A floating lid tank exists to solve one problem: headspace that changes with fill level. Instead of transferring wine into a smaller vessel every time you draw down, the lid drops with the surface and keeps the ullage sealed. We build these variable capacity tanks from 100 L to 3,500 L as standard sizes, and 200 L, 300 L, 4,000 L and 50,000 L as custom fabrications. Cider houses, kombucha producers and meaderies order them for the same reason.

Standard shells are 304 stainless, 2B finish inside, with a #4 brushed exterior. If you are holding high-acid must, fruit wine with sulfite additions, or anything that will sit in the tank for months, 316L is worth the upcharge on the wetted surfaces. All seams are TIG welded, then pickled and passivated; we do not ship tanks with unpassivated heat tint, because that is where pitting starts. Interiors get ground and polished to a 0.6–0.8 µm Ra on request for wineries running strict sanitation programs.

Lid sealing matters more than most buyers expect. We supply either a food-grade inflatable tube or a gasketed rigid lid with adjustable tension straps, depending on tank diameter. Above 1,500 mm, the inflatable version holds a seal far more reliably. Cooling is handled with dimple or channel jackets on the side wall and, for larger units, a separate bottom jacket, sized for 30% propylene glycol at 28°F. Working pressure is 1.5 bar; every tank leaves with a pressure relief valve and a vent rated for the lid configuration.

CIP is straightforward: 1.5 in. tri-clamp spray ball in the top, 1.5 in. drain with a butterfly valve at the lowest point, and a racking port 100 mm off the bottom so you are not pulling lees. Sample valve, manway and thermowell positions are set during fabrication — send us your layout before welding starts.

Do I need a cone bottom? Only if you are dropping gross lees under pressure. For still wine stored on the fine lees, a flat or slightly sloped bottom with a racking arm does the job and costs less.

Can I run one tank for red and white? Yes, but the jacket sizing differs. Reds ferment warmer and need more surface area for cap management; tell us which variety dominates your program.

What about shipping a 50,000 L unit? Those ship in sections with field-weld kits and alignment jigs. We send a technician or a supervised crew depending on site access.

Send us your batch size, wine type, tank count and the clear height of your cellar. We will come back with tank volume, jacket area, lid style and port layout that fits the room you actually have.