Building a subterranean wine cellar/root cellar

[Anton_D]

Brian, In following this thread I am trying to decide if you are a genius, or an absolute lunatic. I am pretty sure that a day or two after you are finished, have the room stocked with wine and are admiring the finished racks, you are going to tell yourself “Damn, I should have made it bigger!”

I am pretty sure you are the kind of Berserker I would love to have a glass of wine with!

I vote lunatic. I had my Wife’s blessing though so I figured WTF, nothing ventured nothing gained. Worst case scenario was I’d fill the hole back up with soil. As for size it will be plenty big enough, approx 10’x12’ with 8’ ceiling inside and that’s all storage space. The tasting room above with be even larger.

For posterity: ‘Plenty big enough.’

[Alan_Rath]

I consider myself to be a good friend of Brian’s and imagine he would say he is a good friend of mine. So let me answer this:

He is a bit of a genius, and he is definitely a lunatic, or I probably would not have become his friend. And he is absolutely someone you want to have a glass of wine with.

More soberly, since it’s just noon, he has unbelievable building and mechanical skills. I’m no slouch, as the contractor who added my second story told our structural engineer, but I am pretty awestruck by what Brian can do. Unfortunately, he lives too far away to be helpful when I get stuck on a project.

I think once he finishes this amazing project, we’re ALL going to say we want to call him a friend

Location for the next Bersekerfeat found?

Brian has hosted many berserker events, always a great time!

[Rodrigo_B]

I think once he finishes this amazing project, we’re ALL going to say we want to call him a friend

Location for the next Bersekerfeat found?

Brian has hosted many berserker events, always a great time!

The steak pictures Brian posts over on the Epicurean Exploits forum always look quite impressive. Add in the soon to be newly constructed cellar and I can only imagine what a indulgent Berserker event those must be

[Brian_Tuite]

Waiting for the concrete work so I started prepping for the tasting room. There was a 15’ x 30’ building on the property that my Grandfather had built for use as storage shed back in the ‘50s. When the Presidio Army Base shut down in San Francisco they sold off the structures to the public. My Grandfather bought a barracks and moved all the material to Forestville. What was leftover after building his home was used to erect the shed and house the ancillary materials. Over the years the building started sinking into the ground. Now on property owned by an Aunt I offered to raze it if I could keep the lumber. She agreed and I disassembled it.

I used the beam supporting the roof to do the same in my home eliminating a floor to ceiling post. *Note the two original Berserker art pieces. To Kalon I-Block Sauv Blanc by Larry Piggins and Bay Leaves by Mel Hill.

The rest if the wood was trimmed and stacked and has sat under a tarp for the past 4-5 years awaiting a project. It was going to be a backyard bedroom on the same site as the cellar. An escape during heat waves. Alas that never materialized. It will be the siding on the tasting room and keep with the rustic theme of the adjacent kitchen and the cat house in the front yard.

So yesterday I moved the wood stack to the worksite for the cellar/tasting room. 1-5/8” thick tongue in groove clear heart Fir that was put together with wooden dowels. Good stuff!

[Brian_Tuite]

Lumber for the forms and the rebar arrived today. Concrete prep work begins 7am sharp!

[R_Roberts]

[Dennis_Borczon]

This thread just gets better and better. I vote this gets moved to the Hall of Fame. Better yet, Brian should write a book about the project. Sounds like he is much like his father. Awesome DIY project…we are all coming over when it is finished. I will be happy to contribute a bottle or two to the liquid stock.

[brigcampbell]

Lumber for the forms and the rebar arrived today. Concrete prep work begins 7am sharp!


C3F20047-6D00-4588-9398-A95DE921926F.jpeg

Infrastructure week!

[Alan_Rath]

Brian has organized an offline for a bunch of us in August. Now I fear this was just a ruse to get us to help move a bunch of stuff around

[Richard_Foxall]

Brian has organized an offline for a bunch of us in August. Now I fear this was just a ruse to get us to help move a bunch of stuff around

That did not occur to me, and I will be the worst employee he has ever had if it comes to that. Unless the stuff we move around is bottles of wine.

[Brian_Tuite]

In and out in 8hrs. They pour tomorrow!

[Dav3_Dyr0ff]

Nice!

[Brian_Tuite]

Brian has organized an offline for a bunch of us in August. Now I fear this was just a ruse to get us to help move a bunch of stuff around

Just wait!

[Alan_Rath]

You have bodies to bury?

[Alex_N]

This thread has been lots of fun to watch as this thing takes shape. Can’t wait for pics of the finished cellar.

[JMReuter]

Super impressive work! I’m curious about the dimensions. Original dimensions were 12 by 12 by 8 (I think). Looks more rectangular to me at this point, so I’m curious if there has been a change in dimensions along the way.

[Brian_Tuite]

Super impressive work! I’m curious about the dimensions. Original dimensions were 12 by 12 by 8 (I think). Looks more rectangular to me at this point, so I’m curious if there has been a change in dimensions along the way.

Inside dimensions will be 10’W x 11’D x 8’H. 8” thick walls.

[Jeff_Vaughan]

Brian, how are you bringing power into the building? I don’t see any conduits.

[ToddFrench]

Brian, how are you bringing power into the building? I don’t see any conduits.

[JMReuter]

Brian, how are you bringing power into the building? I don’t see any conduits.

I’m expecting him to design and install a small nuclear power plant.