Small batches in big fermenters/bright tanks

[Fred]

Hi Tappingduck

Are there any issues of using a 3 bbl fermenter and/or bright tank with only a 1 bbl batch? 1/3 the capacity of the vessels. Limited space until our building is built and want to get started on some small batches.

Are you cooling in a room? Than I don't see a problem

If you have cooling jackets on your FV's, then you should watch that the jackets are covered with your beer, otherwise you run into problems

Cheers

Fred

[krenshaw]

i regularly do 2 bbl in our 4 bbl tanks.. though as mentioned above, just be sure that your jackets and thermo are covered.. i have found i have a slight more loss when it comes to transferring to the brite because the outlet of the beer tube goes up a bit to compensate for the yeast, though if i harvest before i can transfer out through the yeast port instead..

[AnthonyB]

A couple things come to mind:

• Is there enough liquid in the vessel to cover the thermowell so that you can accurately monitor and respond to temperature?
• Is there enough liquid in contact with the jacket to effectively cool it?
• Depending on how much cooled jacket is exposed, you may need to be careful about potentially icing the jacket up during periods of crashing.
• Depending on how much headspace is in the vessel, you will need to be careful about doing things post-fermentation that might exchange the CO2 in the headspace for oxygen instead (i.e. dry hopping, adding fruit/spices/etc.)

[tappingduck]

Are there any issues of using a 3 bbl fermenter and/or bright tank with only a 1 bbl batch? 1/3 the capacity of the vessels. Limited space until our building is built and want to get started on some small batches.