Puleo Bladder Press
We are extremely proud to offer and support Carlsen & Associates presses. Available from 9HL to 150HL, our press is what we consider well built, with parts that are available in the U.S. And that says a lot.
It's easy to clean and simple to operate or program. A third, independent mode of operation called "true manual" is fast and easy for filling, cleaning, or finishing a batch of grapes without the computer.
- 9HL to 150HL, open or tank style
- 12 automated programs, plus two manual modes
- No minimum loading, for longer bladder life
- Frequency drive for soft starts and stops
- Drain pan with removable screen included
- Parts stocked in the U.S.
Questions We Hear About Bladder Presses
Tank or open style bladder press?
Not our decision. Most often, we sell open style bladder presses. You may like the idea of a tank type press. It's basically the same machine, it just has less exposure to air.
What size should I get?
We can help with that, and we will answer this question for you. Like buying shoes, a press can be chosen by type, brand, features, warranty and service first, then by size. How do you plan to fill it? Be prepared to share your tonnage, number of varietals, 5-year production projection, red-to-white ratio, percentage of hybrids vs. vinifera, and type of power (do you have 3-phase? what voltage?).
Is it easy to clean?
Yes. If you are doing this yourself or have very expensive labor, that question is very important. Our side membrane presses are the easiest to clean, and we train you on our water-saving, super easy clean-in-place method.
Is it reliable?
Yes. Our presses have NO MINIMUM LOADING, which leads to bladder longevity. We stock the parts domestically and many are out of the Grainger catalogue. The presses are built for commercial-grade, professional-scale use. We do not build a machine to a price point. We build what works. We almost never have a customer lose time on the crush pad.
Do you support it?
Yes. Every machine on this planet CAN break. It's what we do about it when it does that makes us reliable. And reputation is not earned by promising.
Can I program it?
Yes. Our presses are pre-programmed before you use them: 12 easy automated programs for all of your routine types of fruit, and two ways to run it manually for that crazy, small, or special lot. Remember, Carlsen are the guys who sell the two-man crush pad. This is EASY. You can start, stop, inflate, deflate and rotate all from one place, either manually or on auto-pilot.
Is the pan included?
Not your average question, but a solid point. Is there a drain pan with a removable screen and a mount for an optional float switch for pump control in the price we quote? YES. Is this pan also usable as a pumpover sump? Yes.
Should I use house air or the on-board compressor?
If your press is over 36HL, use house air. Your price will reflect the deleted option, and your press cycle times will drop like a rock. If not, the on-board compressor works just fine.
Does it have soft starts and stops?
Yes. Gentle is our business. Our presses now come with a frequency drive on the rotation motor.
How short are the programs?
For any given type of program (whole cluster white, fermented reds, etc.), our press runs are shorter than a like-sized, similarly loaded press running the same program, because our program uses the weight of the fruit to aid deflation for an easy let-down and faster function.
"Your money will not buy a more reliable press than ours."
My opinion is that Mr. Carlsen's team have assembled what embodies the breakpoint where quality and price intersect on the grand scale. Our press is built from an impressive list of domestically available components made by top-tier manufacturers. These are parts just like the ones on the really expensive presses. Carlsen & Associates' Puleo series presses are built right, easy to clean, easy to program, and cost effective.
The parts on a Puleo press work with or separate from one another through three separate operating modes. These presses can run independent of their brain in case of failure, because failure is not an option during crush. If something breaks on your press, our nationwide response time is among the best. With five troubleshooters and four technicians in the U.S., we have you covered.
A little time invested in due diligence will pay off, so ask us for press owners near you to talk to. Bottom line: our presses are easy to use, easy to clean, and they work.
Carlsen Basket Press, Made in the USA
A basket press is good for a boutique where maybe one or two varietals is the focus. It allows for the highest quality of juice or wine with some sacrifice in yields. The advantage here is faster turnaround.
Another plus is the "eye-candy" side of the discussion. A Carlsen & Associates basket press is a seriously well-made piece of crush equipment that even the neophyte can appreciate. It is well constructed to the point of being beautiful, if you're into nice machines.
As the only supplier of crush equipment to the North American wine industry that is both importer and manufacturer, Carlsen have done it again with this little American beauty. It has the same 12 program slots as our bladder presses, and you can run manual or automatic programs at will. But unlike the bladder presses, our basket press will press to 5 bar.
The best thing about a basket press is turning loads of fruit around faster than you can with a bladder press. Our basket press customers have said so again and again.
Annual Service by ENOTOOLS
We perform annual service on the presses we sell, so small problems get found before harvest finds them. About crush equipment service.