Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/732978
64 WINES&VINES October 2016 OAK BARRELS 5739 NATURAL BRIDGE AVE. ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI 63120-1696 TELEPHONE (314) 381-2828 FAX (314) 381-5908 1-888-WE-R-RACKS (1-888-937-7225) www.titanrack.com email: komoran@titanrack.com TITAN-RACK A DIVISION OF TITAN TUBE FABRICATORS, INC. Double Bar Four Barrel Rack Double Bar Two Barrel Rack Half Rack Removable Center Rack • Central Location SAVES MONEY in Freight • Move more Barrels, cut handling time • Utilize air space, save floor space • Prevent product damage • Powder coat paint Over 30 years of experience in solving material handling needs Why Pay Freight From California? Let Our Central Location, ST. LOUIS, Save You BIG Money Portable Steel Barrel Racks From St. Louis TitanRack_Nov09.qxd 9/29/09 10:50 AM Page 1 Wines & Vines Digital Edition View this issue on your tablet, smartphone or online at winesandvines.com/ digitaledition Subscribe online at winesandvines.com/ subscribe You will need more room to maneuver when using four-barrel racks. The assump- tion of 14 feet aisle spacing should still be sufficient to move in and out of the barrel row, but other obstacles in your cellar (equip- ment, support columns, etc.) may hinder movement. If carrying eight barrels at a time—or any time your driver's vision is impaired—your forklift drivers should be moving the barrels in reverse to have a clear vision of where they are going. Other options Of course there are other rack types available. Some cellars use Barrel Safe, or what I call "four-poster racks." These racks stack upon each other rather than using the barrels as structural components of the barrel stack. Four posts rise above the barrel, and the next rack has receiving pockets to nest onto. These racks are larger as they need to be wider than the bilge of the barrel and as such take up more room. If you still want ladder space between the racks, you will need either a different style of rolling ladder than the Stokes rolling ladder used in the assumptions or to increase your ladder aisle width to accommodate the wider base of the Stokes ladder. Other rack systems can be more permanent in structure so that once put into place, moving them and the barrels contained therein may not be practical or would require special fork- lift attachments to move the barrels in and out of the racking system. Access to the barrels and required space for such a setup would need to be taken into account. The racks you choose have a direct impact on your cellar layout. Changes to your current barrel-storage system, either in layout or type, can have positive results in efficiency and/or safety. Just be mindful that any change you make needs to be thought through to ensure your equipment can handle the changes safely. You should have your forklift supplier evaluate your equipment to ensure the load being lifted fits within the safety parameters of the forklift. The last thing you ever want is to be safe at ground level but then tip the forklift as you lift the load higher. Regardless of whether you use two-barrel racks, four- barrel racks, puncheons, totes, porta tanks or other equipment, you must be sure your forklift's capacity is sufficient to handle the load before trying to move it! Mike Blom has more than 35 years of experience in the wine industry, with a career including time at Grigch Hills Estate, Santa Ynez Valley Winery, Firestone Winery and Firestone Walker Brewing Co. He was named general manager for Golden State Vintners' Edgewood Estate in 2000, and in 2004 he became the consulting wine- maker for Madorom Vineyards, a small boutique pro- ducer on the Silverado Trail, which he continues consulting for today. In 2005 Blom started Napa Barrel Care, an aging and bottling solution for virtual and brick- and-mortar wineries. Strapping the highest racks in a barrel stack can prevent swaying during an earthquake. PHOTO COURTESY OF FONTANELLA FAMILY WINERY