Outdoor Tanks, whos got em?

[TrackTownSteve]

We have ceiling restrictions in our brewery, we are looking to expand our production and buy more tanks. The biggest tank that we can fit is a 14bbl, but we are kicking around the idea of going 30bbl, possibly even 60bbl, and installing them outside. I am looking to get in touch with someone who has done this before with success.

We are located in Michigan and winters get really brutal. I know that other breweries, such as Great Divide, have outdoor tanks with brutal winters but there tanks are much bigger and I would assume aren't affected by the weather as much as a 30bbl would.

Any other complications that I am overlooking?

[TGTimm]

We have two 55 bbl tall, slim ferms that extend through the roof (DO NOT DO THIS! It's impossible to seal the roof to the vessels). Our summers go to around 100F, winters to -20F. We don't notice the difference. These are well built, well insulated JVNW fermenters.

It's the exposed plumbing that would worry me.

[Wayne1]

At Station 26 Brewing, we have 3) 30 bbl tanks outside. They were built to our specs by Premier Stainless.

They have 4" of insulation on the can and cone and also have 4" of insulation on the top of the fermenter.

The first brew into one of them was at -5F and it had no problem holding temps at 66F. Even in this last month of constant 90F temps, the tank keep an even temp.

Feel free to get in touch with me.

Wayne Waananen
Head Brewer
Station 26 Brewing
Denver, CO