The GOfermentor is available has a nominal volume of 1000 liters. This can be used for a batch size ranging from 200lbs to 1 ton of grapes per run. The GOfermentor used 44″x 44″ of floor space. Standard household-type electric service 110 VAC 5amp. In the case of red wine, the integral punch system manages the cap, and is also used for pressing the wine at the completion of fermentation. With white wine, the punch system is used to press out the grape juice prior to fermentation and can later also be used for bâtonag. No cleaning, automated punch, no press required. Controlled by an app on your smart phone.

The GOfermentor® is an advanced winemaking system that uses automated cap management and single-use technology that minimizes water usage. It has a built-in press that requires no cleaning making it a complete wine fermentation system.

The GOfermentor can operate automatically without the need for manual intervention. The new cloud-based GOfermentor SmartPhone App provides even more flexibility as the winemaker can now monitor and control any number of GOfermentors from anywhere in the world.

With the development of this new App, the GOfermentor has been transformed into a true IOT (internet-of-things) device. It is designed to be permanently connected to the Internet via WiFi and use the SmartPhone App as the primary control interface. While connection to the Internet is recommended, the GOfermentor can operate without WiFi if this is not available. A LCD control panel is provided for non-WiFi and local operation.

The many advantages of the new GOfermentor software App include:

• The ability to view wine fermentation processes from anywhere, including temperature of the must and punch status. View all alarm and event logs.
• The ability to control operations, including temperature settings, as well as punch schedules. Initiate punch remotely.
• The ability to receive notifications via email or text from the GOfermentor.
• Support for both Android and Apple iOS devices.

The App, and connectivity, is provided free of charge to GOfermentor customers. No personal data collection or advertising.

Existing GOfermentor users can easily upgrade their equipment to use the new App by connecting to the Internet and performing a Firmware Update.

The GOfermentor software application can now be downloaded for free from either Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.

Watch the GOfermentor App video here.

For more information and orders, go to www.GOfermentor.com or call 877-377-5359. 

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https://www.gofermentor.com/weekly-winery-chat-every-wednesday-at-noon-eastern/
Run your Fermentor remotely from anywhere in the world!  

Every Wed at noon EST on Youtube search for “ Gofermentor”, click on the GOfermentor logo, then on the red live button, sign in to your Youtube or Google account so you can participate during the Q&A, and subscribe for future videos and live streams. Text questions to 908 672-0986‬. 

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The GOfermentor manufactures advanced winemaking systems. Automated labor saving devices. Single-use technology minimizes water usage.

Weekly Winery Chat, hosted by Dr. Vijay Singh on YouTube. Every Wednesday at noon Eastern. Join the discussion on various issues concerning winemakers.

Join us on Youtube, every Wednesday at noon Eastern. We will announce the topic every Monday for the conversation on Wednesday. All suggestions are welcome, email sales@gofermentor.com.

To find the livestream, search on Youtube for “ GOfermentor”, click on the GOfermentor logo, then click on the live video with the red live button. If you are signed in to your Youtube or Google account you can participate in the live chat. Subscribe for future videos and live streams. Text you questions or comments to (908) 672-0986‬.

GOfermentor launches Weekly Winery Chat, hosted by Dr. Vijay Singh on YouTube. Every Wednesday at noon Eastern. Join the discussion on various issues concerning winemakers.

The topic for the April 8th conversation is Cap Management Options & Alternatives. Originally presented at Eastern Wine Expo 2020.

Join us on Youtube, every Wednesday at noon Eastern. We will announce the topic every Monday for the conversation on Wednesday. All suggestions are welcome, email sales@gofermentor.com.

To find the livestream, search on Youtube for “GOfermentor”, click on the GOfermentor logo, then click on the live video with the red live button. If you are signed in to your Youtube or Google account you can participate in the live chat. Subscribe for future videos and live streams. 

About GOfermentor

The GOfermentor manufactures advanced winemaking systems. Automated labor saving devices. Single-use technology minimizes water usage. US patents 9260682, 9611452, 9802805, France 14 61410, Australia 2014268161. Others pending.

For more information, visit www.gofermentor.com

Sky Acres Winery tested the effects of a white wine, Riesling, produced with bâtonnage during primary fermentation, punching the wine using the GOfermentor's automated punch. Wine was compared with a control fermentation with no agitation. The wine made using the bâtonnage process was rounder, had better mouthfeel, and better balance.

