If you’re preparing to start up a small winery, you’re going to need quite a bit of equipment to get yourself started. You can purchase this equipment new or find it secondhand, but there are certain items that you simply cannot go without.
Here’s a quick overview of some of the most important pieces of equipment you’ll need when planning for new winery equipment installation in Eugene, OR.
Wine press: One of the most important processes in winemaking is pressing the grapes. There are several categories of wine presses, but in general, they all operate the same way. The purpose is to place a controlled amount of pressure on the grapes to extract the juice. The word “control” is important here—it is possible to go too hard with the pressure to the point where the seeds get crushed, which introduces unwanted tannins into the resulting wine.
Crusher-destemmers: These types of machines are used to separate the grapes from the stems before they go through the wine press. You can also find combined destemmer-crushers, which focus on destemming before crushing.
Wine tanks: These acid-resistant containers can be made from various materials, such as stainless steel, wood or concrete. They are large and come in numerous shapes to suit your requirements, meaning you can easily customize them for your operation. Tanks can be separated into those that store mash and those that are used for fermentation. Small wineries will usually have tanks with capacities ranging from 1,000 to 3,000 liters.
Must and wine pumps: These pumps are used to transfer the wine in and out of different containers. Must pumps are stronger and are used for moving thicker substances during the fermentation process. Wine pumps are generally used for bottling and filtering.
Aging equipment: There are several types of wine aging equipment you’ll want to have on hand in your winery. Oak barrels are frequently used for adding to the flavor of the wine during aging and will generally be used for two or three years until their flavors are gone. Stainless steel drums are another option. They’re more durable than oak barrels and can be reused much more, although they don’t impart an oaky taste. They do, however, allow you to control the wine’s exposure to air.
Winery chillers: Temperature control is an integral part of the wine fermentation process. Inconsistent temperatures can lead to poor wine quality and flavor. Winery chillers allow you to maintain the proper temperatures for your fermenting wines over time.
Safety equipment: Any winery should have certain types of safety equipment on hand. For example, workers should always be within reach of an oxygen mask to protect against CO2 poisoning. It’s also a good idea to wear harnesses whenever working inside the tanks.
Laboratory equipment: Part of delivering a high-quality wine product is monitoring its chemistry. You can purchase your own laboratory equipment if you wish, or you can always send samples to other sources for inspection.
There are lots of things that go into starting a small winery, but these are some of the most important. For more information about winery equipment installation, contact your local source for commercial refrigeration services in Eugene, OR.
Walk-in coolers are designed to keep perishable foods cold and fresh without freezing them. However, there are a lot of different ideas about what temperature is ideal for walk-in coolers. So, how cold should a walk-in cooler be in Eugene, OR? Keep reading to learn more about how to properly set the temperature of your walk-in cooler and how to handle problems with over-cooling and other temperature-related issues.
How cold should a walk-in cooler be in Eugene, OR?
If you’re wondering how cold your walk-in cooler should be in Eugene, OR, it depends on what you’re trying to keep cool. It’s important to consider what kind of products are in your cooler when determining how to calibrate your cooler. However, no matter what’s in your cooler, the temperature should be somewhere between 35 and 45°F. Anything below that range has the potential to freeze your products, and that can cause problems for some perishable items. Above that range, your cooler might not be able to keep your items sufficiently fresh.
Why it’s important to keep temperatures in the right range
A lot of people err on the cooler side of the temperature range to avoid causing perishable items to spoil, but it’s important to keep the temperature well above freezing. Allowing food in a cooler to freeze can cause a lot of quality problems. If dairy, vegetables or fruits are frozen while being stored in a walk-in cooler, they might not taste quite right after they’ve thawed. Freezing can also affect the texture of these foods. With that in mind, it’s best to avoid setting the temperature of your cooler any lower than 35°.
Dealing with a malfunctioning cooler
Even the best walk-in coolers are susceptible to mechanical problems. Sometimes, walk-in coolers have issues with their temperature sensors and controls that prevent users from effectively calibrating or controlling cooling temperatures. If something goes wrong with the thermometer or temperature control system in your cooler, you might be left with an over-freezing problem.
