Most 1000–1500 L fermenters we ship go to two customers: brewpubs stepping up from pilot batches, and regional breweries adding a unit for seasonals. The tank has to hold pressure through a diacetyl rest, take CIP without trapping wort, and keep the cone cold when fermentation throws heat.

Shell, cone, and what the metal survives

Inner shell is 3 mm SUS304 as standard, 316L when a brewery runs high-chloride cleaning or heavy fruit additions. Outer cladding is 2 mm SUS304, brushed or mirror finish. Cone seams are TIG welded full penetration, ground, and passivated. Interior welds polish to Ra ≤ 0.4 µm — rough welds and heat tint are where lactobacillus settles and pitting begins.

Jacket sizing and pressure

Dimple-plate jackets cover the cone and the lower third of the cylinder. A 1500 L tank running a fast warm fermentation needs roughly 1.6–2.0 m² of cooling area to hold 10–12 °C; glycol enters low and exits high, counter to the rising wort. Shell and jacket design pressure is 0.3 MPa, working 0.15–0.2 MPa, with a 0.2 MPa safety valve and a separate vacuum relief. Don\’t push a spunding valve past the shell rating to carbonate faster.

1000 L or 1500 L

Match the tank to your kettle, not your sales forecast. At 80% fill, a 1000 L fermenter packages about 800 L after trub and yeast loss. A 1500 L unit suits one and a half kettle turns — awkward if your brewhouse only runs single batches. A 60° cone pays off on dry-hopped and hazy beers, where you drop yeast and hops without racking clear beer off the cone. Shallow cones and flat bottoms fit cask and open fermentation work.

Ports and cleaning

Standard set: racking arm, CIP spray ball on its own line, sample valve, dry-hop port, pressure gauge, PRV, glycol in/out. Keep CIP and glycol on separate hard-piped circuits; shared lines put caustic through your chiller eventually. Tri-clamp throughout the product path.

Specifications

FAQ

Do I need 316L?

Only if your cleaning regime or beer chemistry justifies the cost. Most ales and lagers run fine in 304 with proper passivation.

Can it double as a bright tank?

Yes, if it is rated and insulated for it. A tank with a wide jacket carbonates faster than one with cone-only cooling.

What glycol supply temperature do you need?

Typically 28–30 °F supply with a 2–3 °F rise across the jacket.

Lead time?

6–8 weeks for standard builds, longer for 316L or custom port layouts.

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.