Alcoholic fermentation, especially beer production can be regarded as science as well as an art that largely depends on the quality and the kinds of equipment utilized. Brewing tanks are a central part of the brewing process and knowing about the various types of available tanks can make a huge difference in the productivity as well as the quality of your brewery. This guide is designed for any brewery, whether a start-up or a mid-size brewery with expansion dreams, and it makes distinctions between the brewing tanks that are available and the ones that are most suitable for certain operations.
Let’s discuss some of the common types of brewing tanks used in a brewery
1. Brite Tanks
It is imperative to have brite tanks that will help in attaining the right level of carbonation in the beer. These are employed at the last stages of the brewing process in order to fine the Beer, carbonate as well as to condition the Beer in readiness for packaging or serving. Recapping is vital to making beer with excellent taste and feel; brite tanks are hence essential to delivering excellent beer.
Types of Brite Tanks
Jacketed Brite Tanks: These tanks have a cooling jacket that enables the temperatures to be well regulated and this is important in holding the beer at the right temperature for carbonating it and also for storage.
Single-Wall Brite Tanks: These are more appropriate for breweries that sell beer to their end consumers mostly as beer consumers. They are less complex but serve suitable purposes of carbonation the beers and storage.
Advantages
Temperature Control: Jacketed brite tanks are good in temperature control hence the beer is well kept at the right temperature condition.
Versatility: These single-wall brite tanks are easier to use since they are for storage as well as for direct serving perfect for taprooms.
Key Considerations
With the brite tanks, you should think about two things, size and scale of the brewery you intend to have. There will always be a place for simple and cheap single wall brite tanks for the smaller operations, while the larger operation need the stability and capacity that jacketed brite tanks offer. Besides, there are some differences in the offered tanks that define how fast you could get your beer from the tank to the consumer and how the decided type affects the general work flow of your brewery.
2. Unitanks and Fermentors
Fermentation is the last phase of brewing where through action of yeast the sugars are transformed to alcohol and carbonation. Unitanks are multipurpose tanks for fermentation and maturation which enable breweries to have all under one roof and hence saves them a lot of money.
Types of Unitanks
Jacketed Unitanks: These large tanks offer a better feature in the provision of consistent temperatures that are required in the fermentation processes.
Conical Unitanks: The conical shape assists in easier separation of the yeast from the beer to further increase the clearness as well as quality of the beer.
Advantages
Space Efficiency: Unitanks eliminates the need of having numerous tanks, they are appropriate for small to average brewing companies.
Flexibility: They can be used for fermenting, maturing and carbonating purposes and this makes it easier when brewing.
Key Considerations
When it comes to unitanks, one primary concern that must be taken into consideration is the space one has in his or her brewery and his or her production capabilities. It was understood that Unitanks could be truly advantageous by cutting down on intermediary transfers of beer between the tanks. This also saves a lot of space as well as lowering the possibilities of contamination and oxidation thus improving beer quality. Further, temperature regulation is also possible and easily manageable particularly with jacketed unitanks and this is a critical factor in influencing the quality of the fermentation.
3. Yeast Brinks
Yeast brinks refer to specific tanks used in the storage and transportation of yeasts from one batch to another. They are especially handy when used by a big brewery or by breweries that desire standardization of their beer.
Advantages
Cost Efficiency: One of the major expenses that can be cut in breweries are costs that are associated with the preparation of yeast so many businesses opt to reuse yeast from one batch to another this is more common with large breweries.
Quality Control: Pressurized yeast brinks help keep yeast viable and free of contamination, which greatly improves brewing consistency.
Key Considerations
In a bid to increase the brewery’s capacity or meet a high degree of accuracy, the use of yeast brinks may be a good idea. These tanks also reduces cash spent on yeast and at the same time enhance the quality of the beer produced since the yeast used is fresh for every batch. It would be wise to take the quantity of beer that your prepare per cycle and the number of cycles into consideration when choosing the size and number of yeast brinks.
4. Kettles
Keetles are used in the boiling of wort which is the extract of the mashing process. One of the key stages, boiling kills bacteria and yeasts in the wort while at the same time releasing the flavors of the hops.
Types of Kettles
Open Burner Kettles: Flat bottom kettles with open flames best for small amount of brewing but which brew unevenly and scorch the brew.
Steam Kettles: For even distribution and better control in cooking it is advisable to use steam as the medium to heat the wort.
Advantages
Even Heating: Steam kettles also allow for more even heat distribution which helps eliminate the problem of scorched wort and also make brewing a much smoother process.
Ease of Cleaning: High quality kettles are easier to clean hence enhancing hygiene and also customer’s time on maintenance is reduced.
Key Considerations
The kind of heat source that is used in the kettle should be considered while choosing one. Yes, open burner kettles are cheaper but this is often counter productive because of the inconsistencies in heating leading to a scorched beer. Although they are more costly than conventional steam kettles, they are quite beneficial for the brewing process as they can easily be regulated to meet the sophisticated brewing requirements. Also, you should think about the size of the kettle regarding your production capacity so that it can accommodate your brewing process.
5. Mash Tuns
Mash tuns are used where the mashing take place converting the endosperm starch into fermentable sugars. In this operation, the quality of the mash tun can greatly impact on efficiency and result of this process.
Advantages
Consistency: A good mash tun helps one to achieve good mash and hence a good extraction of fermentable sugars occurs.
Scalability: Mash tuns are available in different sizes so that the brewing companies can accommodate their expansion plans to a certain extent.
Key Considerations
The efficiency of your mash tun has a huge influence with the quality and yield of the beer you are brewing. In selecting a mash tun, its volume, material of construction, and other aspects for example false bottoms and rakes should be taken into consideration. These features can increase the effectiveness of your mash making process and therefore extract more sugars and make better beer. Furthermore you must consider the expansion capability of your operation and how the mash tun can expand with your brewery. If there is one thing that every craft beer brewery has in common it is the strive for impeccable craft beer brewing solutions.
Excellence in Craft Beer Brewing Solutions
NFE Machinery is one of the benchmark companies in China that deals in designing and manufacturing of superior quality craft beer brewing systems and packaging lines. NFE was founded in 2004 and has been supplying excellent microbrewery equipment and tanks to the American and European microbreweries. The NFE that has been expanding rapidly started occupying a new larger workspace measuring 6,000-square-meter in 2016.
A team of highly qualified technical and welding engineers helps NFE’s clients in business planning, equipment design and selection, AutoCAD drawings, equipment installation, and personnel training at the job site. It takes a lifetime engineering service to see every craft brewing business become a success.
Conclusion
An essential knowledge of the various brewing tanks is relevant whether it is a new brewery or an existing one that plans to establish more tanks. Every type of tank is used for a certain purpose and has benefits that are useful in the brewing process and to improve on the quality of beer.
Starting from the fundamental brite tanks which are crucial to achieving the right level of carbonation to the all in one unitanks, every equipment is well integrated into the brewing process. It also indicates that brewer’s yeast should be managed to avoid both abrupt changes which are costly and infrequent changes that affect the quality of the beer produced, the kettles for mashing and mash tuns are important in making sure that the fundamental brewing process is well executed.
When it comes to choosing the brewing tanks it can be stated that this will define the quality and productivity of the brewery. When you know what general types of tanks are and what they are used for and what the benefits of each are then you will be able to make the best decisions for what ever brewery and for the creation of better beer.
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