Wine Trials and Studies Made Easy

Fermenter capacity 50 to 110 lb grapes

Automated cap management using an app

Built-in press

Size of a bar stool. 30 inches high and 20 inches wide

$825 complete system with sampler and 3 fermentation bags

Micro-fermentation can be easily performed using the GOfermentor Jr automated wine fermentor. Single-use fermentation bags eliminate cleaning labor and contamination. Punch is automatic based on user schedule, requiring no labor and completely reproducible. It is performed by periodically inflating internal bladders to disperse the cap. Pressing is done by connecting a wine pump and pressing a button - this inflates an internal bladder and squeezes the pomace dry. Lift out the bag with the spent pomace and simply put in a new one for the next trial.

Labor-saving device is ideal for trials, such as testing for smoke taint. GOfermentor Jr is used by academic and research organizations such Penn State, and University of New Mexico.

Fermentation is done in single-use food-grade bag. A large 20inch fill opening allows grapes to filled by hand. The winemaker then introduces additives and yeast as desired and closes the bag with the supplied vent cap. The fermentation kinetics are identical to conventional equipment. CO2 is automatically vented. Samples can be taken at any time using the supplied vacuum sampler.

Red Wine in GOfermentor Jr

 

Professional winemaking for the serious enthusiast. Make red wine using real grapes instead of juice for award-winning results. Advanced technology eliminates all the mess and cleaning. Completely self-contained. Does not require a destemmer, or press.

GO fermentor Jr is designed to make 5 to 8 gallons of wine per batch. Fermentation is performed in a single-use pharmaceutical grade plastic bag. This bag is filled through a large 20 inch opening. Whole, crushed, or even whole-cluster grapes can be added. The large fill port allows the grapes to filled by hand, eliminating the need for an expensive must pump. The winemaker then introduces additives and yeast as desired and closes the bag with the supplied vent cap. The fermentation proceeds and CO2 is automatically vented as necessary. Punching is performed automatically as per a schedule set by the winemaker. This automatic punch ensures superb extraction of color and flavors. The automatic punch is controlled by the supplied controller that works by squeezing the bag as shown below:

Automated Cap Management

Punch


The bladders inflate to break the cap and squeeze out color and flavors from the grapes.

The fermentation bag is placed inside a reusable set of rubber bladders. This is in turn placed inside a reusable rigid plastic drum. When a punch is desired, the controller inflates the bladders. This action squeezes the fermentation bag forcing the wine up through the cap. After a few minutes the bladder is deflated and fragments of the cap fall back into the wine. The action is repeated periodically and ensures that the cap is dispersed and kept moist.

Integral wine press

At the end of the fermentation unscrew the pressure vent and screw on the harvest tube (supplied) and connect it to a collection container (carboy or bag). Set the controller to PRESS, and then START. This will inflate the bladders as shown in the sequence above. The action squeezes the pomace, pressing out the wine into the collection container. Skins and seeds are retained in the bag. Pressing out 6 gallons takes 15 minutes or so. Some wine is retained and can be pumped out using an inexpensive wine pump to increase wine yield. Then the bladders are depressurized. The press cycle can be repeated after 30 minutes to get out some more wine. Then the bag containing waste pomace is removed and discarded. The strainer tube is simply rinsed and set aside for the next batch. The bladder and drum do not contact the wine requiring no cleaning at all. No mess and minimal cleanup. Just put in a new bag, get some grapes, and you are good to go again.

Set the controller to PRESS. This will inflate the bladder as shown in the sequence above. The action squeezes the pomace pressing out the remaining wine. Skins and seeds are retained in the bag. Pressing out 6 gallons takes 15 minutes or so.

White Wine in GOfermentor Jr

The GO fermentor Jr can also be used to make white wine from suitable grapes. It makes what is typically a very messy sticky process into a quick clean operation. With white wine you need to press the grapes to collect the juice for fermentation leaving behind the skins and seeds.

Preparation

Prepare the fermentation bag inside the rubber cuff as described earlier.
Fill the fermentation bag with grapes and crush if desired. Close the open end with a hose clamp as for red wine but try to vent out as much air as possible.
You can press out the juice right away or you can let it cold-soak for a period of time. This is where the artistry and experience comes in.

Pressing

Place the clear lid on the drum and clamp it securely. Push the supplied pressing tube through the 2 inch triclamp port into the must. Attach the pressing tube to the 2 inch port with the supplied triclamp and gasket. Connect the bladder pressurization manifold tubing to the controller. Verify that the lid and triclamp is aligned correctly and secure.

Screw the harvest tubing (supplied) to the outlet of the pressing tube and connect the other end to a vessel suitable for the fermentation of the juice. You can use a carboy, plastic pail, or fermentation bag. Just make sure your fermentor has suitable airlock to permit fermentation gases to vent but not allow air in. On the controller set the operation to PRESS.

Press the START button to initiate the pressing sequence. The sequence is identical to that used for red wine and is described earlier in detail. You should see the juice being forced out into you collection vessel. The wine flow will ultimately stop and the bladders will depressurize. Now wait 30 minutes or so and reinitiate the PRESS sequence. You can increase the juice yield substantially by using an inexpensive wine pump to pump the juice out of the pressing tube. Continue until no more juice flow is observed. You may want to repeat again after an hour. The purpose of the delay between cycles is to allow the juice to percolate down through the crushed pulpy mass. Patience is rewarded by getting more juice out of the grapes. You should get 5gallons+ from 100 lb grapes.

Once the operation is complete make SURE the bladders are deflated. Then open the cover. Remove and discard the bag containing the spent grapes. Ferment the collected juice.

Wine from Real grapes made at home

GOfermentor Jr Setup

Cap Management in Jr

Automated Press in Jr

Pressing White Wine in Jr

Video embed code not specified.