Blackstone

[Bierkoenig]

Anybody using systems or vessels built by Blackstone? Looks like it's Agers
house brand, but I don't see much info about the on the forums. Anybody care to offer their opinion?

[HinduKush]

It is Jason Agers company, search Blackstone. Read here : ZuckerBee's Censored Post, scroll down to the ZuckerBee post near the bottom of page one. The link posted as his review of Blackstone has been removed.

I'm not making any pro/con statement here, just supplying a link to a past thread.

[HinduKush]

Anybody using systems or vessels built by Blackstone? Looks like it's Agers
house brand, but I don't see much info about the on the forums. Anybody care to offer their opinion?

Your zipcode puts you blocks from Ager in Portland, why not go check them out.

[Rob Creighton]

On the buying local argument, I spoke with our "local" supplier of SS tanks in Ontario - 10 blocks from our brewery - and they now are bringing tanks in from China. It seems it is impossible to compete against the labor and metal cost position of the Chinese market. In essence, we are all now just choosing which "local" markup we want to pay from NA suppliers.

[HinduKush]

On the buying local argument, I spoke with our "local" supplier of SS tanks in Ontario - 10 blocks from our brewery - and they now are bringing tanks in from China. It seems it is impossible to compete against the labor and metal cost position of the Chinese market. In essence, we are all now just choosing which "local" markup we want to pay from NA suppliers.

I agree. It is a shame.

(The point I was trying to make with the zipcode comment is, I believe beer king to be phishing for Ager Equip. First post on the forum is to ask about a supplier in their back-yard?)

[Bierkoenig]

If you were shopping for a car would you go to the VW dealership and ask how they like VWs? The Ford dealership for an opinion on Fords?

No, you ask other owners of those brands about their experience. Finding information on this forum and elsewhere regarding DME, JVNW, Stromberg, Spec Mech, Premier, Pub Brewing, etc. is easy. Not much here about Blackstone. I've seen their website and a couple posts on this site, but no reviews. Thought someone might be able to help.

P.S. Thanks for the warm welcome.

[rudge75]

I think the real help is with what you feel comfortable with. Go ask some probing questions, if you don't like the answers, deal with whoever gives you the best ones. Then do the same thing to the other suppliers you're considering.

If your postal code puts you close to ager, it also puts you close to NABS, Specific, and further down south, Premiere. Having dealt with all of them in some capacity, each has it's benefits.

I found Ager's main problem was communication - but how am I to know if they were in the middle of a 2 million dollar sale or what? Shit happens. I still spent $5K with them for a pressure sensitive labeller, and it still works like a charm.

Also, don't expect if you spent $9K on a 40 BBL. tank for it to be the best quality on god's green earth. Corners were probably cut somewhere you can't see, if not on the actual tank, then on someone's wages and safety.

[HinduKush]

If you were shopping for a car would you go to the VW dealership and ask how they like VWs? The Ford dealership for an opinion on Fords?

No, you ask other owners of those brands about their experience. Finding information on this forum and elsewhere regarding DME, JVNW, Stromberg, Spec Mech, Premier, Pub Brewing, etc. is easy. Not much here about Blackstone. I've seen their website and a couple posts on this site, but no reviews. Thought someone might be able to help.

P.S. Thanks for the warm welcome.

Sorry if I wasn't warm enough for you. Welcome to PB.

To answer your question. If I lived next to a MANUFACTURER, yes, I would definitely start there. I would inspect what was available to inspect. I would also ask my peers, if we are indeed peers. There is not much here about Blackstone because the last time (in my memory) was the deleted thread I referenced above.

The bulk of my equipment purchases have been with DME, 3 complete breweries over the last 18 years and expansion tankage too. I have done biz with JVNW & Specific on smaller stuff and bought/sold through NABS. All satisfactory to excellant experiences. You'll only find glowing reports on Premiere on PB.

[Bierkoenig]

To answer your question. If I lived next to a MANUFACTURER, yes, I would definitely start there.

Unfortunately, I don't live next to the manufacturer as I understand that the stuff is made in China (the photos on Blackstone's site seem to confirm that as well).

Anyhow, I'm not interested in a pissing match. Obviously, I'll be talking to the purveyor, but I thought someone might have had experience with the stuff.

Anybody know what was in the missing thread? Was it deleted because the problem was resolved?

[HinduKush]

I know it's Chinese that's why I said inspect anything available to inspect.

The deleted thread was nothing positive. Send a PM to zuckerbee and ask.

[Bierkoenig]

I know it's Chinese that's why I said inspect anything available to inspect.

Agreed. Of course, spending $100k+ on anything probably warrants an inspection, regardless of it's origin.

[HinduKush]

Agreed. Of course, spending $100k+ on anything probably warrants an inspection, regardless of it's origin.

Yep, put on the latex gloves, have a tube of KY ready, and get all up in it. Carry a moderately strong magnet with you, 304 SS will not hold a mag, some of the polished Chinese stuff will. Pay more attention to the interior welds/polish/finish of the welds. Request the mechanical drawings for each tank, how do the legs penetrate the outer shell, how do they die to the inner shell?

[HinduKush]

Don't forget Frank Ma. I believe he was the first to bring Chinese tanks to ProBrewer. I think his PB handle is FrankM

Frank Ma
(626) 466-7171
frank@pbstbeer.com
Pacific Brewery Systems Inc.
1142 S. Diamond Bar Blvd., #277
Diamond Bar, Ca. 91765

https://www.pbstbeer.com

[AgerTank]

RE Blackstone

Hi Folks-

Blackstone is a brand of new tanks that we offer at Ager Tank & Equipment Co. in Portland. Our business has traditionally been used machinery including brewery, bottling, packaging, and process equipment for the food and beverage industries for many years. Our company was founded in the mid '70s and we are a family business with a handful of employees.

For the last several years we have augmented our used equipment business by offering new brewery, winery, and process tanks. We have our tanks built in China and have worked with a couple of manufacturing facilities there. My experience has been that some of the factories are subpar and others do terrific work and produce a product that is top quality while still remaining cost effective for many of the start-up clients that we work with.

I generally make inspection of our new tanks before they are shipped to our facility in Portland and we welcome our customers to make inspection as well. Please send me a private email if you would like more information.