Horizontal fermenters are usually specified when ceiling height is tight or when a brewery wants to maximize the number of batches per square foot of floor space. In many urban brewhouses, a horizontal tank fits where a vertical unit cannot. That\’s the first thing we ask about: available headroom, batch size, and whether the beer will be filtered, carbonated in-tank, or served directly from the fermenter.

We fabricate these vessels in-house from 304 or 316L stainless steel. The shell and dish ends are TIG welded, then the interior is mechanically polished to a surface roughness of 0.4–0.8 µm. This isn\’t cosmetic. A smoother surface reduces yeast adhesion and makes CIP cycles shorter. Every tank gets a full passivation treatment after polishing.

Cooling is handled by dimpled or channeled jackets welded to the shell. For a horizontal fermenter, the jacket coverage matters more than on a vertical tank because the beer depth is shallower and the surface-to-volume ratio is different. We calculate cooling area based on your desired crash-cooling rate, not just tank volume. A common mistake is ordering a tank with too little jacket area, then discovering that crashing from 68°F to 34°F takes two days instead of one.

Working pressure and safety valve selection go together. Most of our horizontal tanks are rated at 1.5 bar or 3 bar working pressure. The relief valve must be set at or below the tank\’s design pressure. We supply certified valves and documentation for local inspections. If your beer is naturally carbonated in the tank, you\’ll need a higher pressure rating and a PRV sized for the worst-case CO2 generation rate.

CIP is straightforward: a rotating spray ball mounted in the top manway, drain valve at the lowest point, and sample valve positioned to pull clear beer without disturbing the yeast layer. We position ports for blow-off, dry hopping, and carbonation stones based on how you actually brew.

FAQ

Can a horizontal tank be used for primary fermentation? Yes, but you need to account for yeast settling along the long axis. We often add a shallow cone or slope to the bottom to help trub and yeast move toward the drain.

Do you provide fittings for glycol, CIP, and beer lines? All ports are welded and polished. We can match your existing clamp or DIN standards.

What information do you need for a quote? Batch size in BBL or hectoliters, beer style, target carbonation level, available room dimensions, and whether you need pressure-rated or atmospheric operation.

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.