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  • Tanks sizing

    I need to expand my little brewery.

    Currently 1BB mash tun, 1BB kettle and 2 x 1BB fermenters.

    To meet demand, I was thinking of adding 2 x 5BB fermenters and 2 5BB Bright tanks and a 3BB HLT.

    I am expecting to brew 3 days per week (M,W,F). Monday x 2 times to fill my 1BB fermenters, Wed x 4 times to fill 1 5BB fermenter and Fri x 4 times to fill the 2nd 5BB fermenter. Yep, I can do 2-4 times per day(have the staff) but if I get tiered I can cut short and do remainder next day.

    I plan to primary for 7 days transfer to brights and 7 days and keg.

    Any comments or advice would be welcome.

  • #2
    Develope a business plan for investors or bank financing your expansion.

    Replace pilot brewery with 15 bbl brewhouse and cellar for production and tap room.

    Use pilot brewery for test batches and yeast propagation.

    You must have the economy of scale to be successful.
    Todd G Hicks
    BeerDenizen Brewing Services

    Comment


    • #3
      To me, the question seems more about the correct ratio of Fermenters to Brights, when you're kegging. There's no mention in this case if there's a taproom or on-premise sales or not (and I don't know the rules in the Philippines anyway), but I'd assume that serving from a bright can't be done for some reason.

      I'm curious about this myself. I'm sure it matters what type of beers you produce, but assuming average gravity ales, and no dry-hopping, then what would the correct ratio be? It seems to me that the time in each type of vessel is more like 2:1 (FV:BT). If you often dry-hop or do higher gravity, then would that ratio move to 3:1, or even higher?

      Regards,
      Mike Sharp

      Comment


      • #4
        Economy of scale and packaging methods aside, there would be a few cost efficient things you could consider that could speed up brew days.
        First, I would look into on demand hot water heaters, especially at your size. You could easily bypass the oversized hot liquor, especially at your size. We get 180f water at 3-4 gal/minute, plus it uses natural gas rather than electricity, which offers us significant cost savings.
        We only have a 3bbl brewhouse with a 3 bbl hlt, but never are waiting for hot water.
        Secondly, I would reconsider the 5bbl tanks. If it's cash money from holding you back from a brewhouse expansion, I would consider buying fvs in the length that you would expand to. If you see yourself with a 7bbl brewery eventually, get 7bbl tanks and don't fill them all the way until you upgrade your brewhouse. If you see yourself with a 15 or 30 bbl brewhouse, get some fvs that will be easier to sell. I can't see heaps of people wanting 1 or 5 bbl fvs, but 3 or 7 bbl fvs would be in greater demand when the time comes to sell.
        Thirdly, if your time is valuable and you are going to be doing lots of double/triple/ or more batches, adding a dedicated whirlpool could shave a few hours per brew day. I can't see a 1bbl wp costing a ton, and I'm sure you would have the hoses/pumps on hand already to make it function


        Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

        Comment


        • #5
          Tanks sizing

          Thanks for this and I do appreciate very much the advice, it is nice to know there is a community out there that understands the pain.

          I will look into your suggested hot water option and I fully agree that I need a whirlpool to cut down on time and other benefits of cooling the wort away from super heated kettle. About getting 7BB, this is fine but I was concerned over the head space and filling the gap with enough CO2. I was concerned over the foot print as well but going tall is an option for this.


          Originally posted by dmartin View Post
          Economy of scale and packaging methods aside, there would be a few cost efficient things you could consider that could speed up brew days.
          First, I would look into on demand hot water heaters, especially at your size. You could easily bypass the oversized hot liquor, especially at your size. We get 180f water at 3-4 gal/minute, plus it uses natural gas rather than electricity, which offers us significant cost savings.
          We only have a 3bbl brewhouse with a 3 bbl hlt, but never are waiting for hot water.
          Secondly, I would reconsider the 5bbl tanks. If it's cash money from holding you back from a brewhouse expansion, I would consider buying fvs in the length that you would expand to. If you see yourself with a 7bbl brewery eventually, get 7bbl tanks and don't fill them all the way until you upgrade your brewhouse. If you see yourself with a 15 or 30 bbl brewhouse, get some fvs that will be easier to sell. I can't see heaps of people wanting 1 or 5 bbl fvs, but 3 or 7 bbl fvs would be in greater demand when the time comes to sell.
          Thirdly, if your time is valuable and you are going to be doing lots of double/triple/ or more batches, adding a dedicated whirlpool could shave a few hours per brew day. I can't see a 1bbl wp costing a ton, and I'm sure you would have the hoses/pumps on hand already to make it function


          Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

          Comment


          • #6
            Tanks sizing

            Helen

            I have only 2 vessels (direct fired) but did plan to add a whirlpool and a HLT to get up to 4 times per day without packing lunch, dinner and early morning snack.

            John

            Originally posted by Helen
            How many vessels of brewhouse do you have? Is it too long time to brew four times per day if only two vessel brewhouse?
            Maybe look through the following website finding something you need.
            1800+ ✅ breweries use TIANTAI micro and commercial brewery beer brewing equipment EUROPE AUSTRALIA CANADA USA UK for sale ✅ 1hl to 200hl brewhouses stainless steel beer fermenter tank beer kegs canning machine bottling machine brewers yeast system home brewing kits


            Helen

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            • #7
              Tanks sizing

              Mark

              In part that is one of the questions. I am only producing session ales of modest gravitys and I seem to be able to get beer onto kegs around day 10 with filtration (I seem not to have too much success with isinglass and presume this is because I am not recirculating after dosing or the heat and humidity has reduced the efficacy of the dry product). I do not have a taproom and so not plan to have one on location. My plan was to go 1:1 7 days in the fermenter and transfer for 7 days to the bright tanks to free up my fermenters - this will give me capacity for a 2 week cycle. Not sure if this sounds odd.

              John

              Originally posted by rdcpro View Post
              To me, the question seems more about the correct ratio of Fermenters to Brights, when you're kegging. There's no mention in this case if there's a taproom or on-premise sales or not (and I don't know the rules in the Philippines anyway), but I'd assume that serving from a bright can't be done for some reason.

              I'm curious about this myself. I'm sure it matters what type of beers you produce, but assuming average gravity ales, and no dry-hopping, then what would the correct ratio be? It seems to me that the time in each type of vessel is more like 2:1 (FV:BT). If you often dry-hop or do higher gravity, then would that ratio move to 3:1, or even higher?

              Regards,
              Mike Sharp
              Last edited by Wildman; 02-14-2017, 11:18 PM.

              Comment


              • #8
                Tanks sizing

                Yes, that was my plan for somewhere down the road. I know it makes sense.

                Originally posted by Todd Hicks View Post
                Develope a business plan for investors or bank financing your expansion.

                Replace pilot brewery with 15 bbl brewhouse and cellar for production and tap room.

                Use pilot brewery for test batches and yeast propagation.

                You must have the economy of scale to be successful.

                Comment

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