Stacked fermenters solve a specific problem: you need more fermentation capacity but your brewhouse footprint is already tight. We build 3BBL and 5BBL stacked units as two independent vessels mounted on a shared frame, each with its own conical bottom, cooling jacket and CIP circuit. The upper tank is accessible via a service platform or ladder; the lower tank typically sits at working height. For a 7BBL brewhouse running double batches, a pair of 5BBL stacks gives you 20BBL of active fermentation in roughly the floor space of one standard tank.

Material selection depends on your cleaning regime and beer style. SUS304 handles the majority of ales and lagers. If you produce sour beer or work with high-chloride water, we recommend SUS316L for the tank body and jacket. Interior welds are ground flush and passivated; the cone-to-cylinder seam receives full penetration TIG. Exterior finish is either brushed or mirror-polished — brushed hides scratches from daily use, mirror makes inspection easier but shows wear. Both are acceptable; tell us your preference at order stage.

Cooling is handled by dimple jackets on the cone and lower cylinder. We size the jacket surface area based on your crash-cooling target and coolant temperature. For a 5BBL batch dropping from 68°F to 34°F in 24 hours with 28°F glycol, the standard jacket works. If you need faster crashes, add a second jacket zone or increase glycol flow. Each tank has a separate coolant inlet and outlet so you can control fermentation temperature independently.

Working pressure is 15 PSI as standard; the relief valve is set at 15 PSI and the tank is hydro-tested at 1.5×. If you plan to spund or carbonate in the tank, specify 30 PSI working pressure and we\’ll increase shell thickness and use a higher-rated relief valve. Do not assume all stacked fermenters are pressure-rated — many budget units are atmospheric only.

CIP is straightforward: each tank has a rotating spray ball on the top manway, a dedicated CIP port on the racking arm, and a bottom drain. We use clamp fittings throughout so you can break down and inspect. The racking arm rotates 360° and is standard on both 3BBL and 5BBL models.

Typical lead time is 6–8 weeks for standard configurations. Custom jacket zones, 316L construction or non-standard fitting layouts add 2–3 weeks. We ship with all gaskets, clamps and a pressure test certificate.

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.