Description
Fermenters Sized for Mead, Not Adapted from Beer
Mead is a slow, nutrient-poor fermentation and it stalls in the final third more often than beer does. That is why most of the 3000–8000 L vessels we build for meaderies are specified around temperature stability first and volume second. Honey musts hold heat unevenly, so a batch that drifts 3–4°C between the cone and the top of the tank can finish sweet in one zone and bone dry in another.
Construction
Standard build is 304 stainless: 3 mm inner shell, 2 mm outer cladding, 60° cone, dished top. We move to 316L when a customer runs high-acid musts or heavy acid CIP cycles. Interior welds are ground, pickled, and passivated, with product-contact surfaces finished to Ra ≤ 0.8 µm and 0.4 µm available on request. Insulation is 80–100 mm polyurethane under a stainless jacket.
Cooling Jacket and Pressure
Dimple or pillow-plate jackets cover the cone and lower cylinder. Glycol enters low and exits high, which keeps the jacket flooded and avoids the vapor pockets that cause stratification on an 8000 L batch. Tanks are rated for 2 bar working pressure with a 2.5 bar pressure/vacuum relief valve; jackets are hydro-tested to 4 bar before shipment.
Fittings and Cleaning
Each tank ships with a racking arm, sample valve, CIP spray ball, and 1.5\” or 2\” tri-clamp ports for glycol, CIP, and transfer. If you plan to carbonate in-tank, tell us at the quotation stage — the relief valve setting and cone thickness change.
| Parameter | 3000 L | 5000 L | 8000 L |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total volume | 3,750 L | 6,250 L | 10,000 L |
| Cone angle | 60° | 60° | 60° |
| Material | 304 / 316L | 304 / 316L | 304 / 316L |
| Jacket working pressure | 3 bar | 3 bar | 3 bar |
| Interior finish | Ra ≤ 0.8 µm | Ra ≤ 0.8 µm | Ra ≤ 0.8 µm |
Common Questions
Can one tank handle mead and beer? Yes, but the CIP schedule has to be written for the tighter of the two, and honey residue needs a warmer caustic cycle than beer stone.
How much glycol capacity do I need? Plan on roughly 1.5–2 kW of chiller capacity per 1000 L during active fermentation, more if the tank sits in an uncooled room in summer.
Do I need a cone? A cone helps with yeast cropping and racking on high-gravity honey musts. For straight batch settling, a shallow cone and a racking arm are enough.
Send us your batch size, mead style, number of tanks, and the dimensions of the room they will sit in. We can recommend tank volume, jacket area, and port layout before you commit to a drawing.
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