Winery and vineyard owners understand how a delicate blend of flavors and aromas can provide the ultimate tasting experience. However, temperature also plays a critical part in wine’s flavor and composition. The slightest variance in temperature can change a wine’s acidity level and completely change its taste to drinkers. This is why each wine has its own distinct temperature at which it is best preserved.
If you own a winery or vineyard and are looking for the most efficient way to preserve your bottles, consider walk in coolers in Oregon. Walk in coolers have the ability to transform your winery by ensuring that each bottle is stored and served at precisely the right temperature.
Storing wine
Storing wine in a cool place is an essential part of maintaining its flavor. Wine can easily be damaged or spoil because of temperatures and humidity levels that are too high or too low. When storage temperatures are above those recommended, the wine can age rapidly, diluting its flavor and acidity. When wine is stored at a temperature that is too cold, it can become unbalanced in both taste and aroma.
Commercial walk in coolers regulate storage temperatures for your winery’s production, while also helping to control humidity levels. Excess moisture in the air can lead to mold and damaged wine. On the other hand, air that is too dry can lead to cracks in the bottles’ corks, which allow air to enter into and spoil the wine. Commercial coolers provide an ideal balance between the two extremes.
Serving wine
When white wine is served, customers experience three major sensations: sweetness, acidity and aroma. Your business’ white wine should be chilled because it creates a balance between these three factors. Without cooling the temperature of the wine, one of the elements—typically sweetness or aroma—may overpower the others.
The average serving temperature for white wine is between 45 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit, while the usual serving temperature for red wine ranges from 52 to 65 degrees. Some red wines can even be served one or two degrees below room temperature. Overall, the recommended serving temperature differs for each wine. Factors that determine the ideal serving temperature include the type and region of origin for grapes used.
Enjoying wine
Lastly, wine is created for the purpose of enjoyment! Storing and serving your wines at the correct temperature enables customers to taste your creations as they are truly meant to be experienced.
Typically, white wines are served as a refreshing beverage. By storing these wines inside commercial walk in coolers in Oregon, you raise the acidity level in the wine, thus enhancing the refreshing, thirst-quenching qualities of the beverage. Conversely, a warm white wine would have a reduced acidity level and would be much less refreshing. Chilling wine increases the different qualities of whites and reds, and creates a more diverse, enjoyable experience for the taster.
If you are searching for an easy way to regulate the temperature of your winery’s production, consult the skilled commercial heating, ventilation and cooling experts at American Refrigeration Inc today.
Maintaining the proper temperature in your brewery is an essential part of preserving your beer’s ideal flavors and characteristics. Your HVAC system not only provides an enjoyable environment for workers and guests, but it also ensures your production does not get damaged or prematurely age. When it comes to protecting your product, you’ll want to be sure that your heating and cooling system is operating at its highest level of functioning.
Being aware of the signals of a system malfunction could save your brewery time, money and effort by preventing serious damage. The following are five warning signs that your brewery needs commercial HVAC repair in Oregon:
Insufficient heating or cooling: It may seem obvious, but one of the major signs of an HVAC malfunction is air that is not properly cooled or heated. Many property owners and renters do not actively notice the heating and cooling unit’s failure to produce appropriate temperatures because they continue to adjust the thermostat. Luckily, once identified, it is typically easy to return an HVAC unit back to proper functioning by simply calling in a specialist.
Uneven heating or cooling: Should certain locations in your brewery feel warmer or cooler than others, it may be a sign that it’s time for commercial HVAC repair in Oregon. Spotty heating and cooling in your business is usually a sign of duct work problems, such as a leak or a buildup of debris and dust. These types of complications can block ventilation and prevent air from being transferred from one room to the next.
Atypically high energy bills: If your brewery’s energy bills are drastically higher than they should be, you may have a problem with your building’s HVAC unit. When an HVAC system is broken it has to work exponentially harder to achieve the same desired temperature, resulting in higher energy bills across the board. If this is the case, you’ll want to call an HVAC technician immediately so you can rectify the problem and avoid paying unnecessarily high charges.
