BBT features, standpipe and top manway

[Bjarte]

Hello everyone. To all the experienced brewers here:

Do you prefer top manway for 10bbl BBTs? Wouldn't a top manway be beneficial when acid cleaning under pressure between different beers, as the fold in a side manway gasket can't really be cleaned without removing it? Im talking about a clamped top manway that seals from the outside, and not the standard oval one that seals from the inside.

Do you prefer two drains for 10bbl BBTs? One dump port and one port with permanent stand pipe? Two drains will add cleaning time, but also makes it possible to use a stand pipe without opening the tank after desinfection. If acid cleaning under pressure between beers i guess a stand pipe is out of the question unless there is a second drain port on the very bottom of the tank.

Other features you like having or miss having are welcomed.

[UnFermentable]

Here is my experience. I have used 7bbl grundys in the past that had a top man way and they were a PITA. They were only about 4 feet tall, but had a lot of bolts on the door. At 6+ feet tall, you will have to use a ladder anytime you want to actually see in the BBT, which is a PITA. Used 7, 10, 30, 60 & 120bbl brites with side mounted man way doors. Much prefer those for ergonomics.

My most recent quotes (for a new brewery) I have asked for the BBT's to have racking arms instead of standpipes. I don't like the stand pipes for the acid washing under pressure reasons that you mention. When I filtered beers, this would not be an issue as I could just remove the standpipes and pull from the bottom without sediment. Never had issues with the lips on the side mounted doors personally. The dual piping with one as a standpipe would work as well, just not my preference. I like a racking arm that I can adjust, not a set height. When packaging I would still fully break down and clean BBTs every couple weeks depending on how many batches and if it sat empty for any amount of time. When using the BBTs as direct serving tanks I break them down most of the time and re-purge. Beers tend to spend about a month in there on average. Shadow-less man way doors are nice if available, but I have had no issues either way. I also prefer my BBT's to be jacketed instead of housed in a cold room, but either can work fine. I like the flexibility of individual temperature control.

[gitchegumee]

More ideas from my standard specifications...

Height to diameter of 2/1.
304SS, Dished top, bottom.
Glycol jacket(s), insulation, cladding.
CIP arm c/w pressure gauge & butterfly valve.
Drain c/w butterfly valve and valved sight tube.
Sample port, TW port, carbonation port, spare port.
Larger Vacuum/Pressure Relief Valve.
Hydrotest shell at 23psi, jackets at 45psi.
If you have 2 carbonation stones, put them about 45 degrees apart.
Use a CIP sprayball that is pinned, not threaded.