What This Tank Actually Does

A conical fermenter holds wort through primary fermentation, then drops yeast and trub through the cone without oxygen pickup. The isobaric version adds a rated pressure envelope—typically 15 psi to 30 psi working pressure—so you can carbonate in-tank, transfer under counter-pressure, and keep dissolved CO2 where it belongs. If your process stops at atmospheric fermentation, you don\’t need this spec. If you package bright beer straight from the tank, you do.

Tank Volume: Read the Real Numbers

Nominal capacity is not usable capacity. A 10 BBL cone holds roughly 10 BBL of wort, but you need headspace for krausen—usually 20 to 25 percent above the wort line. Buyers routinely size on nominal volume and then discover they can only run 8 BBL batches. Tell your supplier your batch size, not your target tank size.

Material and Fabrication

We build from SUS304 as standard and SUS316L when the product is highly acidic or chloride exposure is unavoidable. Wall thickness runs 3 mm for the shell and 3 to 4 mm for the cone, depending on diameter. Interior welds are ground flush, pickled, and passivated; the product contact surface is polished to Ra 0.4 to 0.8 µm. Exterior can stay 2B or be mirror-polished if the tank sits in a public taproom.

Cooling is handled by dimple jackets on the cone and lower cylinder, rated at 30 psi and tested to 45 psi. Glycol at 28 to 30 °F circulates through the jacket; the cone jacket matters most because that\’s where yeast flocculates and heat concentrates. Discharge is a 2-inch or 3-inch butterfly with a racking arm. CIP comes in through a rotating spray ball on the top manway or a dedicated CIP port.

Configurations We Build

7 BBL and 8 BBL units favor small brewpubs with 3 to 5 tanks and single-batch packaging. 10 BBL and 15 BBL suits production breweries running double batches per day. 20 BBL is where tank height becomes a building constraint—check ceiling clearance and door width before you order.

Specifications

Common Questions

Why control temperature in the tank? Fermentation generates heat. Without jacket cooling, ale fermentation can climb 8 to 10 °F above setpoint, producing off-flavors and stalled attenuation. Lagers are less forgiving still.

Do I need a safety valve? Yes. Any tank rated above atmospheric pressure needs a pressure relief valve sized to the tank volume, plus a pressure gauge and a CIP/blow-off valve. We ship these as standard on isobaric units.

How do I connect beer, CIP, and glycol lines? Plan your manifold before delivery. Most customers use tri-clamp fittings throughout, with separate headers for product and glycol. Don\’t share glycol lines with product lines.

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.