Abnormal moisture: If there is an excess of moisture surrounding your HVAC unit, it is a signal that an area of your heating and cooling system is not functioning properly. Moisture can stem from leaks in drainage tubes or from hazardous spills of refrigerant. Either way, you will want to call in a professional to handle the situation as soon as possible. This way, you can prevent harmful contact with refrigerant and more severe damage to the system.
Loud and strange sounds: Should you notice any abnormal sounds coming from your HVAC unit, you may want to call a technician for assistance. Problems with heating and cooling units typically result in sounds resembling squealing, grating, banging or grinding noises. These sounds are usually caused by parts of the system’s motor that fall out of place.
If you believe that your brewery has a problem with its HVAC unit, it is in your business’ best interest to contact a heating and cooling professional as soon as possible. For more information on repairing commercial HVAC systems, consult American Refrigeration Inc today.
Manufacturing alcoholic beverages is very temperature-dependent and requires well-functioning commercial HVAC in Eugene, OR. Distilleries are no different as, although the steps for making spirits are very linear and clear, there is still a need to maintain temperatures at the early stages and ensure equipment and environmental controls work well. Here is an overview of the distilling process and how hiring an experienced commercial HVAC provider will help you produce the best whiskeys, vodkas, gins and anything else you hope to manufacture.
The process of making spirits
The making of grain spirits dates back to 1172. While this time period did not enjoy the same temperature control technology we do today, they still figured out that there would be three steps to the process: malting, fermenting and distilling. Up until the mid 1950s, most distilleries carried out all three of these steps at their facilities. Now, malting normally occurs offsite, with the final steps performed by the manufacturer.
Malting soaks the grain for 48 to 72 hours. During this time, it germinates and releases heat. It is essential during this process that temperature is maintained at around 60 degrees with few deviations. Otherwise, the grain decomposes completely from its own heat. (A combination of heating and cooling helps this, so you need to make sure your thermostat is working.)
Once malted, it goes into the malt kiln, which draws heat from the soaked grain. The peat furnace often gets involved here, creating high temperatures to bring the grain to its required form. Malt is eventually dried and roasted for the next step.
Depending on the liquor being produced, it is now time for mashing, brewing and distilling. A cheap whiskey will go through fewer steps than a prized scotch. Once the beverage goes through its required number of stills, it is stored in casks for maturation.
The role of HVAC
Your commercial HVAC system needs to be well-tuned to maintain temperatures during the malting process. Temperatures too warm or cold can spoil your supply of grain and make the distilling process start over again. This wastes time and money.
During maturation, you may also want temperature control in order for your spirits to adopt the character you seek. For some liquors, wildly fluctuating temperatures may cause effects you and your clientele will not enjoy.
Refrigeration can also prove helpful if you have grain you won’t be able to use right away. Keeping it in a commercial refrigerator also protects it from rodents. While you will not want to do this for a super long time, it does make for a good solution if your production starts backing up.
Distilling is a fairly new activity here in the Pacific Northwest where beer and wine reign. Many people are learning on the job and keeping your HVAC system in good repair will prevent many production-killing ordeals.
If you want a service provider for commercial HVAC in Eugene, OR that has experience repairing, maintaining and installing distillery equipment, contact American Refrigeration, Inc. today.
As a provider of commercial HVAC in Eugene, OR, American Refrigeration, Inc. meets winemakers and repairs their equipment. It places us in a unique spot to see how much can go wrong with winemaking and the importance of temperature control from HVAC systems and refrigeration. Here are the most common mistakes that arise with winemaking and HVAC’s role in preventing it.
Wrong equipment: Carboys and even spoons used for winemaking may not seem different from consumer products. However, the vintner’s set is specialized for their purpose, and going cheap is not an option if you want good wine. Worse yet, some winemaking facilities that are just starting out repurpose buckets or use plastic items, which affects the taste of the wine. Do not take short cuts with equipment. Use items designed for winemaking and do not put them to use for other purposes.
Sanitation: Almost 90 percent of wine failures can be traced back to the neglect housekeeping chores. Cleaning only removes debris, but sanitizing is that extra step that stops the growth of organisms that spoil wine. This applies not only to your carboys, spoons and hoses, but even your commercial refrigerators. A sanitized environment is essential to good wine.
