How to choose a wine primary fermentation tank

Without primary fermentation, we have no wine. Primary fermentation generally refers to the winemaking stage in which yeast converts sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide. This phase can last about one to three weeks. But, what happens in primary fermentation does not stay in primary fermentation. Decisions made during this period can have a major impact on the final character of the wine.

For traditional red winemaking, the grape skins remain in contact with the juice during primary fermentation. For white winemaking, the juice is pressed from the peel as soon as possible after harvest, and the juice is fermented without touching the peel or seeds. Because white wines have lower tannins and delicate flavors, it is even more important to limit oxygen exposure to white wines during primary fermentation. Many home winemakers make red wines from extracted juices or concentrates, so the process has more similarities to white wines than to traditional reds. These process differences result in different requirements for the actual primary fermenter.

Primary fermenters don't need to be fancy or expensive, but they do need to be adapted to the style and volume of the wine you'll be fermenting. The most important characteristics of a primary fermenter are type (open top, closed top, sealed, mechanized), volume, aspect ratio, material, and ease of use. There is no one size fits all fermenter, so it is up to the winemaker to decide what fermenter to use during this critical winemaking stage. We'll give you some of the options you'd choose to use, and the style of wine they're used for.