Wine Tanks

Choosing the right wine fermentation tank is a critical step in building a successful commercial winery. The type of tank you use affects everything from flavor development and fermentation control to workflow efficiency and sanitation. Whether you're producing small batches or scaling up to meet growing demand, understanding your options can help ensure long-term success in winemaking.

Why Your Wine Tank Selection Matters

The wine fermentation tank is more than just a container—it's a core component of your production process. The right tank will:

  • Control fermentation temperatures
  • Support consistent flavor profiles
  • Ensure sanitary production conditions
  • Streamline cleaning and maintenance
  • Adapt to your facility's space and capacity requirements

Investing in quality wine tanks up front can improve product consistency, reduce risk of contamination, and simplify your workflow.

Types of Wine Fermentation Tanks

At Glacier Tanks, we offer a variety of stainless steel tanks that support different stages of the winemaking process.

Stainless Steel Wine Tanks

Stainless steel tanks are ideal for commercial winemaking. These tanks offer:

  • Neutral flavor preservation – Unlike wood, stainless steel doesn’t affect taste.
  • Easy cleaning and sterilization – Smooth interiors support CIP (Clean-In-Place) systems.
  • Precise temperature control – Many models include dimpled cooling jackets for managing fermentation temperatures.

Depending on what characteristics the winemaker is wanting to emphasize, stainless steel tanks are well-suited for both red and white wine fermentation, aging, and storage.

Skip the Floating Lid Tanks: Choose Reliable Alternatives

Floating lid tanks, also known as variable capacity wine tanks, are often marketed as a flexible solution for winemakers working with varying batch sizes. However, in real-world applications, they frequently introduce more problems than they solve.

  • Gasket issues are common, with floating lids often failing to create a proper seal—especially when the lid isn’t seated exactly right.
  • Not pressurizable so limited options for long-term storage because headspace can't be filled with an inert gas
  • Even with careful setup, air leaks and oxygen exposure can still occur, putting wine quality at risk.

Because of these persistent performance issues, Glacier Tanks does not offer floating lid tanks. Instead, we recommend a more dependable solution that aligns with commercial winemaking standards: sealed stainless steel brite tanks or fermenters.

With these tanks, winemakers can easily control oxygen exposure by using inert gas blanketing—a method already familiar to many commercial producers. Simply:

  • Pump an inert gas (such as argon or nitrogen) into the tank’s headspace.
  • Allow oxygen to escape through an open port.
  • Once oxygen is fully purged, seal the ports.

This process creates a protective atmosphere that prevents oxidation without relying on floating gaskets or variable-position lids. It’s cleaner, safer, and much more consistent—especially in longer-term storage and aging.

Open-Top Tanks

Open-top tanks are especially useful for red wine production, allowing easy access for manual cap management.

  • Better skin contact through punch-downs or pump-overs.
  • Simplified fermentation monitoring and manual adjustments.
  • Improved control of oxidation levels where appropriate.

Open-top wine fermentation tanks are commonly used during the primary fermentation stage for red varietals that benefit from high skin contact and oxygen exchange. Glacier Tanks open-top tanks have hinged lids to help ensure no debris or pesky fruit flies can get into the wine.

Features to Consider in a Wine Tank

Capacity & Batch Size

Choose tank sizes that match your projected volume, with enough flexibility and headspace to allow for cap expansion from entrained gasses produced during primary ferment, and space for punchdown splashing.

Temperature Control

Consistent fermentation temperatures are crucial for wine quality. Tanks with built-in cooling jackets offer precise control and help preserve flavor integrity during active fermentation.

Sanitation & Maintenance

Smooth-walled, stainless steel tanks make cleaning easy and reduce the risk of bacterial growth. Look for tanks with accessible ports,manways, and CIP options to streamline cleaning.

Workflow & Accessibility

Tanks should complement your facility layout. Consider side manways for easy lees removal, sample valves for quality checks, and bottom drain valves for full liquid evacuation.

Long-Term Durability

Stainless steel construction offers long-term value, with resistance to corrosion and wear from acidic wine must and cleaning chemicals.

Summary

Choosing the right fermentation tank is a foundational decision for any winery. From stainless steel tanks with cooling jackets to variable capacity, hinged-lid, your equipment should support your production goals, sanitation standards, and the unique characteristics of the wine you craft. If you have any questions on what tank would work best for you, please contact our teamhere.