To Oak or Not To Aak? That Is The Question!

Wine, vino, vin, or 葡萄酒- no matter how you say it, is recognized worldwide. But its popularity could not have been reached if not for stainless steel. Wine making itself is a tricky and tedious business, with attention to detail and constant monitoring, the introduction of stainless steel into this industry changed everything forever.

In the world of wine, and wine-making there are constant arguments about any little thing; from which corkscrew to use, to old world and new world wines, wooden or steel and the newest one-cap or cork? Today we will focus on the argument of wooden or steel-while stainless steel has improved the process of wine-making everywhere in the world through its introduction into its machinery, it has also been the topic of many heated arguments.

The arguments are in the style of: taste, time and value it gives or takes away from the wine. Let’s use French Chardonnay as our example to this argument. While many like the traditional oak or “buttery” taste of a traditional Chardonnay, many prefer the citrus; more fruit forward taste a non-oak fermented Chardonnay will have. Many say the use of stainless steel vats lets the grape ferment in a very different manner; some believe the lack of presence of oak lets the natural sweetness or citrus come through, giving it a self identity and not adhering to any from the oak.

Many “old world” vineyards still adhere to tradition, but you cannot argue that since the introduction of stainless steel, “new world” vineyards have been able to expand its product line as well as produce more affordable wines. Stainless steel vats lowered their overhead dramatically, although at first the cost is great, the steel vats outlive their oak barrel or oak vat compatriots.

Steel oak has paved a new era for wine all around the world. Not only has it changed the era of Chardonnay’s but as well as red wine, and sparkling wines. Today, we can find wines from anywhere in the world all thanks to stainless steel vats and its influence in the world of wine. I say thank you, but you may not,- so let’s grab a glass of wine and  let the argument begin.

Here at Shanghai Metal Corporation we are a one stop shop for all your stainless steel needs. As stainless steel ambassadors we can meet any of your stainless steel needs.

Fore more information on stainless steel material, please visit our website. Be sure to join the conversation on our Linkedin group, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts. You can also try our new mobile application by scanning the below QR with your tablet or smart phone.

Mario B.//SMC Editor

Sources: Super Monte, Cellar Work, ucdavismba.org

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Over 5000 Years Old Copper Pipe From the Pyramid of Cheops in Egypt Could Still Be Used Today

Copper pipe and tubing is one of the most corrosion-resistant materials we have in the plumbing industry. Coppersmiths, the ancient Egyptians were early developers of pipe and the techniques of making copper alloys. In the beginning, of course, their pipe and fittings were very crude. Like the Mesopotamians, they used clay pipe made from a combination of straw and clay. First it was dried in the sun, and then baked in ovens. As they improved upon their clay sewer pipe, the Egyptians were able to drain the low-lying portions of the Nile Valley, and gradually the entire region evolved into a fertile garden.

The outstanding fact concerning metallurgical development is that from beginning to end of their first three thousand years, copper occupied a position similar to that of iron in modern technology. Their relics is of its early civilization is greater than any other country, despite the difficulties in deciphering the hieroglyphics and the later hieratic writing.

Many people mistakenly think that the dark brown color of exposed copper pipe is due to corrosion and that the pipe will eventually “rust away.” However, the reverse is true, likewise the color changing process that of the Statue of Liberty – already blogged here. The dark brown color or even the blue-green patina that occurs on copper is copper oxide. Instead of corroding copper, this compound actually protects copper by creating a protective film outside and even inside of copper pipe and tube. This film then protects copper from further corrosion or erosion, leaving the copper pipes still in serviceable condition after more than five thousand years, as the ones recovered by archaeologists from a portion of the water pipe system from the Pyramid of Cheops in Egypt.

Copper has been the material of choice for natural gas throughout Europe, Canada and much of the southern United States for decades. In the United Kingdom, copper pipe and tube installations have been used in the vast majority of natural gas installations. However, copper was not always the main material. Once natural gas began to be piped regularly into buildings in the early 1900s, the material of choice, at least in most of the United States, was steel pipe. Other material such as aluminum and corrugated stainless steel pipe and tubing are also used for natural gas purposes. What causes corrosion of the copper pipes is the interior of copper pipe and tube in natural gas installations because of the properties of natural gas itself, and not due to the copper used as a material.

Material used in natural gas system per country

In fact, many studies have been done to evaluate the cost of using copper in the plumbing system. Most have found that due to its ease of use and variable joining methods, copper has a distinct advantage over black iron pipe in labor savings. Hence, copper offered the least expensive installation over steel and CSST.

Shanghai Metal Corporation offers a wide range of pancake copper tube/copper tube coils according to your specific requirements. SMC pancake tube coil are widely used in refrigerator and air conditioner, heat exchanger, natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas. For our full list of products that we offer check out our website here. Be sure to join the conversation in our LinkedIn group, Facebook, and Twitter. Try also our new mobile application by scanning the QR code below.

