• Equipment

  Sherry, Solera Siphon, Pump, or Octopus: Which Should You Choose?

  Posted by ElCubanazo on August 6, 2021 at 6:51 pm

  Hello all,

  Starting a rum distillery in the next few months and we’re doing a solera style identical to oloroso and other sherries and I’m trying to source equipment right now to pull the trigger in the next month or two.

  I’ve heard and read in several sources that in the sherry industry they use a siphon called an “octopus” that’s able to pull from the upper barrels and distribute to the lower barrels evenly to move product through the solera. I’ve been googling like crazy over the last several months and for the life of me can’t find such a device for sale.

  Does anyone in the community know where I could source one of these? Our solera will be small in the beginning so we don’t need one that can do more than 4 barrels at a time on either end.

  Thanks!

  slickfloss replied 3 years, 4 months ago 3 Members · 7 Replies
• 7 Replies

• 

  triangle distiller

  Member

  August 11, 2021 at 1:27 pm

  Maybe write to a producer of Sherry in Jerez.

• 

  ElCubanazo

  Member

  August 11, 2021 at 7:31 pm

  I tried that by cold emailing one producer from their general site email. I should probably try again, let me know if you have any ideas other than cold contacting the email on their websites.

• 

  triangle distiller

  Member

  August 12, 2021 at 1:37 am

  If there are secondary market barrel suppliers in the market, then they may know of someone offering this type of product. I know I’ve seen them but not sure who makes them.

• 

  slickfloss

  Member

  August 12, 2021 at 1:35 pm

  I would rig this using trickle pumps (think theyre haas micro pumps) with in barrel float switches and plumb in stainless from barrel to barrel. Tap into each barrel near the bung- NAY through the bung, and have one in one out, kso youd leave each barrel with a tap that youd attach and disattach hosing from to fill and siphon. Metal should go to bottom of barrel.

   

• 

  slickfloss

  Member

  August 12, 2021 at 8:06 pm

  Paul Hall could rig this up for you in a minute boy

• 

  ElCubanazo

  Member

  August 13, 2021 at 6:11 pm

  I’m not familiar with a trickle pump, but would this be possible to connect multiple hoses to at once? That’s the goal here. I could reach out to Paul for sure if you think he could figure it out.

• 

  slickfloss

  Member

  August 16, 2021 at 1:49 pm

  my explanation above does not account for splitting barrels it would allow you to fill and empty the barrels more quickly in place. 

   

  Something you’re describing is feasible but it either involves logic or a tank and a little more engineering than I recommended. 

   

  Paul 100% could figure this out for you but I dk what you’re willing to pay or time he has to invest so I would totally just ask him 

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