"The bâtonnage process achieved by the automated punching in the GOfermentor has given this wine an enhanced floral, yeasty, round biscuity taste. A very balanced wine. I will be using the GOfermentor's bâtonnage process for all my white wines," says Meera Singh, Winemaker, Sky Acres Winery.

The grapes were received at the end of October from Suisun Valley, CA, and were 20.5 brix. First, the grapes were pressed out using the GOfermentor, a closed system which prevents oxidation during the pressing. The yield was 160 gallons/ton. We split the juice into 2 batches, each in the GOfermentor, and cooling plates in both batches automatically maintained the temperature at 55ºF. We added the same yeast, V1116, to both batches.

Batch A was not punched, fermenting the wine in a standard way. Batch B was punched 4 times/day using the GOfermentor's automated punch. This process lifts the lees off the bottom with the result that the yeast was dispersed uniformly giving the must a cloudy appearance. Readings of Ethanol, Glucose, Fructose, pH, Total Acid, Malic acid, Lactic acid and VA were measured daily. Both fermentations were completed in 20 days, the wines had approximately the same amount of alcohol 12.3%. They were dry, and all the other readings were about the same.

We tasted the wines just after the fermentation was complete. Batch B was rounder, softer and a little carbonated, and Batch A was more acidic.

No sulfites were added in any part of the process. 4 months later we tasted the wines again.

Batch A. Appearance was clear, pale, lemon as it was made in a closed system. There was no oxidation. The nose was clean, light floral, and youthful. The mouthfeel was dry with acidity, notes of green apple and peach.

Batch B. Appearance was clear, pale, lemon, same as A. The nose was clean, with a distinct honeysuckle note. The mouthfeel was dry, much rounder and balanced with notes of stone fruit. Medium body with a medium finish.

Sky Acres Winery, an award winning winery located in Far Hills, NJ, exclusively use the GOfermentor.

About GOfermentor

The GOfermentor is an advanced winemaking system with a built-in press. Units are in use worldwide. Automated punch and built-in press reduces cost and labor. Single-use technology minimizes water usage. US patents 9260682, 9611452, 9802805, France 14 61410, Australia 2014268161. Others pending.

For more information, visit www.gofermentor.com

What if… you could eliminate oxygen and water completely from the winemaking process while, at the same time, reduce your labor costs and create better quality wines?

NEW JERSEY, JULY 18th 2015 – A new technology called GOfermentor, set to revolutionize the winemaking process in the areas of oxygen control and water waste, has been released onto the international winemaking market.

GOfermentor brings groundbreaking technology to the age-old art of winemaking, providing greater control of fermentation parameters, minimal exposure to air, minimal use of water, and an internal-automated cap management system, resulting in notably better quality wine, every time.

The technology creates a more controlled environment (which minimizes potential contamination) than fermentation in a macrobin. Moreover, the absence of oxygen allows the winemaker added direct-control over the final product.

GOFermentor Has Made The Waterless Winery A Reality

Water-usage costs are vastly reduced (90% on average), making the winery a more environmentally sound facility. No washing, no detergents, no scrubbing are needed. The system employs an internal and automatic punch-down method which ensures the cap remains moist without exposing the fermenting must to air.

Since GOFermentor requires no wash and rinse, its usage results in meaningful labor cost reductions so staff can be reassigned within the winery.

“GOfermentor is revolutionizing the fermentation process, and it affords considerably less capital than the traditional-style fermentors. The technology has garnered a broad appeal,” say Frederick Brown, Head of Business Development at GOfermentor. “Wineries in the U.S. and Europe have already embraced the GOfermentor technology, as we prepare to roll it out globally in the coming months.”

About GOfermentor

The GOfermentor was developed by Dr. Vijay Singh, a world-recognized biotech scientist with hundreds of published papers. Among his 20 or so patents, is his highly acclaimed Wave Bioreactor, a device developed in the late 1990s, which revolutionized the production of biopharmaceuticals by using a disposable cultivation bag supported on a rocking platform. Vaccines, antibodies, cytokines, proteins, are all commercially manufactured in the Wave Bioreactor, now owned and marketed by General Electric Healthcare.

