be used for both wine/be

Post by Kerouac1964 »

Hi gang - I have alot of time on my hands and was wondering if a single setup can be used for both hobbies? I have a very limited space and budget so will be purchasing a 2 gallon starter set of equipment initially. Would such a setup yield about a case of beer at a time? Thanks in advance, you guys are a top notch forum for help!
Mike
aka Kerouac1964
Sioux City, IA
Brewer2001
Double IPA
Double IPA
Posts: 170
Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2001 1:56 am

Glass &stainless but not plastic!

Post by Brewer2001 »

Mike,

You could use a glass carboy and a stainless fermentor (unitank) for both due to the low absorbtion of these materials. Plastic (food grade) has a nasty habit of retaining oils and flavors of strong substances (malt and hops). I would buy two seperate buckets to use as primaries and use the carboy for both as a secondary. Remember clean it throughly after each use or you could ruin a good batch of beer or wine. After you get going you may want to seperate your equipment due to the time factor. Wine will probably tie up the carboy longer than ale or lager. The interesting thing is that some local wineries, in Seattle, have approched the craft brewers to share tankage in each others facilities. Scheduling was the initial problem that was discussed followed by the cleaning and isolation issues (tanks, hoses, kettle, etc.)

I hope this helps. One of my brewing instructors (an acredited brewer) changed his career to become a vintner...not so much of a strech.

Good brewing or wine making.

Tom F.
Kerouac1964
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Jul 07, 2002 5:45 am

Thanks for the reply Tom!

Post by Kerouac1964 »

I like the idea of having a second primary if using plastic. I have already purchased my initial kit, and it does have a plastic 5 gal. primary. So..will probably purchase another next month as needed. My biggest problem is space issues so I will probably share some equip for a bit. Not a problem as I have a good shower setup where I will be doing some of the cleaning. Also, shouldn't be to much probems of scheduling as I can only drink my labors up so fast! LOL I'm recovering from congestive heart failure, so I will be bottling half-bottle wines, to make sure I don't overendulge in a given week! LOL I also plan to give away alot of my bounty to friends and family. This looks like it will be a very exciting and rewarding hobby. One of my first wines is going to be Dandelion or Rubarb. I have fond memories of my Grandpa Nick telling about the times he would visit his brother-in-laws who worked for the railroad here in Iowa. They would sit around on a summer evening and drink wine and tell tall tales. I'm also fond of hard lemonades and would love to make similar fruit drinks for quenching summer thirsts.
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