What a bright beer tank actually does in the cellar

A bright tank sits after fermentation. It holds beer while carbonation, clarification and cold conditioning finish, then feeds the filler or the keg line under counter-pressure. Sizing is usually driven by the packaging run, not the brewhouse: a 1000L tank that empties in one kegging day is fine, a 5000L tank that sits half full for two weeks is not.

We build these in 1000L, 2000L, 3000L and 5000L nominal volumes, and the geometry changes with each step. Wall thickness, jacket area and outlet size all follow the volume, so the tank still crashes from 18°C to 2°C within a shift.

Fabrication details that affect beer quality

Wetted surfaces are SUS304 as standard, or SUS316L when the beer is heavily dry-hopped, when acid CIP cycles are frequent, or when the water supply carries high chloride. Interior welds are ground flush and passivated. Product contact finish is 0.4–0.6 µm Ra; the exterior is brushed or mirror polished on request.

Double-wall versions carry a dimple glycol jacket on the side and, where the cone is tall, a second jacket section under the bottom. PU insulation at 80–100 mm keeps condensation off the shell in humid cellars. Single-wall tanks are available for customers who already run a cold room.

Fittings and pressure control

Standard configuration: 60° cone bottom with racking arm, side sample valve, CIP spray ball on the top manway, CO2 inlet with carbonation stone port, pressure gauge, and an adjustable pressure relief valve. Working pressure is 0.2 MPa (2 bar) for carbonation, hydro-tested at 1.5 times that value. Never rely on the PRV alone — the regulator on the CO2 line is what protects the tank during a long carbonation session.

Connections are Tri-Clamp by default, DIN or SMS on request, so the tank ties into existing CIP, glycol and beer transfer lines without adapters.

Typical installations

Brewpubs use 1000L and 2000L units as combined conditioning and serving tanks behind the bar. Regional breweries pair 3000L and 5000L tanks with a kegger or canning line. Cider and kombucha producers order the same shell with different gasket material and lower carbonation pressure.

Questions we get before every order

Can I ferment in it too? No. There is no cooling jacket sized for active fermentation heat and no top cone for krausen. Use a unitank or fermenter for that stage.

Single wall or jacketed? If the room holds 1–2°C reliably, single wall saves cost. Otherwise specify glycol jacketing; you cannot retrofit it later.

Is 316L necessary? Only for aggressive cleaning regimes or chloride-rich water. Otherwise 304 with proper passivation lasts decades.

What about the manway size? 400 mm is standard. Order 450 mm if you plan to dry hop in the bright tank through the top.

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.