A 1000 L conical fermenter lands in an awkward middle ground: bigger than a pilot system, smaller than a full production line. In practice it suits brewpubs running 8–12 brews a month, or a production brewery that needs a dedicated tank for seasonals and dry-hopped releases. Most of our orders for this volume come from customers who have outgrown two 500 L vessels but cannot justify 2000 L yet.

Shell, cone and what the metal actually does

We form the cylinder and cone from 3 mm SUS304 as standard, with 316L available when the brewery runs kettle sours or uses chloride-based cleaning chemicals. Cone angle is normally 60°, though 45° and 90° are built when ceiling height or floor drainage dictates a different footprint. Interior welds are ground flush, pickled and passivated, then mechanically polished to 0.4–0.6 µm on wetted surfaces. That finish matters more than the Ra number on the certificate: rough heat-affected zones hold yeast slurry and hop residue, and no CIP cycle will fully clear them.

Side cooling jackets and temperature control

Dimple-plate side jackets cover roughly 60–70% of the cylindrical wall, split into two or three independent zones fed by a glycol chiller. Two zones let you crash the top while holding the cone steady during diacetyl rest, which is difficult with a single jacket on a 1000 L tank. Jackets are rated for 0.3 MPa working pressure and tested at 0.45 MPa; the tank itself is designed for 0.2 MPa working pressure with a 0.3 MPa test, and we fit a mechanical safety valve on the CIP arm sized to the vessel\’s actual working limit rather than a generic setting.

Fittings, CIP and piping

Standard configuration includes a top manway, dry-hop port, racking arm with adjustable dip tube, sample valve, 1.5\” tri-clamp CIP spray ball, and a bottom outlet sized to your yeast recovery method. We keep the CIP circuit separate from the glycol loop so cleaning solution never crosses into the chiller. Insulation is 80 mm PU with a stainless outer cladding, which keeps the shell from sweating in humid cellars.

Specifications

Questions we get before quoting

Can it carbonate? Yes, with a rated pressure vessel and a properly sized relief valve. Confirm the target CO2 volume before ordering.

Do I need two zones? For lagers and cold crashing, yes. For ales fermented in a temperature-controlled room, one zone often suffices.

How much floor space? Allow about 1.5 m clearance around the tank for manway access and racking arm removal.

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.