You can also read more articles by our team at SMC:

SUN DEVILS’ FANS EXCITED BY NEW COPPER HELMET

ASTONISHING CAR RESTORATION PROJECTS: WHAT COPPER CAN DO FOR YOU

ANTIQUE BRASS KEY USED ON PHONOGRAPH MACHINES BACK IN 1914

COPPER POWERS GREEN TRANSPORTATION THAT LEADS TO PROGRESSIVE ECONOMIC IMPACTS

5 OF THE WORLD’S OLDEST BREWERIES

A BLISSFUL RETREAT FOR BBODY AND SOUL: COPPER BATHTUBS

THE TRUTH BEHIND THE COPPER MESH ROOF BUILT BY JOHNNY DEPP IN THE MOVIE TRANSCENDENCE

WHO DOESN’T WANT TO LOOK FOREVER YOUNG?

COPPER FOR BIRTH CONTROL

WHAT’S THE BEST: COPPER OR SILVER WIRE CABLE FOR YOUR HEADPHONES?

DO YOU KNOW WHETHER YOUR PENNY IS A COPPER OR A ZINC COIN?

WHY IS THE STATUE OF LIBERTY GREEN?

AMERICAN COPPER THEFT CONTINUES TO CREATE TROUBLE FOR CITIES ACROSS THE NATION

WINNERS OF 2014 NORTH AMERICAN COPPER IN ARCHITECTURE AWARDS

ARTISTIC COPPER REFURBISHMENT REINVIGORATES MAINE’S STATE HOUSE DOME

COPPER KITCHEN SCRUBBERS REVOLUTIONIZING IT?

SOUTH AUSTRALIA SET TO OPEN THE BIGGEST AUSTRALIAN COPPER MINE IN THE COUNTRY

DISPUTE RESOLUTION MOVES TO STABILIZE WORLD COPPER PRICES VIA INDONESIA

PERU SET TO EXPLODE WITH COPPER EXTRACTION

MAJOR COPPER DISCOVERY ON THE PACIFIC RIM

SMC IN YOUR BACKYARD WITH SLUGS AND COPPER TAPE

ROUND ENAMELED COPPER WIRE // SMC COPPER PRODUCTS

COMPARISON ON CHINA IMPORTS AND EXPORTS OF COPPER AND ALUMINUM

SMC #BuildingValueAcrossTheGlobe 

Sources: plumbingsupply.com, copper.org, IAPMO official report (Jan/Feb2004)

Pictures: staydu.com, plus.google.com

Graphs: IAPMO official report (Jan/Feb2004)

Camilla G.//SMC Editor

Food Trucks Industry Switching from Cheeseburgers and Fries to Lettuce Wraps and Kale Chips

Food truck vendors started to gain popularity in the United States around 2008, when citizens had to cut back on spending due to the economic downturn. Entrepreneurs saw this change in consumer preferences as a way to provide unique cuisine options to people at their convenience. Fast-forward five years, now there are many vendors in the marketplace and capturing the audience’s attention is becoming tougher than ever before. Now-a-days consumers are more cautious about the health benefits of the food they are putting in their body and, at the same time, are spending more and more time using technology to interact with the world around them. That is where unique marketing strategies by vendors come into play.

Many cities around in the US host a weekly event where food truck vendors gather at one location from lunch until early dinner. The event, called Food Truck Roundup, takes place at different lots across the city each week to attract customers from different areas.

It is not difficult to get started in the food truck industry but differentiating yourself from the masses of other trucks lined up downtown during peak lunch hours is a different story. Many food trucks are pertaining to healthy eating lifestyles by offering food catered to those who are vegan or vegetarian. Imaner Consultants, an ethical organization who specialize in vegan website involvement, calculated that 95 percent of vegans go out of their way to buy foods from ethical companies. The group also discovered that 96 percent of vegans use the internet as a way of locating vegan products. Some food trucks have taken these statistics into consideration and work to enhance the social responsibility of their trucks and portraying their vision on social media sites. When catering to vegans, vendors consider not only the type of produce they use when preparing each dish but also the type of fuel used in their trucks and the types of packaging and utensils used to eat the organic dishes.

The Cinnamon Snail, based out of New York, New York, won Mobile Cuisine’s 2013 Vegetarian/Vegan Food Truck of the Year. The truck is known for its assorted pastries and desserts, soups, salads, and burgers.

Aluminum foil is used by many trucks as a way to serve hand held meals like sandwiches and wraps. The foil is not only an easy clean up for guests but its recyclable capabilities cater to those concerned with preserving the earth. Vendors see it as a way to get the food to customers quicker and using foil doesn’t require any extra packaging material. It is a cost effective way to ensure the food inside stays the same temperature from the time it comes off the grill to the time the consumer opens it up to enjoy. Shanghai Metal Corporation offers a wide array of aluminum foil for packaging. To read more detail on the types of foil we offer be sure to check out our website here. Be sure to join the conversation in our LinkedIn Group, Facebook, and Twitter.

Sources: IBISWorld, Imaner Consultants, mobile-cuisine.com

By: Kristie Kaaa / SMC Editor