The GOfermentor is the result of four years of development by Dr. Singh to develop better winemaking technology that uses no wash water, excludes damaging air from the process, has integral cap management and pressing capabilities, and yet is cost-effective. Extensive trials and product development were performed at his own Sky Acres Winery in New Jersey.

Single Use Liner Reduces Use of Water, Sulfites. Eliminates the press.

The GOfermentor is used by many commercial wineries all over the world. One of the interesting features is the ability to add fermentation capacity within days. If a winery is suddenly faced with a larger than planned amount of grapes they can simply get a GOfermentor shipped to them and be running in just days from order.

Meera and Vijay Singh

The GOfermentor ferments the grapes to wine in a single-use plastic liner. The liner is supplied new each time and no washing is necessary. Punching is done by periodically inflating a separate chamber with air. This can be done on a user-set schedule reducing labor. Up to one ton of grapes can be processed per batch. The pressure and motion of the inflating air bladder during the automated punch disperses the cap during fermentation, keeping it moist. It also provides more uniform temperatures reducing the possibility of “reductive” odors.

On completion of the fermentation, the wine can be pressed out using the built-in press. No external press is needed. The inflation chamber simply squeezes the must, 150 gallons/ton, through a perforated screen leaving the waste pomace in the liner which can be used as compost.

There is no exposure to air during fermentation or pressing. Minimal water (90% less) is required for cleaning and little waste water is generated. The liner itself is disposed of in an environmentally responsible fashion, where it biodegrades in a landfill. For the next fermentation, a new liner is used.

The advantages of the cost-effective GOfermentor are numerous:

• No installation is required.

• There is 90% less water usage with no cleaning involved.

• The machine contains a labor-saving, built in press; pomace remains in liner for easy disposal.

• The punch and press are completely automated and available on a smart phone app.

• The machine provides homogeneous mixing, there are no temperature variations from center to side, therefore no reductive smells.

• Quality of wine is enhanced, producing superior color extraction, flavor and aromatics.

The GOfermentor was developed to bring 21th Century processing techniques to winemaking. It was invented by Dr Vijay Singh, an expert in pharmaceutical bioprocessing. He used his background in fermentation and disposables to make a winemaking machine that requires no cleaning with the objective to eliminate waste water generation. The resulting device is simple to use and inexpensive – a complete system capable of processing 1 ton is less than $ 2000. Another objective was to eliminate the need for a costly and labor-intensive press. However, ultimately the machine had to make superior wine. This was ensured by his wife Meera, a WSET Level 3 sommelier.

Development of the GOfermentor begun in 2013 and a number of trials were performed in the US, Italy, Australia, and Spain. The ability of the GOfermentor to produce superior wine has been validated in our own winery – Sky Acres Winery – which has won more than 50 prestigious wine awards, including Best in Class at the 2019 San Francisco Chronicle wine competition for their Sky Acres Winery, Black River Red. All made in the GOfermentor.

“Our wine contains no sulfites because the process happens in closed liner; it does not react with air,” Singh confirms. “And one of the best things is that – our system doesn’t require infrastructure. It takes up only a 4×4 foot floor space.”

For information and orders go to: www.gofermentor.com.

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“The design of the GOfermentor closed liner naturally condenses aromas inside the liners upper surface, effortless refluxing aroma compounds back into the must as the punching bladder expands and contracts.  The reflux effect occurs without the need for a glycol condenser or refrigeration equipment.” Says Vijay Singh, PhD the inventor of the GOfermentor.

As grape sugars are converted into ethanol, large amounts of carbon dioxide are produced. As the CO₂ escapes, significant amounts of wine aroma molecules escape with it. Studies by Eco-Pas.com have determined that 20 – 35% of varietal aromas are typically lost to the atmosphere.  Small lots of red wines fermented at high temperatures in open top fermenters are particularly susceptible to aroma loss.

As a result, red wines vinified in a GOfermentor are more flavorful and aromatic than those employing conventional small lot procedures.  Winemakers are encouraged to run their own comparative experiments in which they will see other benefits of the technology including better tannin structure and diminished hydrogen sulfide production.

