Fermenter question

[codyz]

Hi i am new to brewing and have a question that isnt answered in any of the books i am reading... i will be brewing batches of about 14-15 gallons of beer at a time but i would like to brew several batches per day.. if i had a bigger fermenter tank could i add the different batches into the tank throughout the day? also can anyone recomend a few good books to read on brewing..

[Jeff Lockhart]

Originally posted by codyz
Hi i am new to brewing and have a question that isnt answered in any of the books i am reading... i will be brewing batches of about 14-15 gallons of beer at a time but i would like to brew several batches per day.. if i had a bigger fermenter tank could i add the different batches into the tank throughout the day? also can anyone recomend a few good books to read on brewing..





Cody, let me just say that 15 gal. batches for someone "new to brewing" is ambitious to say the least. GO FOR IT!

Next, As for brewing "several batches per day" I would count on Two, maybe three at the outside (16 hr. day) if you are doing all grain. More if it is just extract or partial.

Second, there is no problem double ot triple batching in the fermenter. It is especiall useful if you don't hit gravity on the first and need to adjust up or down. Just do the math and adjust right on top of the first. From your batch size and desire to brew more than once a day I assume you are opening a brewpub or similar scenario and will assume that you have all the equipment to keep it all sanitary i.e. closed system, hoses...

As long as you keep it clean and sanitary no problem.

I'll get back to you on books when I get home.

Good luck

Jeff

[Jeff Lockhart]

Originally posted by codyz
also can anyone recomend a few good books to read on brewing..


Cody,
Here are the books you might want to check out.

"Homebrewing for Dummies" Basic and straight forward brewing techniques.
"The New Complete Joy of Homebrewing" Charlie Papazian
"Radical Brewing" Randy Mosher
"Principles of Brewing Science" George Fix
"Standards of Brewing" Charles W. Bamforth
"Evaluating Beer" Brewers Publications available @ beertown.org
"Brewing" Michael J. Lewis and Tom W. Young

Jeff

[Jeff Lockhart]

And on another note. If you are new to brewing, you really need to homebrew as many batches as you can. Get some expiernce on the processes and learn how things work or don't work. Work at a local micro and see everything that goes on on a larger scale and learn from the pros.

Also, If you are going to be brewing as much as you say, you can get a two or three barrel system cheap. Might be worth a look and it will save you time.

Anyway, don't get discouraged, I'm not trying to put your Idea down. I'm just trying to help you avoid some mistakes allong the way.

Good Luck in your venture

Jeff

[codyz]

Thanks for the reply Jeff.. me and 2 friends are going to start brewing some small batches to get the hang of it... we plan on purchasing a Sabco sytem does anyone know anything about them? it seems like a good deal.

One other question on fermenters. suppose we will be puting 45 gallons of brew in the tank how big should the tank be? if it makes any different the tank will be stainless steel..

[Jeff Lockhart]

Brewmonkey,

Any help here?

Cody,
I should think that a 50 gallon Fermenter would be sufficient. You will definately need a blow off tube on this and conical would be the way to go. Get two so you can transfer the yeast. You will also need a 50 gal. bright tank for the beer to mature in. At least one.

But really, I would suggest 5 gal. batches fermented in 6 gal. carboys and secondary in 5 or 6 gal. carboys. Then bottle or keg as you wish.

The Sabco systems I have seen don't brew more than 10 gal. at a time and I don't know anyone who has one, so I can't speak on them personally. They do look cool 'tho.


Again, really ambitious! Just remember, it is very hard to dump a 5 gal. batch, not to mention costly. Start small and learn the process.

Good Luck
Jeff

[Jackal1]

I just want to know his location and if there is any houses available nearby. Sounds like Cody would make a REALLY good neighbor to have. :D

[HogieWan]

Originally posted by Jackal1
I just want to know his location and if there is any houses available nearby. Sounds like Cody would make a REALLY good neighbor to have. :D

second

[danno]

I'd also take a look at morebeer's systems, for the same $$ as the Sabco's, you could be doing 20 gallon batches...

[brewmonkey]

Sorry, I was out for a few days and just got back online this evening.

Several batches a day for someone new to the hobby can be overly ambitious and going for 50USG in an afternoon is making a very long day, even if it is extract. However, if you have the space to do it, brewing 2 batches, 1 Sat/1 Sun and racking them on top of each other is perfectl fine (if they are the same type of course) and is a method I used in the brewery to fill our largest tank.

SABCO, I know 4 people with them and they all like them. Personally I think for the money spent on a SABCO you can build a much better RIMS and with a smaller footprint. While morebeer.com is rather expensive on the equipment side they have some cool ideas you can easil copy.

The books listed are good places to start and when you get those down pat then you can move on the Ray Daniels and Dr. Fix.

For fermentation the largest I have seen pre-fabbed is 27USG and anything bigger then that is going to be a custom job. The 27USG tanks run about $1K without any bells and whistles and with that kind of tank I would highly suggest some method of cooling. You can add cooling to them but then ou get in to a price range where it would literally be cheaper to find a used yeast brink from a small brewery.

I would shoot for 10 gallon batches if you are really set on the hobby and then find yourself some 10USG corny kegs (they exist) to ferment in. While headspace is tight it can be done.

[codyz]

Thanks for the replys!!
i work in a welding shop and was going to have a stainless fermenter custom made. it would be a fraction of the cost they sell for. so do think i would be better off building an entire system rather than buying a sytem such as a sabco?
on another note i toured the Yuengling factory yesterday.. very awesome!.

[brewmonkey]

If you work in a welding shop and can get someone to make sanitary welds then it is going to be MUCH cheaper for you to fabricate all your own equipment then to buy it.

Hit the scrap yard for kegs and clean them up.

You can probably take 2 1/1bbl kegs cut the top from one (below the chimb) and then the bottom of another, weld them together and make a 30 USG fermenter. Have someone fabricate a cone or buy a stainless steel funnel that will fit and weld it on, weld fitting for the ball valves and a corny lid on the top with a blow off valve and you have yourself a dirt cheap fermenter.

In the brewing world many guys do something similar by taking 7bbl grundies, welding 2 together and adding a cone to make 15bbl fermenters cheaper then buying new ones.