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FermentaBag
Flexible Fermentation Cell FAQs
- How
do I plunge (or "punch down") the cap?
Fermentabag is designed to continually circulate the wine through
the cap during fermentation and thus eliminates the need to plunge
or "punch down" the cap. As the CO2 begins
to be released during fermentation the wine is forced up through
the cap and via the inner tube of the Chimney assembly. The wine
then spills over the top of the inner tube and runs back down
inside the outer chimney and over the cap. The result is that
the cap remains continually irrigated giving excellent colour
extraction and exposure of the liquid to O2.
- How
important is it that Fermentabag be full? It is
extremely important that Fermentabag is filled to between 90-97%
full. If the cell is only half filled the inner chimney will not
extend down through the cap and into the body of the wine thus
rendering the chimney assembly ineffective.
- How
do I control temperature? Most winemakers have
found that additional temperature control has not been required
however others have found that using the auxiliary ports and outer
insulation jacket have been extremely effective in controlling
temperature. Warm water (or brine) can be added via the auxiliary
ports to speed up or kick start the ferment in cool climates,
likewise cool water can be added to slow the ferment if it becomes
to warm. Cooling via this system is extremely effective as it
concentrates directly on the cap where most of the heat is generated.
- How
strong is the Fermentabag? What is the risk of it breaking?
Fermentabag has been designed and manufactured using purpose
built materials which are very tough and expand only to critical
levels which enable the system to operate effectively. However
like any such flexible container it is only as strong as the container
it is placed in. Thus Fermentabag should be stored in a rigid
container as specified in the instructions.
- Is
Fermentabag suitable for Carbonic Maceration? Yes.
The system can be used for Carbonic Maceration, however it must
be noted that the central filling port is 2" diameter and
thus filling with complete berries/bunches can be quite slow.
Most modern crushers have facility to adjust the crush so as to
de-stem but also leave a large percentage of berries in tact (uncrushed).
Winemakers using a 50/50 mix of crushed fruit to whole berries
have been rewarded with some excellent results. It should be noted
that opting for a Carbonic or Semi Carbonic Maceration method
would usually require a longer fermentation period.
- How
long will the ferment take? Fermentation times
will vary according to individual winemaking practices and temperatures.
As noted above using whole berries will also slow the fermentation
time. Most people have results of between 6 – 20 days. The ferment
can be completed at any time deemed suitable by the winemaker
based on what style they are hoping to achieve.
- How
do I compensate for the reduced atmosphere inside the bag?
The materials used in Fermentabag are designed to allow
for a high rate of gaseous exchange during fermentation. Therefore
oxygen can pass through the layers in moderate levels, some oxygen
exposure also occurs as the wine flows freely inside the chimney.
DAP (di ammonium phosphate) should however be added at maximum
rates to compensate for the reduced atmosphere inside the cell.
- Can
I use Fermentabag for my white varieties? This
Fermentabag is designed for fermentation of red wine only. As
is outlined in the previous paragraph design specifications have
provided for maximum O2 flow through the layers which
is not suited to white wine fermentation.
- Can
I use Fermentabag for storage of wine? Red wines
can be stored in Fermentabag for periods of 4-6 weeks after fermentation
is complete to allow for maceration however it should not be used
for longer period storage of wine. Double metallised or tri-laminate
storage bags are available for long term storage.
- How
portable is Fermentabag, can it be moved during fermentation or
maceration? Yes, you will require a forklift to
move the container however provided the container is on a pallet
this operation is simple. The added flexibility of being able
to move your wine around to free up valuable floor space is one
of Fermentabags biggest advantages.
- How
long can I leave the wine to macerate (sit on the skins) after
fermentation is complete? This is a personal winemaking
preference and a decision to remove the wine from the cell can
be made once the winemaker is satisfied with the product. This
requires monitoring and sampling the wine during the maceration
period. Maceration times used thus far have been as longs as 6
weeks however most people who have chosen to macerate have used
a period of between 14-30 days.
- Can
I draw samples during fermentation? Yes. This is
a simple process of inserting a pipette down inside the chimney
and drawing off some wine. Alternatively the winemaker may wish
to unscrew the chimney and draw some wine directly from the top
of the Fermentabag.
- What
is the risk of plastic taint? Years of research
and development in plastics technology have eliminated any risk
of the wine being tainted by the plastics used in Fermentabag.
The Fermentabag Flexible Fermentation Cell is constructed using
the highest food grade materials.
- How
simple is it to empty the contents? Simply unscrew
the chimney or cap ( in the instance where the wine has been macerating)
and place a hose in through the central port ( the hose should
be pushed down into the wine). This hose will run into the storage
facility, which should be lower, or at the same height as Fermentabag.
Once the hose is in place seal off one of the auxiliary ports
and commence pumping water into the other auxiliary port at a
slow rate. Only a few litres should be required to start a siphon
effect once the wine is flowing, cease pumping water into the
outer layer. No more than 50 litres of water should be pumped
into the outer layer at any one time. Once the wine has been
removed you can cut open the top of the bag and place remaining
skins into a conventional press to remove the last of the wine.
The skins can either be scooped out or alternatively poured into
the press using a rotating head forklift.
- Can
Fermentabag be reused? No. This system is designed
to be used as a single use disposable fermentation device. Only
the chimney assembly can be reused in future years. The materials
used in Fermentabag construction are however recyclable.
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