Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/59998
WineEast tech hoses made by Tüdertechnica at one of those trade shows. Initially this company was not exporting its products to this coun- try, but when I found out that Glidetech was at last being imported into the U.S., I jumped at the chance to review it. I have been using and reviewing this hose at Tamanend Winery for two years to deter- mine its strengths and weaknesses, evaluating whether it could meet the expectations I had after seeing it at the European trade shows. Equipment features There are many features of the Glidetech hose that I like. One of the top attributes is the outer skin of the hose. The photo on page 76 shows a Glidetech hose next to a competitor's hose. The outer skin of the Glidetech hose has a bright red UHMW (ultra-high molecular weight) thermoplastic coating. This coating has prevented much of the wear that shows on the adjacent hose, even though both hoses have been used for a similar amount of time. Additionally, the thermoplastic coating makes the hose slide in and around winery surfaces more easily. There are times when the rougher surface of the competitor's hose is valuable, such as when the hose is coated in slippery liquids. In those situations, the rougher surface is easier to hold. However, the biggest asset of the UHMW coating on the Glidetech hose is its clean- ability. After two years of hard winery use, this hose cleans up to look as good as new. The Glidetech hose has a unique cor- rugated outer shape. This design gives the hose greater flexibility without losing any strength. The inner construction of this hose is multi-layered. Its rigid structure is formed by steel wire encased in a polymer rope-like wound material, and the unique wrapping of these steel supports creates the corrugated outer façade that allows the flexibility of the hose to be enhanced (see photo on this page). The hose pictured here is a factory prepared hose with 2-inch tri- clamp fittings. The hose bending diameter is 6 inches for a 2-inch hose. Other Glide- tech hoses have similar bending diameters. Another feature of the Glidetech hose is its relative weight per foot. The weight of the 3- and 4-inch hoses are as much as 60% less than that of other equivalent food and beverage hoses. The weight difference is not as large for the 1- and 2-inch hoses. For wineries using air diaphragm or peristaltic pumps, the pulsations can weaken the hose lining near its hose barb fitting. The 250 psi-rated hose solves this problem. Wines & Vines MARCH 2012 77