Looking for feedback on new wine/cider making operation :-)

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Bmd2k1

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Hi All,

I'm helping a vino/cider crafting buddy who has an existing restaurant, brainstorm a new wine & hard cider making operation and I'm Hoping to get some feedback, ideas, insight et al from our Great Community on the setup, layout etc of this pending new operation.

He's got a climate controlled 20' x 15' white space w/triple stainless sink dedicated to the production of said vino & hard cider -- fermentation, bulk aging, bottling/kegging.

Vino will be made from kits (atleast initially) - most likely FWK and some of the high-ends from WE/RJS.

His goal currently is a max volume vino batch of 12kits at a time (72gals of must -- plus skin paks in some cases). Though some varieties will certainly be fewer # kits than that.

Hard Cider will be done most likely in 25-30gal batches - and only kegged - into 5gal kegs.


Some Current thoughts re equipment etc:

- utilize a few of these Speidel stainless variable volume fermenters (though not large enough for 12x FWK kits w/2skin paks each)
290L (77G) Speidel Variable Volume Tank | MoreBeer

- smaller batches of vino and hard cider fermented in HDPE Speidels - 100L & 200L
Speidel Plastic Fermenter - 100L / 26.4 gal. | MoreBeer
Speidel Plastic Fermenter - 200L / 52.8 gal. | MoreBeer

- bulk aging of larger batch vinos in either Speidel HDPE vessels or FlexTanks (not sure of the pluses/minuses of one vs the other)
Speidel Plastic Fermenter - 200L / 52.8 gal. | MoreBeer
Speidel Plastic Fermenter - 300L / 79.3 gal. | MoreBeer

- bulk aging of Vinos will utilize either Oak Spirals or Stix

- Racking will be facilitated via transfer pump w/pre-filter (here's a couple we're thinking about)
Self-Priming Shurflo Diaphragm Pump | MoreWine (morewinemaking.com)
Super Transfer Variable Speed Diaphragm Pump (0-3 GPM) | MoreWine (morewinemaking.com)

- vino bottling via something like this unit
EnoItalia Wine Bottle Filler (Professional) - 6 Spout on Cart with Pump and Float Switch | MoreWine (morewinemaking.com)

- utilize Normacorc's - so bottles can be stored in cases vertically

- all larger vessels will be on wheeled dollies for easy mobility

- we may want/need a glycol chiller for the hard cider making process - to facilitate sweeter options w/o needing to backsweeten. We're still thinking this one thru.

- everything will be sold via the restaurant and tasting room -- not looking (atleast initially) to do any distribution.


That's All for now...

Thanks in advance for any thoughts/ideas/input you provide & CHEERS All!
 
Hi, I'm starting a small cidery on my farm with our own fruit this year. My experience is strictly at the hobby scale so far, but for what it is worth my startup equipment list looks very similar to yours! I''m hoping to score some used equipment, primarily SS tanks but so far no luck. Good Luck!
 

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