Ignoring instructions: A moment of experimentation can lead to a wine disaster. Skipping essential steps at any stage of winemaking compromises taste and value. Often times, it is exhaustion kicking in as people fail to check thermostats for storage areas or do not check to see if fermentation chambers are properly sealed. If something works with a particular wine, it is time to follow that to the letter and pay attention, rather than testing a fluke of imagination.
Water quality: Just because water is potable does not mean it is perfect for winemaking. Hard water with minerals can leave wine with a haze or metallic aftertaste. If you are looking at running a winemaking operation, you will need to install water softeners and make sure your filters are changed regularly.
Impatience: Even the professionals are vulnerable to bottling too early. Just as you do not want to undercook a gourmet meal, you also want to ensure your wine ferments long enough. That is why the vintner’s career is not one for impatient sorts; it requires attention to detail and the willingness to wait.
Poor temperature control: For fermentation to occur, a controlled environment must sustain a temperature of 70 to 77 degrees. White wines need cool temperatures sustained at 55 degrees. If these temperatures drop too low or a thermostat dysfunction makes them spike, your wine will suffer.
Good commercial HVAC services help prevent these mistakes in several ways. First, your technician can keep your commercial refrigerator running well so it does not break down when you are storing or fermenting white wines. Second, the same attention can be applied to HVAC systems so fermentation rooms also maintain warm temperatures for varieties that need them. This makes the provider of services for your commercial HVAC in Eugene, OR an essential member of your vintner team.
If your winery or vintner operations require commercial HVAC services with experience in this area, contact American Refrigeration, Inc. We are available to help you with commercial refrigeration, water filtration, and HVAC repair and maintenance.
The ice machine is the most essential and yet most dangerous piece of equipment in your restaurant. When things go wrong in your establishment, you need to act on ice machine repair in Eugene, OR before you make your patrons sick or expose employees to harmful elements. You may also avoid requiring most repairs in the first place by adopting these precautionary practices.
Sanitation is key
Most ice machine issues arise from sanitation shortcomings. Food safety laws and manufacturer recommendations indicate you need to perform a full cleaning and sanitation process at least two to four times per year. If you use your ice machine frequently and employees access it constantly, you may need to clean it at least every two months, or even once a month to be safe.
Use an antimicrobial cleaner and remove any scaling. Check for lint and grease in the condensers, as that can transfer to the ice as well. If your ice machine is near the cooking line, consider moving it, as that exposes it to additional contaminants.
Mold and mildew in the seals or even the box is more difficult to remove. In these cases, it is better to call in a professional, as it may be necessary to replace your ice machine.
Once there is contamination, the ice machine will preserve the bacteria and the inside moisture causes them to reproduce. Even if you only suspect contamination, it is prudent to sanitize immediately. While this is not convenient, it nearly eliminates the risk of a health disaster in your restaurant.
Treat ice like any other food
Using the same food handling procedures with ice as with any other edible will reduce the chance of contamination. Make ice scoops available and instruct employees to use them instead of reaching in and grabbing ice. Store scoops outside the bin so the handle is not touching the ice. Keep it on a tray made of fiberglass, impervious plastic or stainless steel so it does not attract additional germs.
Keeping the ice machine doors closed except for when removing ice will not just keep your utility bills under control. It will also keep dirt and contaminants out. Check for any signs of contamination with your ice machine, just as you would with refrigerators and freezers. Catching issues early means you can deal with them before they become problems. Finding mold in the door seals early, for example, means you actually have a chance of permanently removing it than if you let it fester for six months.
Use water filters
Filtered water produces better tasting ice as well as safer ice. Using filters will not remove all microbes, but it can reduce scaling and increases ice production, which will also mean less money spent on repairs. Ice will also have no odor, which will keep customers on your good side.
Filters are normally replaced every six months. If there is blockage or sediment, they will need to be replaced more frequently.
Despite careful attention to maintenance, you may still require ice machine repair in Eugene, OR. When that need arises, call American Refrigeration Inc. for cleaning, advanced maintenance and repair of your restaurant equipment.
