Reddit mentions of 45 Bottle Drying Tree- Econo

That's basically what a bottle rinser does so you should be fine.
I don't bottle in mass anymore but, when I did, using one was a huge time saver and I never had a contaminated bottle.

If you bottle often, a bottle rinser and bottle drying tree are cheap and worthy investments.

So, I came up with a great way to store my 16oz. E.Z. Cap bottles in a clean environment when not in use, as well as an excellent way to store them during the 2F -- in a container that will contain any explosions.

Here's pictures of the whole setup:
http://imgur.com/a/nQ0DQ

I found these clear plastic storage tubs:
HOMZ 31 qt. Latching Clear Storage Box
http://m.homedepot.com/p/HOMZ-31-qt-Latching-Clear-Storage-Box-Set-of-4-3430CLRECOM-04/301680839

They usually have them in stock in the store at Walmart, Home Depot, and a few other places. I got mine for $6.98 each at Walmart.

They fit 12 E.Z. Cap 16oz. bottles comfortably, and I was able to use the dividers out of the boxes that the bottles came in, to keep them from rattling. The tub lids latch, so they'll contain any explosion, in case my 2F gets away from me.

They fit perfectly in the shelf space on an Ikea EXPEDIT shelving unit -- the internal dimensions on the shelf are about H13.25"xW13.25"xD15", and the tubs are H12.125"xW13"xD16.25". The EXPEDIT has been replaced by the KALLAX, but they have the same internal shelf dimensions. The KALLAX 4-shelf unit is only $34.99:
http://m.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/art/60275812/

In my final setup, I'll have fabric covering the front of each shelf, to keep light off of the bottles during 2F. I'll post pics when I have that done.

Also on the album linked above you can see my bottle drying tree. Works great, and well worth the $$20.72:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0064OE1OC/

Hope you find these links / info useful. I'm very pleased with the setup.

Equipment:
2 5 gallon glass carboy

Bubble Airlocks These allow the CO2 to escape the carboy while keeping the oxygen out. Alcohol fermentation is an anaerobic process. Too much oxygen will cause production of acetic acid(vinegar).

Non-Chlorinated water(I buy 5 gallon jugs, carboys what have you of spring water from my local co-op. Make sure it is spring water. Not "drinking" water. Chlorine isn't good for yeast.)

Wine siphons are really helpful. Used to just use a polyurethane tube, and that lead to some trial and error siphoning. There are two fermentations that'll happen during the process. You'll have to siphon the wine from one carboy to another. Hence why you need 2. Pro tip: Don't stick the siphon all the way to the bottom. That's where yeast, the oak chips, and clay from the primary fermentation are going to settle. Same with the secondary, but that'll be mostly yeast if you siphoned from the primary properly.


A giant ass funnel and corks obviously.

Wine Bottles! Go with the green. Reduces oxidation by letting less light in.


Bottle Tree! Use this to let your bottles dry out after cleaning them. Make sure all your pieces are sterile.

A corker!



I usually buy a wine must kit that has the clay sediment for nutrient content, finely ground oak, yeast, clarificant, and of course the wine must. (Must is a high quality grape juice that is fairly dense). For a first time I do suggest getting a must kit. It has detailed step by step instructions along with it. It's going to take about a month for both fermentations to be completed. Do try to keep the temperature of the carboy between 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit/23.5-27 degrees Celsius. Saccharomyces cerevisiae thrives best at that temperature gradient.


The musts price range wise are going to be between 60-200 dollars for the most part. You can ferment anything with sugar though. A 5 gallon carboy is going to get you 25+ bottles of wine easy. It's actually interesting to see how the taste of the wine changes over time between each bottle. Generally the yeast/sugar content will give you ~12% alcohol in these kits.

This completely. You'll save yourself a huge headache is you use your dishwasher lid. Also, if your bottling wand decides to quit on you and start leaking (like mine did 3 weeks ago), you won't have as big of a headache! One of these bottle trees is also really handy for keeping organized. Don't forget to use the oxygen absorbing bottle caps!

I like using this thing to clean them with. It works especially well if your water gets hot enough to give you 3rd degree burns. Always let them dry upside down on some sort of rack.