Small FV/BBT cooling question

[ArmstrongBrew]

This is my first post so I hope I don't sound too much like an idiot. I recently contacted Jim at ProRefrigeration and he suggested I post on the forum.

I am designing a 1BBL brewhouse with 2BBL FV and BBT and cooling/temperature control is critical to me as I am assuming it is to most here and I have a decision to make: do I invest in a glycol unit or do I build a conditioned cold room?

At this scale, does active fermentation produce enough heat to require a glycol jacket or is air cooling enough?

Additionally, the BBT won't be jacketed so a cold room is necessary but it may require building multiple zones.

Finally, I am looking to recoop the energy out of my boil kettle back into my hot liquor tank. If I had a glycol unit, could I strip the heat out of the BK through the plate chiller and use that energy to heat the HLT or is that really not possible?

Thanks and I appreciate your responses.

Nick
nick@armstrongbrewing.com

[BrandonH]

With the size you're brewing a cold room should do for controlling temperature. If the room is insulated properly and small enough you could even get away with an air conditioning unit as long as you're brewing ales. Lagers may be a different story. A glycol jacket will be a heavier investment.