There should be a warning!

[AngieRae]

I have just completed my 4th order to the HBS in less than 3 weeks! And, I haven't even seen the fruits of my labor (and spending) yet.
Where do people store all of this stuff?! I will have to limit my self now I guess, to what containers I have available to ferment and age. I have 1 7.5 gal bucket, 6 gal carboy, 5 gal carboy, 4 1gal jugs, and some supplies.
I am envisioning my entire basement full of bottles and such. I am going to justify this with the fact that my husband has claimed the garage as his "shop."

 

[bernardsmith]

When carboys come into contact with liquid they multiply like rabbits.. Just sayin'.

 

[madscientist451]

Uhh I have maybe 20+ carboys, dozens of gallon and 1/2 gallon jugs, a couple dozen kegs, 20-30 cases of wine and beer bottles. This doesn't count buckets for grain storage, wine press, apple picking and sorting buckets a yeast bank, and tons of other crap.
Also not counted is a freezer jammed with berries and various fruit for adding to beer/cider or making fruit wine, and the pantry jammed with various honey, agave, canned fruit puree, maple syrup and other goodies waiting their turn in the fermentation pipeline.
You have a long way to go, but if you branch off of brewing into cider, mead and wine your collection of stuff will be similar to mine.
So if you have a basement, you're going to be OK. You'll need some shelves, hubby can use his shop for more than a hangout space and build them for you.
Just ask him what kind of beverage he likes and it should be a harmonious household.

Your next step will be taking over the backyard for berry bushes and special fruit trees to get really good fruit you just can't buy in the store.
OK, You've been warned!

 

[AngieRae]

Thank you for the warning, I feel much better now!
I was laughing at myself yesterday. I decided to get into and learn about making wine because I told myself I had to wait (to save money up) until next year to start beekeeping. Well I should have just jumped into the beekeeping, that probably would have saved me money!

 

[rlmiller10]

Beekeeping requires an entire new set of shelves for supers, extra hives, extractor, extra frames, foundation, jars and other containers...Oh and more of those carboys madscientist mentioned as mead and wine spend a lot more time in the carboy than beer.

And beehives have a habit of multiplying just like carboys. First you innocently capture a swarm. Next thing you create a nuk to raise a queen as you might need one, but don't so it just becomes a new hive. Before long that one hive is an entire row.

 

[RPh_Guy]

I am envisioning my entire basement full of bottles and such

Welcome to the club!

 

[AngieRae]

So glad I found a club that will understand and encourage me!
I am sure the spouse will understand. These adventures will keep me from nagging him to complete his honey do list around the house. Except for those shelves you mentioned and brood boxes and supers and such.

 

[Cyclman]

Buy carboys on sale! Can’t have too many

 

[AngieRae]

@Cyclman I will definitely be watching for sales in the future! The closest HBS is about an hour away or I have to watch for sales/free shipping at the online vendors.

 

[NGD]

@Cyclman I will definitely be watching for sales in the future! The closest HBS is about an hour away or I have to watch for sales/free shipping at the online vendors.

Keep an eye on craigslist and the buy/sell forums here. Occasionally you can get great deals....just make sure to carefully inspect the carboys first for any cracks. Theres a whole thread on carboy accidents and its not for the squeamish.

 

[AngieRae]

Keep an eye on craigslist and the buy/sell forums here. Occasionally you can get great deals....just make sure to carefully inspect the carboys first for any cracks. Theres a whole thread on carboy accidents and its not for the squeamish.

Great advise, thank you!

 

[homebrewer_99]

Hobby? More like an obsession, albeit a tasty one.

I'm about in-line with madscientist451: 20+ carboys, 20+ cases of beer bottles (all .5 liters from Germany), a dozen or more cases of wine bottles (for cider and mead), over 20 kegs, a keezer, kegerator, beer fridge, and SOFC. I also keep about 300# of grain on-hand and a dozen yeasts or more.

 

[Gadjobrinus]

Yeah, I'm getting this. Bit slow on the uptake.

I thought my 20 gallon brewing setup would mushroom me to the doghouse.

Not even close. Have to work on this one ,with some masterful rehearsal.

 

[beernutz]

Start brewing 10 gallon batches if they are stacking up in the fermentation stage. I use a 60L Speidel fermenter which is perfect for 10 gallon batches. I never have more than one beer in the fermentation stage at a time, though I do have some other bucket and big mouth bubbler fermenters, and I very rarely run out of beer.

 

[AngieRae]

@beernutz you are right, I should start brewing beer to get me through the wait for the wine. But I will have to buy more stuff. I am going to have to take over the shop/garage.