If your cooler is freezing its contents or there are other problems with your walk-in cooler, the best thing to do is contact a professional right away. A technician specializing in walk-in cooler repairs can provide the services necessary to get your equipment back up and running and prevent future problems with freezing and over-cooling. Even if there isn’t anything wrong with your cooler, it’s still a good idea to work with a technician for routine inspections and service appointments. Regular service will improve your cooler’s performance, longevity and efficiency.
Professional walk-in cooler repairs
If you’re looking for help with a malfunctioning walk-in cooler in Eugene, OR, reach out to American Refrigeration Inc. Since 1995, we have been providing comprehensive heating, cooling, ventilation and refrigeration services to commercial customers throughout our area. In addition to our standard repair and maintenance services, we also provide 24/7 emergency service to ensure you get the help you need, whenever you need it. Give us a call to schedule a service appointment and find out more about everything we have to offer.
Are you an aspiring winemaker? When you’re just getting started, you might not fully understand the importance and effects of temperature control in winemaking in Eugene, OR. When it comes to wine, taking it slow is the key to a great product. Alcohol ferments faster at higher temperatures, but for great flavor and finish, it’s best to ferment at lower temperatures. That’s where winery chillers come in—they allow the winemaker to precisely control the temperature inside the fermentation vessel so the product is consistent and delicious.
A winemaking overview
To understand the necessity of temperature control, it’s best to first understand how wine is made:
Harvesting: Obviously, to make wine you need grapes—and it’s important to harvest them at just the right time, so they have the appropriate amount of sugars, acids and tannins.
Pressing: Next, the grapes need to be crushed or pressed to release the juice and burst the grape skins, which will allow fermentation to take place. This is usually done with mechanical presses today.
Fermentation: Fermentation will naturally begin in around six to 12 hours after pressing, using the wild yeast in the air. However, most winemakers prefer to add their own yeast in precise amounts. They may decide to inoculate the grapes by killing off the natural yeast and adding their own. Once the yeast is under control, fermentation will begin converting all the natural sugars in the grapes to alcohol, and won’t stop until the process is complete. Fermentation can take as little as 10 days or continue for a longer period of time—the temperature has a big impact on the final product, alcohol content and flavor, as well as how long it takes to finish.
Clarification: Next, winemakers remove the sediment from the wine in a process called clarification. They may use a filter or add compounds like egg whites to help remove the waste product left behind.
Aging and bottling: Finally, the wine is left to age and bottle (and then perhaps age again, depending on the variety). Aging also requires certain temperatures, but rarely needs to be as precise as the fermentation process.
Why precise temperatures are necessary for great wine
Fermentation generates heat: Fermentation is an exothermic process. As the yeast feeds on the sugar and converts it to alcohol, heat is generated. As you know, the higher the temperature, the faster the process—but for superior flavor, most wines require temperature control during fermentation.
The ideal temperature varies by wine type: White wines need to be kept at 40 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit, while reds can ferment at 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. This helps preserve the depth of flavor and body present in great wines.
Extracts better color and tannins: Temperature control in winemaking in Eugene, OR also affects how much color is extracted from the grape skins, and the tannins overall—the precise amounts can vary, depending on the wine type.
For winery chillers and all things refrigeration related, American Refrigeration Inc. has you covered. Call us today to learn more about our winery chillers or schedule service and repair.
Lots of businesses use walk-in coolers to keep perishable foods fresh and keep bottled beverages cool for customers. No matter what kind of walk-in cooler you have or what you use it for, it’s important to make sure it stays in the best condition possible. In addition to routine maintenance service and inspections, it’s crucial to be proactive about walk-in cooler repair in Eugene, OR to keep your equipment in good working order for years to come.
Why it’s important to have your cooler repaired
There are a lot of reasons why it’s important to get walk-in cooler repair in Eugene. One of the most important things to keep in mind is the fact that perishable items are highly sensitive to temperature fluctuations. If temperatures in your cooler rise too high, you might have to throw out your entire inventory of perishable items to avoid selling foods that have spoiled.
