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Wine on tap is quickly rising in popularity and tap systems have a lot of benefits over traditional bottled wine. A wine tap system is perfect for keeping wine secure and in great condition while also being easily ready for dispensing.
Catering companies, wineries, restaurants, and events venues are all turning to wine on tap for many reasons. This includes convenience, taste, cost, efficiency, and more.
Believe it or not, the latest wine on tap craze can save a bar time and money.
Keep reading and I’ll tell you all you need to know about wine on tap and what you need for a wine tap system.
What is a Wine Tap System?
Wine tap systems are becoming incredibly popular among restaurants, event venues, and other establishments that serve wine on a regular basis.
A tap system includes the use of a keg and is similar to a typical draft beer tap. Using kegs, wineries can deliver wines to a venue in much larger quantities. And this can be a lot cheaper than a flight of wines.
However, the difference is that instead of sending bottles of wine, many wineries are now able to send wine in a keg instead.
A keg can hold about 26 bottles of wine or 120 glasses of wine in one container. This, of course, saves a lot of effort and can be a much more efficient method of packaging wine.
Due to pressurization and the use of gases such as nitrogen and argon, you can keep wine in a keg just as fresh as bottled wine.
A reliable tap system has many benefits over bottled wine and can be a great and modern solution for any business that serves wine in its daily operations.
Problems With Bottled Wine
Wine on tap has many advantages over bottled wine.
While some people may believe that it will be hard to match the taste of bottled wine with a tap alternative, the truth is that the two methods have similar benefits and disadvantages.
Wine on tap tastes exactly like it should and is just as fresh and delicious as bottled wine.
Oxidation
Bottled wine has few advantages over wine on tap and the difference may not be as stark as you believe.
Once a bottle of wine is initially opened it loses much of its freshness, but a tap is more secure and safe from unwanted oxidation.
With new technology, wine from the tap can be even more secure from oxidization than bottled wines and as fresh as it should be.
The use of CO2, nitrogen, and argon gases helps keep the wine fresh and prevents oxidation when using a tap system. A great wine keg and all features on the tap are stainless steel which will help prevent oxidation as well.
Convenience
Compared to dealing with multiple wine bottles, a tap system can be incredibly convenient and save plenty of effort and hassle.
Since a keg can hold around 26 bottles of wine in one container, wine on tap makes things much easier to keep track of and deal with.
It can also be convenient to have a tap system where you can access it easily behind the bar, rather than having to retreat to a cellar or wine holding area in order to access wine for a patron or guest.
With traditional wine bottles, waiters and service staff often face the hassle of dealing with uncorking wine bottles often. A tap system can eliminate this additional effort.
Environmental Impact
Using a wine tap system can also have a great impact on the environment.
Traditional wine methods include the disposal and waste of many glass bottles and the use of many wooden corks.
There is also the problem of unused wine. Many times a bottle goes unfinished and will have to be tossed out, leading to a lot of waste and excess wine that goes unused.
Using wine on tap can be a much more sustainable and “green” way to do business.
What You Need in a Wine Tap System
While you now know the basics of what a wine tap system is and why you may prefer one over traditional wine bottling methods, what exactly do you need in a wine tap system? Just what exactly should you be looking for?
While wine systems differ somewhat, there are some features that are simply non-negotiable.
When dealing with the delicacy of wine and the many oxidation issues that are possible, you need to be sure to protect your merchandise and make sure that the wine is kept in as great a condition as possible.
Below are some of the main things that you need to be sure to have in a wine tap system.
Simple Setup
A great wine system will be easy to set up and have an easy installation procedure. A wine tap system will function in the same way as beer tap systems for the most part and include items such kegs, dispensing rods, faucets, and couplers.
Many wine systems are incredibly portable and compact. They should have the ability to be installed into an existing bar with ease, right alongside typical beer kegs and taps.
Ease of Use
It’s important to get a wine on tap system that is easy to use and that can be adaptable.
Simple setup processes, cleaning processes, and easy operation is critical. Look for ease of use when buying one of these tap systems and your investment will be more useful in the long run.
As a side note, if you’re considering using the equipment for sparkling wine as well you will want to invest in an additional flow control faucet. A flow control faucet for the tap system will make all of your sparkling wines come out smoothly.
Portability
A great tap system for wine will also be very portable, compact and easy to deal with. A tap system should easily fit into an existing bar or restaurant setup and not be too difficult to install and manage.
Despite its portability, however, a wine tap system should also be highly functional and efficient and be completely professional. A portable system shouldn’t skimp on all the features necessary for a wine system.
The QuikTap Stainless Steel Wine Tap, for example, is highly functional and a professional system that comes in an easy to set up and portable package.
Stainless Steel
Utilizing completely stainless steel keg and hardware components is crucial for an excellent and dependable wine tap. Stainless steel is important and many wine kegs will feature 304 stainless steel in order to properly secure the wine and prevent oxidation problems.
Because of wine’s acidity, it will interact with other metals and create oxidation which will spoil the taste of the wine and make it go bad quickly.
Stainless steel will help to prevent this oxidation and along with the pressure of the gases help keep it tasting fresh.
Pressurization/Oxidation
The most important features you need in a wine tap system are proper dispensing and pressurization mechanisms.
Wine taps will have gases which mix with the wine and serve as a blanket over the wine to prevent it from oxidizing. The wine dispenser will work through the use of nitrogen, argon, CO2, or some combination of those gases.
These gases are crucial to the maintaining of the wine in a keg-based system and are the most important part of the system.
Only use a tap system that includes these gases and proper dispensing processes.
Washing and Sanitizing
It’s important that washing and sanitizing is easy to do with a tap system. Proper cleaning is crucial to maintaining a tap that can keep wine fresh and avoid oxidation.
Wash and sanitize the tap and keg in order to avoid negatively affecting the quality of the wine. After sanitizing, the keg should then be pressurized again with nitrogen or other gases.
Also be aware, that you shouldn’t use beer or any other liquid in the keg as this can negatively affect the wine as well.
Final Thoughts
If you serve wine to your customers you may find it hard to believe that a wine tap system can be a solution for you.
While it may take some getting used to, wine on tap can be a great investment that can save a lot of effort and frustration in the long run. It can also be a great way to save money, be more efficient, and even minimize your environmental impact.
Due to gases, pressurization, and stainless steel hardware, wine on tap can be even more delicious than you think and retain its flavor just as well as a bottled wine while also being more efficient.
After you take the first step toward using a wine tap, you may end up wondering why it took you so long to start in the first place.
Have questions? Want to learn more about QuikTap and what we can do for you? Contact us today.
