Acratophore

(from Greek akratophoros, “vessel for pure wine”), an apparatus for making sparkling wine (champagne) by the tank method; it was proposed by Professor Maumené (France) in 1859 to replace the expensive bottle method of making champagne.

The acratophore designed by A. M. Frolov-Bagreev (USSR) is a vertical steel cylinder consisting of two parts joined by flanges, with a spherical bottom and cover. The capacity of an acratophore may be 5,000 or 10,000 liters; there are also smaller models—350 and 500 liters. The interior is enameled; the exterior of the acratophore has three vertical sheaths that cool the circulating must in order to retard fermentation. The acratophore is insulated and has devices for drawing the wine, for process control, and for removing sediment. The acratophore makes champagne in 26 days.