If your cooler is broken for too long, you might have to throw your inventory away, which means you could be wasting products and money. In addition, cooler repairs will keep your facility compliant. Keeping coolers running effectively is important for complying with health codes and making sure your facility meets all the relevant regulatory standards.
What to expect from walk-in cooler repair
Understanding what’s involved in an appointment for walk-in cooler repair in Eugene, OR can help you feel more prepared for this kind of service. At the beginning of your appointment, the technician will inspect your system and ask questions about its performance. This is the time to talk about any specific concerns you’re having with your cooler and point out any issues the technician should know about. After the inspection, your technician will give you more information about any problems with your walk-in cooler that must be repaired to get it working properly again.
Once your technician talks to you about the repairs required to fix your walk-in cooler, make sure you understand all the recommendations. Ask as many questions as you need to so you fully understand all the services the technician wants to perform to repair your cooler. Next, make sure to ask for a written quote to find out how much it will cost to get your cooler repaired.
Finally, don’t wait around to get walk-in cooler repairs. The longer you wait for repairs, the more likely it is that your products will go bad and the more difficult it will be for you to safely store your inventory.
Schedule walk-in cooler repair in Eugene, OR
For professional walk-in cooler repair in Eugene, OR, reach out to American Refrigeration Inc. We offer comprehensive services for commercial clients throughout the area, including HVAC and refrigerator maintenance, repairs and installation. If you’re concerned about the functionality of your cooler, our team will provide an in-depth inspection to assess its condition and make recommendations for maintenance and repair services. Give us a call today to find out more about what we have to offer and to schedule an appointment with our team.
Glycol chillers are widely used throughout the restaurant, bar, brewery and winery industries. They’re popular because they can help maintain precise and consistent temperatures while offering good energy efficiency. Any food or beverage process that requires fermentation can benefit from a glycol chiller, including brewing and winemaking.
Here’s an overview of what you need to know about glycol chillers in Eugene, OR:
They use glycol as a coolant: Glycol is a chemical coolant that can transfer heat more efficiently than just about any other type on the market. Glycol chillers use either propylene glycol (best for food applications) or ethylene glycol, and the precise temperature can be adjusted by adding more water or glycol to the system. They typically use about a 60/40 mixture of glycol to water, which allows rapid cooling while staying in a liquid state.
They use heat exchangers to refrigerate: Glycol chillers move the water and glycol solution to a chiller, where it gets very cold, then distributes the coolant to freezers, refrigerators, prep tables and more. The cool liquid refrigerates the fixture and is cycled back into the chiller when it gets warm.
You can adjust the temperature: As mentioned in the first point above, your refrigeration technician can help you come up with the right glycol/water solution to achieve the temperatures you need. That makes them a good option when your beer, wine or other products require precise refrigeration.
They’re durable and reliable: Glycol chillers are reliable enough to last for decades when properly maintained and regularly serviced. As with all restaurant and beverage equipment, partnering with a trusted service provider to maintain and repair your glycol chiller is going to be the best approach.
Better than water chillers: Glycol is a popular coolant choice because of its extremely low freezing temperature, which allows it to stay in a fluid state at much lower temperatures. Water, on the other hand, freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit, which limits the temperature range they can achieve. Compare that to a 60 percent glycol solution, which will only freeze at -63 degrees Fahrenheit.
In short, glycol chillers are the superior choice for the food and alcohol industry. Their rapid cooling abilities, energy efficiency, reliability and huge range of temperatures makes them a better option than water chillers. When using a glycol chiller, you’ll be able to quickly cool down hot liquids and adjust everything to the precise conditions you need for great results. Wine and beer making generate a lot of heat, so having a durable and reliable chiller is essential.
Are you interested in buying and installing your own glycol chiller for your winery or brewery? American Refrigeration Inc. has been supplying quality refrigeration products to the Eugene area for over 20 years. In addition to glycol chillers in Eugene, OR, we also offer cold storage rooms, walk-in freezers, heat pumps, HVAC equipment, ice machines and more. Whether you’re running a restaurant, winery, brewery or store, we have your refrigeration needs covered. Be sure to call us today to learn more about our products, or set up an appointment for chiller repair and maintenance.