About GOfermentor

The GOfermentor is an advanced winemaking system for artisanal and small batch (< 1 ton) production. Many units are in use worldwide. Automated punch and built-in press reduces cost and labor. Single-use technology minimizes water usage. US patents 9260682, 9611452, 9802805, France 14 61410, Australia 2014268161. Others pending.

 For more information, contact sales@GOfermentor.com, visit www.gofermentor.com

The SmartBarrel has been keeping your wines safe from oxidation, Brettanomyces, and other contamination for years. Our single-use pharma clean liners eliminate washing. The patented diptube eliminates the need for “topping-off”. Wine is protected from oxidation, even at low volumes. Hundreds of SmartBarrel systems are in use worldwide.

“Now SmartBarrel just got smarter!” notes Vijay Singh, inventor of the SmartBarrel System. “Not only keep your wine safe, but know what’s in each container, the grapes used, when it was last racked. Just use your smartphone to scan the QR code on the liner. You can view and edit the data from anywhere you have internet. Your colleagues can update the information in real-time using a phone, tablet, or PC. Imagine – no more out-of-date Post It notes!”

The new SmartBarrel tracking system gives you easy access to all your wine storage information. Best of all the service is free with purchase of SmartBarrel single-use liners.

Here is how the magic works:

1. Store your information in Google sheets: Each batch is assigned a user-generated unique name. Create a Google Sheets spreadsheet. Enter information into the spreadsheet. For example - date made, varietal, status, volume, assay data, tasting notes, aging log, and so on. GOfermentor supplies a template that you can copy or modify for your needs.

2. Link the QR code on the liner to the batch: When you fill a SmartBarrel liner use the SmartBarrel App to link the liner QR code to the batch name. When you empty it, just unlink the QR code.

3. Scan the QR code with your phone: The SmartBarrel app connects you to the linked batch name and opens its Google Sheet for you to view and edit.

This simple and accessible tracking system allows you to bring your entire cellar under control. You can now know exactly what you have, how much of it, where it is, and its entire history. You can view everything on your phone or on your laptop. So can your authorized coworkers.

Simple system working with today’s technology.

Uses your own Google cloud storage for security: GOfermentor provides a Google Sheets template for you to copy to create a Google sheet for each batch. Using your own Google account gives you full control and access to your information. GOfermentor cannot access your data.

QR codes on all liners: All SmartBarrel liners manufactured after June 2023 are already equipped with QR codes. For retrofit, you can purchase QR stickers to place on your older liners.

SmartBarrel App: Download the app from our website (currently only for Android – iOS coming soon). Free of charge.

SmartBarrel is product of GOfermentor.

GOfermentor second season of the Winery Chat, hosted by Dr. Vijay Singh. Join the discussion on various issues concerning winemakers and wine science.

There will be a new topic every couple of weeks. Find us https://gofermentor.com/winery-chat/ or on YouTube search for “ GOfermentor”.

The topic for the Series 2

Episode 1, “Reductive Aromas” What’s going on?” 

Episode 2, “Use CO2 evolution to estimate metabolic activity and ethanol concentration”

The topics from Series 1

Episode 1, “Cap Mangement Options”

Episode 2, “Operating a Winery with Minimal staff”

Episode 3, “Safe Wine Storage”

Episode 4, “Experimental winemaking using the GOfermentor”

Episode 5, “New Cloud App for GOfermentor”

Episode 6, “Pressing, Quick & Easy”

Episode 7, “Building a Small Winery – the GOfermentor way”

Episode 8, “The Joy of Blending”

Episode 9, “Wine Racking, SmartBarrel style”

Episode 10, “An interview with Vijay Singh inventor of the GOfermentor”

Episode 11, “Winemaker in 15 mins, Guide to basic winemaking”

About GOfermentor

The GOfermentor manufactures advanced winemaking systems. Automated labor saving devices. Single-use technology minimizes water usage. US patents 9260682, 9611452, 9802805, France 14 61410, Australia 2014268161. US patent 11066285. Others pending.

For more information, visit www.gofermentor.com

Complete wine fermenter with built-in press, delivered and operational within a week of your order. Free shipping offer valid until Oct 1, 2021.

