An 8BBL conical fermenter is the size most brewpubs settle on once the taproom proves it can move volume. It fills from a 10BBL brewhouse with headspace to spare, and one batch covers roughly 16 sixtels. We build these tanks with dimple jackets on both the cylinder and the cone, because the first 48 hours of primary fermentation throw enough heat that cylinder-only cooling lets the cone run warm and the yeast drop diacetyl late.

Bodies are rolled from 3mm SUS304 as standard. We move to 316L when the customer runs kettle sours, high-acid fruit beers, or aggressive acid cleaning cycles. Interior welds are ground flush, passivated, and polished to 320 grit. Mirror polishing at this diameter costs more than it returns. Exterior gets a 2B finish with a #4 band along the seams. Each jacket section is hydro-tested at 1.5 times working pressure before insulation and cladding go on.

Working pressure is 1.5 to 2 bar, with a 3 bar pressure relief valve on the top manway. Natural carbonation at 4C and 1.2 bar is realistic for most ales; force carbonation through a stone is faster when you are packaging on a schedule. The cone sits at 60 degrees, which drains trub and hops cleanly without a rake.

CIP runs through a rotating spray ball mounted in the manway. Racking arm, sample valve, dry hop port, and butterfly valves all take 1.5-inch tri-clamp fittings, so standard brewery hardware fits without adapters. Glycol in, glycol out, and the blow-off port are positioned on the same side unless your floor plan says otherwise.

Brewpubs, regional microbreweries, cider houses, and kombucha producers run these tanks. Contract canning customers usually order a pair so one can crash cool while the other ferments.

Questions we get before an order

Working or total volume? The 8BBL figure is usable beer. Total volume is closer to 10BBL once krausen headspace is included.

Can I carbonate in the tank? Yes, up to roughly 2.5 volumes at cellar temperature. Higher carbonation needs colder glycol and a longer hold.

How many cooling zones? Two, cone and cylinder, each with its own valve. Single-zone tanks are cheaper but slower on crash cooling.

Before requesting a quote, have your batch size, target beer styles, glycol supply temperature, ceiling height, door width, and floor drain location ready. Those answers decide jacket area, cone support, and fitting layout more than anything else. 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.