Description
Where a 500L skid makes sense
Most inquiries for this size come from brewpubs and small craft breweries moving off pilot batches, or from beverage plants adding a beer line without committing to a full tower brewhouse. A 500L batch is roughly 4–5 kegs per turn, which is enough to hold a taproom lineup of four to six core beers without brewing every day. That is the practical argument for the size.
The setup we build pairs a two- or three-vessel saccharification and boiling train with matching jacketed fermenters. Mash tun, lauter tun, kettle and whirlpool can be combined or split depending on how much floor space and labor you have. Two-vessel designs save footprint but lengthen the brew day by an hour or so; three-vessel units let one operator run back-to-back batches.
Tank construction details that matter later
Wetted surfaces are SUS304 as standard, 316L when the process water is aggressive or when the customer\’s QA documentation requires it. Interior welds are ground and pickled, then mechanically polished to Ra 0.6 µm or better on the vessel shell. Jackets are dimple or pillow plate, pressure-tested at 1.5× working pressure, and insulated with 80–100 mm of polyurethane under a 304 cladding skin. Conical fermenters get a 60° cone, side manway, sample valve, racking arm, and a spring-loaded relief valve on the top dome.
Cooling is the part people underestimate. Glycol jackets on the cone and lower cylinder give you the fastest crash cooling; a single jacket on the cone alone will pull 500L down to 1°C overnight only if the chiller is oversized. Give us your crash-cooling window and we size the jacket area and chiller together.
Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Batch volume | 500L per brew |
| Vessel material | SUS304 / 316L (wetted) |
| Interior finish | Ra ≤ 0.6 µm, pickled and passivated welds |
| Cooling | Glycol dimple jackets, cone + cylinder zones |
| Working pressure | 0.15–0.2 MPa; tested to 0.3 MPa |
| Insulation | PU 80–100 mm, 304 cladding |
| Heating options | Steam jacket, electric immersion, direct fire |
| Connections | Tri-clamp CIP, racking, sample, CO2, relief |
Common questions
How many fermenters should I pair with a 500L brewhouse? Four to six vessels at 500–600L each is typical for a taproom. Fewer tanks means beer sits longer in the same tank; more tanks means capital sitting idle.
Do I need cone jackets or just a cone? For ales, cone-only is workable. For lagers and any beer you crash cool hard, jacket the lower cylinder too.
How is CIP handled? A spray ball in the dome plus a dedicated CIP pump and return line from the cone bottom. We position the sample and racking ports so the return flow reaches every surface without a dead leg.
Can the system be expanded later? Yes, if the frame and piping are designed with the next tank in mind from the start. Retrofitting a manifold afterward is the expensive route.
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.
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I want to express my 100% satisfaction with Ace . The service was outstanding: quick, professional, and friendly. Polly provided excellent support throughout. The delivered 100 gallon copper pot still distillery equipment product perfectly meets my expectations and stands out fo r its excellent quality. I feel well taken care of and will recommend you without hesitation.
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Best regards,
Oliver Brown