The GOfermentor is a patented completely automated winemaking device that conducts fermentation inside bags. The GOfermentor’s single-use system not only eliminates punch-down labor and water consumption during fermentation, but also presses the wine for you at the press of a button. There is no washing as the bags are delivered clean, and only used once. Water usage is vastly reduced (by 90% on average), making the winery more environmentally sound. No washing, no steaming, no detergents, and minimal wastewater generation. Eliminating cleaning reduces labor so the winemaker can devote their time to more productive activities.

Features:

1. Automated Punch - Set schedule on your Smartphone for unattended punch. Monitor fermentation parameters from anywhere using free app (iOS and Android).
2. Built-in Press – No external press needed. No press to buy and no press to clean. Yields are 150 gallons/ton or better.
3. No Cleaning or Water Usage – Single-use medical grade liner eliminate cleaning and hassles of wash water treatment and monitoring. No environment permit needed.
4. Quick, Easy Setupv – Place 4’ x4’ base in position and connect to 110 VAC.
5. Capacity – Up to 1 ton of grapes per run.
6. Cooling Capability – Optional cooling plate allows precise temperature control.
7. Complete Starter Bundle - $ 2970 delivered. No sales tax except NJ.

About the GOfermentor:

The GOfermentor has been commercially marketed since 2014 and hundreds of units are in use worldwide. Over 5 US and International patents have been granted. Wineries have recognized the advantages of unattended punching, elimination of cleaning, and low cost. There is essentially no installation, and units can be operational within hours of delivery. Bases can be used for racking or folded up for storage..

Numerous side by side trials have shown that the GOfermentor is capable of producing superb wine with no off-odors or “reductive” characteristics. The GOfermentor can be programmed to perform a “punch” on a scheduled basis day and night. The GOfermentor periodically squeezes the fermenting must in red wine using the patented internal inflatable chamber, eliminating the cap. This promotes bulk mixing unlike anything possible with pump-over or manual punching. This action also lifts the settled yeast off the bottom and disperses it. This avoids the development of stagnant layers of decomposing yeast. The temperatures can be automatically controlled using an optional cooling plate. As the fermentation temperatures and other parameters are more homogenous, they provide more uniform conditions that result in consistent yeast performance.

The GOfermentor single-use system not only eliminates punch-down labor during fermentation, but it also presses the wine for you at the press of a button. The system’s innately gentle press is built into each GOfermentor ensuring excellent yields - 150 gallons/ton or better, with the richest, softest tannins possible.

After pressing, waste pomace is contained inside the fermentation bag which is then removed; the pomace can be used for compost, and the biodegradable bag is discarded. Put in a new bag and you are ready for the next fermentation.

In short, the GOfermentor enables a winery to operate with minimal water. The GOfermentor is low cost and can be installed in hours without requiring any significant infrastructure. The GOfermentor uses up to 1 ton of grapes per run. The GOfermentor used 44″x 44″ of floor space. Standard household-type electric service 110 VAC 5amp.

"GOfermentor is revolutionizing the wine making industry, as it allows fermentation capacity to be added instantly when needed.” Says the inventor, Dr. Vijay Singh. When not in use, the GOfermentor can be folded and stacked for storage freeing up valuable floor space in the winery for other operations. Not other wine fermenter with a 1 ton capacity can be delivered and running in a matter of days.

For more information, visit gofermentor.com or contact sales@Gofermentor.com.

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Wine Storage System

“VC tanks have poor seals that result in oxidation and microbial spoilage, VCTs have long been considered a necessary evil for small lot storage. Everybody hates them! SmartBarrel liners, which eliminate these problems, are a boon to small producer wine quality, to say nothing of their convenience, economy, and the elimination of water and chemicals for cleaning,” notes Clark Smith.

The SmartBarrel wine storage system uses a patent diptube and single-use liners to store wine with no headspace – eliminating oxidation. The low oxygen permeable flexible liners can store partial volumes for years with no topping. Sampling is done by a vacuum pump reducing contamination. The liners are used only once which again avoids contamination due to poor cleaning, and also minimizes wash water usage. The Smart system have been available for several years for use with vertical drums, horizontal barrels, and 330 gallon IBC containers.

Many wineries have a considerable investment in VC tanks. The concept of variable capacity tanks is very attractive – the lid can be adjusted for partial fills to minimize headspace. In practice, however VCTs are a big headache. The seals often fail allowing air to enter and ruin the precious wine. Meticulous monitoring and maintenance are required.

