Where this equipment fits

Most inquiries for this setup come from brewpubs and regional breweries that are replacing a gas-fired kettle or adding fermentation capacity faster than the existing cellar can chill. The electric brew kettle and the stainless fermentation tank solve separate problems, and they get sized independently — batch volume drives the kettle, while fermentation count and turnaround drive the tanks.

Kettle: heat input and a clean boil

Electric heating looks simple until element watt density enters the discussion. A high-watt-density element scorches wort on the surface and pushes kettle caramel notes into a pilsner. We build with low-watt-density elements on a removable rack, so one element can be swapped without draining the vessel. Steam jackets stay the better route above roughly 20 hl, where element count and electrical service begin to drive installed cost.

Tank fabrication

Shells are 3 mm SUS304 with 2 mm dished ends. We use 316L for wort-contact parts where chloride levels run high or where sour programs share the vessel. Welds are TIG, then pickled and passivated, with interior welds ground flush to 0.4–0.8 Ra. Gaskets are EPDM or silicone seated at roughly 25 percent compression — over-tightened clamps are the most common cause of a leaking manway we see in the field.

Fermentation and cooling

A 60-degree cone gives yeast and trub somewhere to settle and lets you drop yeast through the bottom port instead of racking the whole tank. Dimple jackets on the cone and lower cylinder carry glycol at 20–30 percent concentration. The cone jacket matters more than most buyers expect, since ale fermentation releases most of its heat there during the first 48 hours.

Common questions

Why control fermentation temperature? Yeast throws diacetyl and fusel alcohols when it runs warm. Two degrees of drift changes the beer, especially in lagers.

Cone or flat bottom? Cones suit ale and lager production with yeast recovery. Flat or dished bottoms fit conditioning and bright beer work.

How does CIP work? A spray ball in the top dish, a bottom outlet, and a pump circuit. Rotary balls clean larger tanks better than static ones.

Pressure and the safety valve. The PRV rating must sit below the shell\’s design pressure, not at your target carbonation pressure. Spunding needs a valve and gauge set matched to the tank, not a generic part.

Small brewery vs commercial plant. Pilot systems favor single-wall tanks and manual valves. Production cellars need jacket coverage, insulation, and sanitary fittings that survive daily cycling.

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.