Why monitor your winery?
Fermentation is a delicate process. Too high a temperature can stall the yeast; too low a temperature slows fermentation down. With monitoring you can:
- Track tank temperatures 24/7
- Get an alert the moment something goes wrong
- Keep full documentation of every batch
- Avoid running down to the cellar in the middle of the night!
What can you monitor?
Fermentation tanks
- Must temperature - the single most important parameter!
- Density (Brix) - fermentation progress
- pH - acidity
Cellar / Production hall
- Air temperature
- Humidity - important for barrels
- CO2 level - safety during fermentation
Barrique barrels
- Temperature in different parts of the cellar
- Storage conditions
How to connect sensors
Step 1: Choose your sensors
We support several types:
- DS18B20 temperature probes - inexpensive and accurate
- Ecowitt stations with add-on sensors
- ESP32/ESP8266 sensors - for the DIY crowd
Step 2: Add them in the system
- Go to Settings > Winery > Sensors
- Click “Add sensor”
- Choose the type and enter the connection details
- Name the sensor (e.g. “Tank 1 - Riesling 2024”)
- Save
Step 3: Assign it to a tank
- Go to Winery > Tanks
- Add a tank or pick an existing one
- Assign the temperature sensor
- Done!
What do I see on the dashboard?
The “Winery” widget shows:
- A list of tanks with their current temperatures
-
Colour coding:
- Green - temperature OK
- Yellow - close to the limit
- Red - limit exceeded!
- Mini charts of temperature
Click a tank to see details and history.
How to set up alerts
Don’t want to miss a problem? Set up alerts:
- Go to Settings > Alerts > Winery
- For each tank, set:
- Maximum temperature (e.g. 20°C for white)
- Minimum temperature (e.g. 15°C)
- Choose how you want to be notified (SMS/email)
- Save
Typical thresholds:
- White wine fermentation: 15-18°C
- Red wine fermentation: 25-30°C
- Barrel cellar: 12-15°C
Fermentation chart
Go to Winery > Tank > Chart to see:
- The temperature curve across the whole fermentation period
- The drop in density (if you measure Brix)
- A comparison with previous batches
Export the data to PDF - handy for documentation and certification.
Tips
- Calibrate your sensors at the start of the season - compare them against a reference thermometer
- Set alerts with a margin - it’s better to get an alert at 19°C than at 22°C when the limit is 20°C
- Check the batteries regularly in wireless sensors
Troubleshooting
No readings from a sensor?
- Check the power supply / batteries
- Verify the WiFi connection
- Make sure the sensor was added correctly
Odd temperature spikes?
- The sensor may be poorly placed
- Check whether the cable is damaged
- Compare it against another thermometer