2 bbl brite vs 3 bbl brite?

[nvr2low]

I am opening a nano brewery and looking for a brite tank, since we have a 1bbl system and will only be brewing part time I figure I will probably run a double batch 2 or 3 times a month. I am ordering a couple 2bbl fermenters to cover that and planned to order a 2bbl brite for chilling and carbonating but I am having trouble locating anything smaller than 3. Stout is out of stock and we know from experience if they say February we will see it in June, I plan to start running test batches in February. Glacier is out of stock and will not respond with an ETA.

It looks like I can get a 3bbl with out much difficulty, is it worth the upgrade in size even though a majority of my batches will be 1bbl, a small percentage 2bbl, and if I have a 3bbl bright maybe a 3bbl batch once in a great while. I am really concerned with the additional head space and wasted CO2 getting that large a tank up to pressure with very little beer volume.

[poltz]

OK...your approach has Yikes written all over it. But, regarding the brite tanks... If you are really stuck with the idea of having a brite of the same size and can get fermenters. Order 4 fermenters and use two as brite tanks.

Granted I don't know anything about your business. Typically you wouldn't have an equal number of fermenters and bright tanks. (serving tanks may be different).

Your production level will make it tough to make a go of it. (you've heard that before). I say go bigger...

Cheers.

Phil

[nvr2low]

OK...your approach has Yikes written all over it. But, regarding the brite tanks... If you are really stuck with the idea of having a brite of the same size and can get fermenters. Order 4 fermenters and use two as brite tanks.

Granted I don't know anything about your business. Typically you wouldn't have an equal number of fermenters and bright tanks. (serving tanks may be different).

Your production level will make it tough to make a go of it. (you've heard that before). I say go bigger...

Cheers.

Phil

Poltz,

sorry if my post wasn't detailed enough.

I will only have one brite tank and will be using plastic fermenters initially so carbonating in a fermenter is not possible. I will have 5 fermenters, three 1bbl and two 2bbl's. I am concerned that if I am only running 1 and 2bbl batches I will be wasting a lot of CO2 in a 3bbl brite when carbonating, it seams like there is a lot of wasted volume to fill with gas. is this a legitimate concern? I don't disagree with the go bigger approach, but we are on a tight budget trying to get things moving.

[yap]

CO2 is cheap. Don't worry about it. I'm guessing you are going to have 1,000 other issues that are going to be a bigger concern than wasting CO2 in a brite tank. Just make sure that your minimum batch size will cover the carb stone.

If you are only making 1-2 bbl batches, why get a brite tank at all? Just carb in the keg......

[nvr2low]

CO2 is cheap. Don't worry about it. I'm guessing you are going to have 1,000 other issues that are going to be a bigger concern than wasting CO2 in a brite tank. Just make sure that your minimum batch size will cover the carb stone.

If you are only making 1-2 bbl batches, why get a brite tank at all? Just carb in the keg......

I dont like the idea of carbing in the Keg, I want to carb the batch at once for consistency and ease of carbonation. I would rather carb an entire batch in a tank than have to carb 2-4 individual kegs every time.

[yap]

I totally agree with what you are saying. However, when starting on a shoestring, sometimes compromises must be made. It's not too hard to carb in keg consistently if you are only doing 2-3 at a time. if you are trying to do 20-30 at a time, that's a different story.

IMO (which isn't worth much), consistent carbonation probably isn't going to be your biggest consistency issue. Temp control in those plastic tanks, fining/filtration efficiencies, and batch to batch consistency on such a small brewhouse will all be bigger issues...

but back to the original question. don't worry about the excess co2 and get a tank you can grow into if you can afford it....

[nvr2low]

I totally agree with what you are saying. However, when starting on a shoestring, sometimes compromises must be made. It's not too hard to carb in keg consistently if you are only doing 2-3 at a time. if you are trying to do 20-30 at a time, that's a different story.

IMO (which isn't worth much), consistent carbonation probably isn't going to be your biggest consistency issue. Temp control in those plastic tanks, fining/filtration efficiencies, and batch to batch consistency on such a small brewhouse will all be bigger issues...

but back to the original question. don't worry about the excess co2 and get a tank you can grow into if you can afford it....

thanks for the input Yap, I appreciate it!

although the others are sure to be issues I think I have them under control, at least to a reasonable level, the carbonation is one of my last unknown hurdles.