 

[Cheesy_Goodness]

The basement's one thing, the garage is a whole other kettle of fish. My wife's new car has about 3000 miles on it and is sitting in the driveway.
To be fair, kegs shouldn't be left out in the elements. Cars are way better at that. Probably.

 

[homebrewer_99]

My wife's new car has about 3000 miles on it and is sitting in the driveway.

Someone once said "America is the only place where people park a $20k car outside their garage to house $500 worth of junk"...or something to that effect.

I have an extra large garage that has a lot of things in it including both of my $30k+ (each) cars.

 

[Cheesy_Goodness]

Someone once said "America is the only place where people park a $20k car outside their garage to house $500 worth of junk"...or something to that effect.

Yeah that was my wife

 

[z-bob]

I have just completed my 4th order to the HBS in less than 3 weeks! And, I haven't even seen the fruits of my labor (and spending) yet.
Where do people store all of this stuff?! I will have to limit my self now I guess, to what containers I have available to ferment and age. I have 1 7.5 gal bucket, 6 gal carboy, 5 gal carboy, 4 1gal jugs, and some supplies.
I am envisioning my entire basement full of bottles and such. I am going to justify this with the fact that my husband has claimed the garage as his "shop."

Hi Angie,
You can buy bottled water in lightweight plastic 4 gallon carboys. About $5 for the water and the carboy. They are about the same size as a 3 gallon glass carboy, and they are unbreakable. Takes a No 10 stopper. That's what I use almost exclusively now. (I still have some glass carboys; that's what I'd use for bulk storage for wine or mead)

 

[AngieRae]

Oh wow, thanks! I had seen the glass/plastic discussions so I wasn't sure if that was an option.

Edited because I hit send too soon.

My husband is a carpenter so the garage is not for vehicles or stuff and is to be called "the shop" so I never get confused or think I have any rights to any space within. It is an ongoing, and light-hearted, joke between us. (But a rule that isn't to be broken either!). I told him that I may have to take over the shop space for brewing, and I got something similar to a, HaHa no.

 

[cmac62]

My wify owns our garage. She calls it her "studio". She makes glass beads and other jewelry. I have a mancave (small shed in the backyard where I get to keep my brewery. Happy wife happy life right?

 

[z-bob]

BTW, here's what I'm talking about, not the refillable thick plastic bottles at Walmart: (those might work too, but I'd be worried about how to clean inside the handles)
https://www.samsclub.com/sams/member-s-mark-spring-water-4-gal/prod1180623.ip
https://www.menards.com/main/grocer...-gallon-jug/200000/p-1444433847115-c-6646.htm

The plastic is thin but tough; it's PET, like a 2L Coke bottle.

 

[AngieRae]

@z-bob I have never seen anything like that in my area. I'll have to keep my eyes open now .
@cmac62 I like that setup! Going to have to bake some fresh bread and sit the spouse down for a chat. Husband's with full bellies do as they are told, right?

 

[6Tap]

Confirm

 

[cmac62]

@z-bob I have never seen anything like that in my area. I'll have to keep my eyes open now .
@cmac62 I like that setup! Going to have to bake some fresh bread and sit the spouse down for a chat. Husband's with full bellies do as they are told, right?

LOL, I would say sometimes they do. If he drinks beer give him some of that and you have a better chance.

 

[cmac62]

Angie, where in the county are you. I live in So Cal so I can brew outside year round. If it doesn't get too cold/hot all you need to do in the garage is store your stuff. That may be an option.

 

[AngieRae]

Angie, where in the county are you. I live in So Cal so I can brew outside year round. If it doesn't get too cold/hot all you need to do in the garage is store your stuff. That may be an option.

I live in SW Montana. It's way too cold in the winter, and too hot in the summer.
In reality, if I take up brewing beer and it's half decent, my spouse would build me my own little nano- brewery.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

I was laughing at myself yesterday. I decided to get into and learn about making wine because I told myself I had to wait (to save money up) until next year to start beekeeping. Well I should have just jumped into the beekeeping, that probably would have saved me money!

Well, you can always make mead with that honey.

 

[NGD]

Angie, where in the county are you. I live in So Cal so I can brew outside year round. If it doesn't get too cold/hot all you need to do in the garage is store your stuff. That may be an option.

I live in SW Montana. It's way too cold in the winter, and too hot in the summer.
In reality, if I take up brewing beer and it's half decent, my spouse would build me my own little nano- brewery.

@cmac62 I grew up not to far from your area. Winter is when it gets down to 68F.

@AngieRae I've found small dorm-room refrigerators or even a cheap freezer chest connected to an inkbird is great for temp control at a reasonable price...providing you have the room for either.