Unitanks v BBT?

[Frozenapple]

I guess this sounds like a silly question, but here goes...With the exception of height difference, what would be the reason for buying a BBT? Pricing for new ones are almost the same, they are both pressure rated to generally 15psi, but Uni's have the advantage of a cone, so they can be used for fermentation with easy yeast removal, as well as being convenient to remove spent hops after dry hopping? It seems that unless you had really low ceilings, you would be silly not to opt for a Uni? Am I missing something really important here? Please, any input would be much appreciated.

[BrewinLou]

Just off the top of my head a couple things that are different, no carb stone or sight tube on a uni. You can get a uni modified to have both.

[St Rippy]

Uni tanks are just that. They can be used for both fermentation and conditioning. As far as a sight glass and carbonating stone, any tank can be fit for both with out any physical cutting or welding. A carbonating stone with a strait piece of hard pipe that is the same length as the stone with a valve on the end can be put on any tank for carbonation. Sight glass can be done with a Y piece and a few valves at the bottom of any tank. If the price is the same, I would absolutely go with the Uni. I would do some checking on the manufacturer of the tanks before you buy them. Make sure they don't have any damage from implosion or excessive glycol pressures in the jackets. New tanks are fun!!!!

[gitchegumee]

Unitanks and BBTs are usually not the same cost. BBTs generally maintain beer at one temperature, therefore are often single-walled and kept in a cooler. That makes them half the cost of a multiple-jacketed and clad unitank with a (difficult to form) cone. Unitanks would be great if they weren't so expensive.

[St Rippy]

Not all BBT are single walled tanks. There are many BBT that have a glycol jacket. They will definately be more expensive than a single walled tank. You will need to do some calculations to see which combination works for you. Single wall tanks with walk-in or jacketed tanks with a glycol system. The biggest thing is that the TTB really wants to see a room or area with BBT. To have a UNI doing both would not make them very happy. Uni tanks are great for primary and conditioning if needed, but a dish bottom BBT is the ticket for packaging and taxation.

[wibauxman]

ST Rippy

Sent you a PM

[beertje46]

The biggest thing is that the TTB really wants to see a room or area with BBT. To have a UNI doing both would not make them very happy. Uni tanks are great for primary and conditioning if needed, but a dish bottom BBT is the ticket for packaging and taxation.

Not entirely true. Maybe in a brewpub environment.

It is perfectly legal to tax-determine in the package, i.e. case, keg, bottle. Worst case scenario would be to have two signs for the combo uni/bbt. One that reads fermenter, one that reads Tax Det. Tank.

We have a 30 bbl. Unitank with a racking port center of the cone. I had DME build a "custom" carb. stone to fit the port and reach the center of the tank. We add a sight tube from the Perlick sample port to a fitting beneath the PVRV for volume. We still tax determine in the package.