What This Tank Actually Does in a Brewery

A 1000L (10HL) conical fermenter is not a standalone piece of equipment. It sits between the brewhouse and the packaging line, and everything upstream and downstream depends on how well it maintains temperature, holds pressure, and drains clean. We build these vessels for breweries that need repeatable fermentation control, not just a tank that holds liquid.

The working volume is 1000L, with a typical 20–25% headspace for krausen. If you are producing ales with high krausen, plan for the upper end. Lagers are more forgiving, but you still need room for pressure buildup and cleaning.

Material, Welding, and Surface Finish

We use SUS304 as standard for the body and dish ends. For breweries dealing with high-acid or high-chloride water, or for mixed beverage production, SUS316L is available. The difference in corrosion resistance matters more in the cone and bottom outlet where trub and yeast sit, so we pay attention to weld quality in those areas.

All internal welds are purge-welded and ground flush. Internal surface finish is 0.4–0.8μm Ra, which is standard for brewery hygiene. External finish can be brushed or mirror-polished depending on your requirements—mirror polishing is mostly aesthetic, but it does make cleaning easier in some environments.

Cooling Jacket and Temperature Control

Temperature control is the main reason you need a jacketed fermenter. Without it, fermentation can run away, produce off-flavors, or stall. We build dimple or pillow-plate jackets on the cone and lower cylinder. On a 1000L tank, this gives enough cooling surface to crash from 20°C to 2°C in a reasonable time with proper glycol supply.

The jacket is rated for 0.3–0.5 MPa working pressure. Glycol inlet and outlet are typically 1.5\” or 2\” tri-clamp. If you are running multiple tanks, manifold them properly—undersized headers are a common mistake.

Pressure Rating and Safety

These tanks are pressure vessels. Working pressure is typically 0.2–0.3 MPa (2–3 bar) for fermentation, with a test pressure of 0.4–0.5 MPa. Every tank ships with a pressure relief valve, pressure gauge, and sample valve. Do not remove or plug the relief valve. We have seen breweries try to push pressure higher than rated for carbonation—this is a safety issue, not a performance upgrade.

CIP and Connections

Clean-in-place is not optional for a 1000L tank. Manual cleaning is impractical. We install a rotating spray ball on the top manway or dedicated CIP port. The cone drain is 2\” or 3\” tri-clamp, which allows yeast harvesting and trub removal. Racking arm is adjustable and removable for cleaning.

Standard connections include: top manway (400mm), CIP port, pressure relief, sample valve, racking arm, bottom drain, glycol in/out, and a dry-hop port if requested. All wetted parts are 304 or 316L stainless.

Industry Applications

These fermenters work for craft breweries, brewpubs, and pilot systems. A 10HL tank is a common size for a brewpub producing 500–1500L per week. Commercial breweries often use them as pilot tanks or for specialty batch production. They are also used for kombucha, cider, and other fermented beverages, though you need to verify compatibility with your specific product.

Technical Specifications

FAQ

What is the lead time? Typically 30–45 days depending on customization and current production schedule.

Can I use this for carbonation? Yes, within the rated working pressure. Do not exceed the relief valve setting. For high carbonation, consider a separate bright tank.

How many cooling zones do I need? One jacket zone is usually sufficient for 1000L. Larger tanks often use two zones for better control.

What glycol temperature should I run? 28–30°F (-2 to -1°C) is common. Colder glycol risks freezing the product near the jacket surface.

Do you provide custom dimensions? Yes. Diameter, height, cone angle, and connection types can be customized. Send us your space constraints and we will work around them.

Tell us your batch size, beer type, number of fermentation tanks and available space. We can recommend the tank volume, cooling area and configuration for your brewery.