Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Probably a stupid question about transfer to bright tank.

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Probably a stupid question about transfer to bright tank.

    Complete newbie here with a question. I'm looking to get work in a commercial brewery soon, just waiting to hear back from them.

    My question is about transferring to bright tanks. Must the bright tank be empty of beer before the next batch of beer can be transferred into the tank or can you top up a half full bright tank and carbonate the whole lot again? I notice that breweries seem to have bright tanks that are much larger than their fermenters.

    Or do they empty the bright tank, clean and sanitise it, then transfer fermented beer from a couple of fermenters into the bright tank then carbonate?

  • #2
    Always clean and sanitize before transfer.

    Anyone NOT cleaning and sanitizing between BBT fills is cutting corners. I know that some pub breweries with fast turnaround sometimes cut corners and get away with it, but in a packaging setting you would never "top up" your BBT. Ever. And I don't know why anyone would have a BBT larger than their fermenters. You should ask them next time you see it. Best of luck in your new job!
    Phillip Kelm--Palau Brewing Company Manager--

    Comment


    • #3
      Yup, what Phillip said.

      Prost!
      Dave
      Glacier Brewing Company
      406-883-2595
      info@glacierbrewing.com

      "who said what now?"

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by gitchegumee View Post
        Anyone NOT cleaning and sanitizing between BBT fills is cutting corners. I know that some pub breweries with fast turnaround sometimes cut corners and get away with it, but in a packaging setting you would never "top up" your BBT. Ever. And I don't know why anyone would have a BBT larger than their fermenters. You should ask them next time you see it. Best of luck in your new job!
        Cheers for the info, I figured this would probably be the case. The thing that got me was the size of the bright tanks compared to the fermenters. I'll certainly be questioning this next time I see it.

        Comment


        • #5
          I want to say they are probably brewing multiple batches of the same beer and transferring them all together in the same bright tank to carbonate. We've done it here a couple times for some of our better sellers in busier seasons.

          Comment


          • #6
            Some larger breweries, who pasteurize their beer, can sometimes skip cleaning the tank before the next fill.
            For a smaller brewery, I wouldn't recommend it. Just clean it with an acid based detergent/disinfectant. It will save you time, energy, co2 and chemicals.

            Comment


            • #7
              brites

              were a growing brewery was considering getting two brite that are twice the sizes as are fermenters [7 bbl] ill brew two batches of beer same day and finish both in one brite does this sound like a feasible approach to volume issue were have with bigger fermenters in the future and yes we'll clean them between fills

              cheers matt 3GB

              Comment


              • #8
                We have 30bbl fermenters and a 60 bbl brite. We regularly filter two batches of one of our high volume beers to fill the 60. I put ball valves on the jackets so I can shut off the upper jacket if I am only putting a 30bbl batch into it. Works fine except the waste of CO2 to fill the extra head space.

                Comment


                • #9
                  We have occosionally done this during in for seen crunch periods of high production. Like a down bottling line one day causing a tank shortage. We are all unfiltered and unfined and we have had no issues doing so. Additionally we never top off more than once without a CIP. I would never let the tank sit with a real low volume though, and certainly never without glycol.

                  Also my understanding is that larger breweries looking for consistancy will brew a number of batches ferment separate, then combine in BBT to smooth out batch variance which may be why you've noticed this.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Like others here I have done it before. I will say I hate to do it but have never had a issue with the final product. With that said It always goes over cold beer and I only do it once. Some times we are just too busy and I have a strong trust in my crew and my cleaning procedures. The bad thing is that more yeast settles out (we are un filtered) and I cant get down as low on the BBT as before without getting cloudy. But, given getting sales out the door or not I will do it

                    Cheers
                    Mike
                    Cheboygan Brewery
                    Mike Eme
                    Brewmaster

                    Comment

                    Working...
                    X