Wineries can now easily convert their existing VC tanks to Smartbarrels thereby leveraging their investment yet upgrading to modern technology that requires no attention or topping off. Wine can be observed through the clear liners and any headspace or contamination is easily observed. The liners are completely sealed so accidental air ingress is impossible.

Converting a VC tank is simple – 1) remove the lid and throw it away! 2) adjust the telescopic diptube to the height of the tank, 3) insert the diptube into the single-use liner and attach using a triclamp. Now place the liner into the VCT and pump the wine though the fill/drain fitting on the diptube (1 ½” triclamp, 2 “ triclamp , or QC fitting) into the liner. Once the wine is pumped, disconnect the fill line and cover with triclamp cap. Next aspirate any headspace using the cordless Aspirator accessory.

All operations with the SmartBarrel are done with wine pumps. Wine is removed by pumping out of the fill/drain top port. As wine is removed, the liner collapses so headspace is never created. The patented perforated design of the diptube ensures that the clean wine is automatically drawn out first. No need for a racking cane. No “topping off” is ever needed. Sampling using a traditional wine thief introduces air and can cause cross-contamination. The SmartBarrel does not use a wine thief. Samples are taken using a vacuum aspirator that assures that nothing is introduced into the wine during sampling.

You can still utilize the cooling jacket of the VC tank for temperature control. SmartBarrel diptubes can be purchased with an internal temperature sensor that can be interfaced to your jacket temperature controller.

Upgrading your Variable Capacity tank to a SmartBarrel provides an effective, economical, and reliable solution for the safe storage of wine during racking, aging, and bulk. This technology was developed over years of experimentation based on Dr Vijay Singh’s unsurpassed knowledge of flexible pharmaceutical processing. The key component of the SmartBarrel is the patented diptube. The wine is stored in single-use liners that have extremely low oxygen permeability. The contact materials have been used for bag-in-box systems for years and are known not to impart odors or other negative effects.

SmartBarrel upgrade kits for VC tanks are currently available up to 1,000 liters. Larger sizes up to 3,000 liters will be available December 2021.

Traditional cellar operations, such as “oaking” are easily performed by introducing inexpensive and environmentally sustainable oak products – chips, staves, or cubes into the SmartBarrel liners. A side benefit of this procedure is that when the appropriate level of oaking is achieved the process can be easily terminated by simply pumping the wine out to a new liner without oak products. The chips, staves, etc. are retained in the original liner by the perforations in the diptube. This is not possible with traditional wood barrels.

Liners are single-use, so there is no cleaning. A perfectly clean storage container is instantly available.

For more information, to schedule a virtual tour, contact sales@Gofermentor.com or go to www.GOfermentor.com.

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Apart from the easily avoidable presence of elemental dusting sulfur in crushed musts, the primary cause of H₂S and other sulfides in primary fermentation is production by yeasts during cycles of protein dismantling and re-synthesis. Linda Bisson of UC Davis has done much to elucidate fermentation kinetics and the causes of sulfide production.

Proteins are long chains of amino acids that may have structural roles (gelatins, cell wall components, etc.) or they may catalyze and regulate metabolic reactions (enzymes). Methionine is the initiating amino acid in the synthesis of virtually all eukaryotic proteins. Cysteine is vital in their folding and shaping. Both contain sulfur groups.

Whenever fermentation conditions change, yeasts retool by breaking down obsolete proteins, temporarily liberating free H₂S and other sulfides and then recapturing some or all of it in subsequent synthesis. When cysteine breaks down it releases H₂S with an odor of rotten eggs. Methionine contains a methylated sulfur and is released as methyl mercaptan with an odor of rotten cabbage. These constitute the so-called “reductive” aromas.

In conventional winemaking, two different temperature zones recur throughout fermentation multiple times per day during the active period from 20 to 10 brix. The skins in red wine fermentations are buoyed up by CO₂ evolution. Since heat rises, the pomace cap is always warmer than the juice below, and the difference can be as much as 10 C in just a few hours.

Normally punch-downs or pump-overs performed by humans have 8 to 12 hour intervals during which temperature spikes in the cap cause yeasts to retool, creating nutrient deficiencies and sulfides.

