How do small breweries maintain fermentation temp?

I've toured a couple of micro breweries and seen my fair share of local brewpubs, but the realization just hit me that they don't seem to have any form of temperature control in those huge primary fermenters they use. I realize that most of the beer brewed in these conditions are ales, so lagering temps aren't required, but even so... I can only imagine that such a large volume of fermenting beer would cause a significant increase in temperature. So, my curiousity has kicked in.. is anyone familiar with how fermenting temperatures are handled in these applications?

They are usuaully glycol jacketed. They have more money than we do so they dont need to stick it in an old fridge they had laying around.

Yeah, what he said

Yeah, what he said unless you are uber cool Brewpastor with your own jacketed brew tank.

Kilted Brewer said:

Yeah, what he said

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Post whore!



And no, this does not make me one too. I havent figured out why yet but it doesnt.

yup... glycol jackets. The ones I've seen typically have all of the fermenters jacketed with one large condenser and pump off to the side with temperatute controlled solenoid valves that, when the temp int he fermenter gets too hot, a solenoid opens and glycol is pumped throught he jacket to chill the whole tank. Once it comes back down to temp, the solenoid shuts down again... or at least lets a lot less through.

Mmmmmm... glyyyycol... aaagagaghghghghg

I worked at a brewery when I was 17.. I used to have to climb in and scrub them. The ones I was had Cooling lines running through them those weren't the primaries but thats how they controled the Temp.