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  • Fermentation Issues Due To Improper Chilling

    Hi all - I am the new brewer for a 3bbl brewery in Colorado and am having some fermentation issues.

    Here is an outline of what I have to work with and I was wondering whether anyone knew more solutions.
    1. We do not have glycol, so I can only knock out at 60 degrees (at the lowest temp - or whatever the lowest city water temp is)
    2. Our fermentation tanks are 3bbl size and are stored in a large cooler - all the tanks have to be the same temperature... so the cooler is always 60-70 degrees
    3. Our brite tank has to carbonate in the same cooler area... so I am unable to cold crash any beer
    4. Because of this, it takes FOREVER to carbonate beer and it's never brite.

    Are there other solutions besides requesting that the owners purchase glycol, jacketed fermentation tanks?

    I really need help with this, as I've only worked for breweries with this capability.

    Thanks and cheers!
    Kim
    (kimcollins.brewer@gmail.com)

  • #2
    Originally posted by inkybeer View Post
    Hi all - I am the new brewer for a 3bbl brewery in Colorado and am having some fermentation issues.

    Here is an outline of what I have to work with and I was wondering whether anyone knew more solutions.
    1. We do not have glycol, so I can only knock out at 60 degrees (at the lowest temp - or whatever the lowest city water temp is)
    2. Our fermentation tanks are 3bbl size and are stored in a large cooler - all the tanks have to be the same temperature... so the cooler is always 60-70 degrees
    3. Our brite tank has to carbonate in the same cooler area... so I am unable to cold crash any beer
    4. Because of this, it takes FOREVER to carbonate beer and it's never brite.

    Are there other solutions besides requesting that the owners purchase glycol, jacketed fermentation tanks?

    I really need help with this, as I've only worked for breweries with this capability.

    Thanks and cheers!
    Kim
    (kimcollins.brewer@gmail.com)
    Hi Kim,
    Please forgive my density but is the knock out temp your fermentation issue?
    The brite temp strikes me (as I'm sure it strikes you) as a significant issue. The amount of money spent on excess CO2 over time added to the potential of lost repeat customers could quickly add up to the cost of the necessary cooling equipment. There are smaller, compact glycol systems usually used for extended tap systems that you could retrofit around your brite tanks to crash your beers.
    Luck to you and Prost!
    Dave
    Glacier Brewing Company
    406-883-2595
    info@glacierbrewing.com

    "who said what now?"

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    • #3
      Originally posted by inkybeer View Post
      Hi all - I am the new brewer for a 3bbl brewery in Colorado and am having some fermentation issues.

      Here is an outline of what I have to work with and I was wondering whether anyone knew more solutions.
      1. We do not have glycol, so I can only knock out at 60 degrees (at the lowest temp - or whatever the lowest city water temp is)
      2. Our fermentation tanks are 3bbl size and are stored in a large cooler - all the tanks have to be the same temperature... so the cooler is always 60-70 degrees
      3. Our brite tank has to carbonate in the same cooler area... so I am unable to cold crash any beer
      4. Because of this, it takes FOREVER to carbonate beer and it's never brite.

      Are there other solutions besides requesting that the owners purchase glycol, jacketed fermentation tanks?

      I really need help with this, as I've only worked for breweries with this capability.

      Thanks and cheers!
      Kim
      (kimcollins.brewer@gmail.com)
      Kim,
      If im reading this right, and your 3 bbl fermenters are fermenting away uncontrolled with an ambient temp of 60-70 degrees, then your absolutely correct that is a problem. Have you checked what temperature they spike at? its gotta be 80 degrees or over.

      knock out at 60 degrees for ales is perfectly normal

      whats the point of a brite tank if you cant even crash the beer? is your beer cooler to small to fit the tank?

      I would do what dave said and buy a cheap gylcol chiller and rig it up to control your fermenters and chill your brite tank. With stainless tanks you could possibly make your own jacket on them unless they need to look pretty for customers. otherwise you should build a room for your brite tank and any future brite tanks and cool it with a cool bot air conditioner.

      a cheap way to temp control fermenters is outlined on page 2 of this thread. Obviously you could use other methods for a jacket, and you could use a small commercial gylcol chiller instead of my homemade one. http://discussions.probrewer.com/sho...nano+fermenter

      Dan

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