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  • Variable capapcity tanks

    Whats that then..

    These are straight walled tanks, with open tops. The lid floats on the surface of the wine and has what is best described as a bicycle inner tube around the outside which is inflated by a pump to form a seal.

    Options
    I own and use a couple of stainless variable capacity tanks (VCT). Until recently these were the only option in the UK.
    However last week a very nice man at www.fruitpresses.co.uk kindly sent me the 300L PLASTIC tank.

    The tank itself is not made from HDPE. It is made from hard plastic. If you can remember when computer screens contained a big lump of glass - it seems to have been made from the same stuff as the case. Same colour, same hardness.

    Very good in fact - as an alternative for stainless steel VCT.
    • Good build quality
    • Same components as it stainless steel counterpart
    • Lighter than stainless.
    • A better shape than stainless
    • More easy to clean than stainless.
    • Excellent price

    Being lighter than stainless and a better shape means it is more manageable when it comes to having a move them around, but because it is as wide as it is tall you could also use it as a fermenter (1:1 ratio) and it is easier to reach into to clean up. the classic stainless steel VCT is tall and thin and for red wine fermented this is not a good shape for cap management.

    If you put some shelving in and stacked these two high - racking would be a breeze!!

    The only downside I can see is no gas permeability, I am looking for a plastic "oak barrel" for maturing in. Australian Flex tanks are currently an enormous amount of money to get to the UK. For many people no gas permeability will be a bonus. This is after all a bulk storage vessel.

    An excellent product, and it is available in other sizes.

    Price & delivery
    The equivalent stainless steel tank is now £500 excluding delivery. Delivery is also expensive due to the size and weight.

    The plastic equivalent is at the time of writing was less than half that price and delivery is just £9.

    Conclusion

    Stainless steel is very shiny and very nice, but it comes at a premium and I honestly believe it makes no difference as a bulk storage vessel to glass or plastic [treated correctly]. Therefore prices is the issue. I am told these are used widely on the continent and I can see why. Check them out you will not be disappointed.


    August 2013
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