GOfermentors don’t have lives. They don’t have wives and kids. They always show up for work. They can thus be programmed to perform gentle mixing on a much more frequent basis day and night. The GOfermentor periodically squeezes the fermenting must using the patented internal inflatable chamber. This promotes bulk mixing unlike anything possible with pump-over or manual punching. This action also lifts the settled yeast off the bottom and disperses it. This avoids the development of stagnant layers of decomposing yeast. Fermentation temperatures and other parameters are more homogenous and proceed on a steady curve with more stable conditions.

The result is that in the GOfermentor little yeast retooling occurs. Sulfide production, stuck fermentations, and the butyric acid bacterial spoilage that occurs in hot caps are prevented.

Link: Red wine additions spread sheet

Reading: Concepts in wine Technology, Yair Margalit, Phd

There’s a reason why winemaking is sometimes referred to as “mud pies for grown-ups.”  Pressing musts, particularly on a small scale, is tedious, messy and labor-intensive.  It requires careful attention to balancing yields against harsh tannin extraction. 

The ideal pressing system creates a thin, well-drained static cake to which low pressure is gently applied. Thick press cakes require high pressures and/or mechanical redistribution of the cake either by hand or by motorized equipment. 

Conventional small batch presses are poorly designed.  Most vertical basket presses have steel bottoms and force juice through a foot or more of pomace through side slats at great pressure, resulting in harsh tannins and poor yields.  Some use water bladders which spread the pomace to a thinner cake.  This is an improvement, but when 50 psi water pressure is employed, once again harsh tannins result.

Horizontal basket presses aren’t much better.  They tumble the cake repeatedly while beating it with chains, repeatedly pressing at higher and higher pressures.

The GOfermentor single-use system not only eliminates punch-down labor and water consumption during fermentation, but also presses the wine for you at the press of a button.  The system’s innately gentle pressure and well-engineered filtration system ensure that excellent yields, 150 gallons/ton, are obtained with the richest, softest tannins possible.

This pressing action is performed in a single, steady motion.  Since the cake is static, it acts as a filter, so this action also results in good clarity and low lees and other solids, thus minimizing sulfide production in the receiving vessel and optimizing settled yields. This happens automatically, so that it is literally impossible to obtain harsh tannins from a GOfermentor.

The best part is once you finish pressing, you just remove the bag containing the spent pomace and throw it out. No cleaning. Put in a new bag and you are ready for the next fermentation.

COVID-19 has led to winery closures and equipment supply chain disruptions. Many winemakers will not have sufficient installed fermentation capacity to deal with the deluge of grapes that will arrive in the next few weeks. The GOfermentor wine fermentation system could be a lifesaver for them. GOfermentors are in stock in the USA and can be delivered in days. No site preparation or installation is needed. The only requirement is 110vac power and recirculating glycol/water coolant (for optional cooling). A GOfermentor can be operational within hours of delivery. Simply use a pallet jack to get the 4ftx4ft unit into any suitable indoor space. Plug it into an ordinary household 110 power receptacle and install the single-use liner. You are now ready to add in destemmed grapes and start the fermentation. Each unit has a maximum capacity of 1 ton grapes and features a built-in press. Eliminating the need for a press greatly reduces cost and installation.

The GOfermentor is an efficient, affordable, and clean way to make quality wine. The punching is done automatically. Multiple units can be monitored from anywhere in the world using a smartphone app. When the fermentation is complete, simply insert the supplied presstube; connect a self-priming wine pump and pump out the wine. Activating the press function on the GOfermentor will inflate the secondary chamber – squeezing the pomace dry. Typical yields are 150 to 170 GPT. No need to buy, wash, and operate an expensive external press. Food grade single-use liners eliminate cleaning and wash water usage. No need for construction or environmental permits gets your winery up and running quickly.

A complete GOfermentor unit (1 ton capacity) costs $2100, optional cooling plate with control valve is $600. Single-use liners are $100 each.

Steve Boyer of The Village Vintner in Illinois, used 12 GOfermentors, to process 100,000 lbs of grapes last year with essentially one operator.

GOfermentor Winery Planning Guide document

Watch video, How to make Red Wine in the GOfermentor: 

About GOfermentor

The GOfermentor manufactures advanced winemaking systems. Automated labor saving devices. Single-use technology minimizes water usage. For more information, visit www.gofermentor.com