Split Batch Techniques at Commercial Scale

[floatingbridge]

As a homebrewer, I've found split batching an effective way to have greater variety on tap than my brewing frequency would permit. For instance, I'd brew 15 gallons of pale ale and keg 5 straight, dry hop 5 and spice 5.

I am in the process of designing a commercial, retail tasting room focused brewery (likely 10 BBL). I'm wondering if split batching makes sense at the commercial scale and how that impacts the right mix of cellaring vessels. I've read a lot about doubling batching but can't seem to find much discussion of split batching. From my research so far, a few considerations that seem to be important:

• Too much headspace in the fermenter can lead to temperature control issues (depending on probe location/glycol jacket placement/zones), at least during active fermentation
• Too much headspace in the brite can make it hard to initially carbonate/maintain proper carbonation
• In general it's best to dry hop/steep spices at fermentation temps

Does it make any sense to have unitanks/brites that are 1/2 my brewhouse size? Appreciate any words of wisdom on what's worked or not worked from those who may have tried.

Russ

[kabrewku]

I've worked in breweries where we would regularly half fill our fermenters. As long as you're over the probe and the sample port I don't see a huge problem. And my brite tank has entirely too much head space. the carb stone is located halfway up the tank so there are times that I am carbing with only an inch or two of beer above the stone. the situation is not ideal, but I haven't run into any problems yet.

The following is all IMHO. As far as you production model goes, if I was your customer it would not appeal to me. I've been to breweries that do that, and sure when it's vanilla or coffee in the stock stout, or the same pale, just dry hopped or on nitro. Those things can be fun. But when I see more than a couple variations of the same beer I find it as a detractor. I want variety, and why not build a new beer for the vanilla, or make a pale that is made for nitro. When you're adding things to a well known stock beer to "make" a new beer it can come off as lazy.

[drewseslu]

I know of one outfit, Noble Ale Works in California that recently commissioned 3 x 5bbl FVs they fill out of their 15bbl brewhouse, generally fermenting with different yeasts in each.

Beyond that, casks have been my usual outlet for modifying stock beers.

[BMan1113VR]

I know of one outfit, Noble Ale Works in California that recently commissioned 3 x 5bbl FVs they fill out of their 15bbl brewhouse, generally fermenting with different yeasts in each.

Beyond that, casks have been my usual outlet for modifying stock beers.

Caveat: they are using those for R&D tanks and already have a full cellar of 15, 30 and 60bbl tanks as well.