Temp Control

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Shamrock28

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I found some great deals on plastic fermenters but now my question is, how can i control the temp in these tanks to lager my beer. How big can i go before i start running into problems, 1600? 3000 gallons?
 
Please show us your setup where you are lagering 3000 gallons.:mug:
And where did you find a 96 BBL system? Is your last name Busch ?

Only problems I can think of quickly are logistical and financial. Space to ferment 3000 gallons and the cost.
 
If you're trying to keep any amount of heat-generating fermenting beer cooler than room temperature, you run into problems based on the physical size/volume, and BTUs required.

With large volumes, air cooling is out since it won't fit in a refrigerator, and I'm assuming you don't live close to an abandoned salt mine.

That pretty much pushes you to a glycol based cooling system. I believe all of the big boys use glycol jacketed stainless steel fermentors. If you have your heart set on a plastic fermentor for cost reasons, you could conceivably run a coil inside it. But on that large of a scale, efficiencies, materials costs, and sanitation really need to be considered. There is probably a really good reason breweries use glycol jacketed stainless steel fermentors for large volumes, I'm sure they've done the math.
 
You need a big tub and copious amounts of frozen water bottles (10K should do it). Then you put the 3000 gal fermenter in a roughly 5000 gallon tank. You monitor the temperature and swap out the bottles as they melt ;)
 
You need a big tub and copious amounts of frozen water bottles (10K should do it). Then you put the 3000 gal fermenter in a roughly 5000 gallon tank. You monitor the temperature and swap out the bottles as they melt ;)

don't forget to put a t-shirt (probably L or even XL would be good) over the fermenter to wick some of that cold water up and allow for some cooling by evaporation also.
 
Please show us your setup where you are lagering 3000 gallons.:mug:
And where did you find a 96 BBL system? Is your last name Busch ?

Only problems I can think of quickly are logistical and financial. Space to ferment 3000 gallons and the cost.

Legal problems?
Perhaps during Batch 1.

Haha..yeah that too. Didn't even think about the legal aspect of it. Although I inquired if he might have a large mansion in or around the St. Louis area? :D
 
As an amateur brewer (home) you are (in the US) able to brew up to 100 gallons per year plus 100 gallons per adult in the household up to a maximum of 200 gallons.

1) If you are not a US resident, then I'm sure there are tax and licensing implications that are in-line with personal consumption.
2) Yes, people have been known to exceed the annual amount but hardly in 1 brew session.
3) If you are talking pro, then perhaps ProBrewer.com is a better place for your question.
 
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