Does anyone have the SS brewtech 14gallon Unitank?

[BrewinSoldier]

Hey guys! Looking for a little info. I'm looking to buy the SS 14 gallon Unitank next week. I already have a Spike CF15 and found that it needs about 6.5-7 gallons of wort minimum for the cooling coil and temp probe to be submerged. I currently have 12 gallons of beer in it and it's handling that no problems, but I have yet to crash cool in it so we will see how that goes.

That said, I'd like to add a SS 14 gallon Unitank to the Brew House but I'm having a hard time finding a solid answer on a few things.

For those of you that have one, how many gallons of wort do you need at a minimum for the coil to be submerged enough as well as the thermowell?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Harry482]

I have one. I’d say 6-7 gallons. It is a very long cooling coil that extends way beyond the thermowell.

 

[Jlco25]

Hi
I have an Unitank as well.
For lagering purposes, the coil can reach 7-8 gallons, however with the extension coils you could do 5 gal batches. The limitations are based on the FTSs system not the unitank itself. Hence if you do not using the FTSs or if you are fermenting ales you do not have this restriction.

 

[BrewinSoldier]

Hi
I have an Unitank as well.
For lagering purposes, the coil can reach 7-8 gallons, however with the extension coils you could do 5 gal batches. The limitations are based on the FTSs system not the unitank itself. Hence if you do not using the FTSs or if you are fermenting ales you do not have this restriction.

Aren't the extension coils only for the older style conicals? I thought the unitanks are welded in coils?

I need to be able to cold crash. I have the glycol system but have been having some trouble cold crashing both my Spike CF15 as well as my brewershardware 14 gallon single wall that I've transformed with a CF15 coil. Weird thing is I can only get them both down to 39-40°. My 7 gallon SS has no issues getting to 34°. I have 12 gallons of beer in the Spike right now and it held at 53° just fine for my pilsner fermentation.

I tried rasing the glycol temp from 27° to 31° but it didn't help.

Are either one of you guys on glycol?

 

[Jlco25]

Yes
The coils are welded my apologies. I have enclosed some pictures the coil will seat around for a 8 gallon batch.
I have the 3/8 hp Ss Brewtech glycol system that used in conjunction with the Unitank I use it for lagering and I will be trying ferment at pressure on my next batch. So far I am able to ferment at temperature I also have the heating portions of the FTSs to do diacetyl rest, then secondary fermentation and I cold crash at 34F. It holds temperatures without any issues.

I like the Unitank very much I will be getting another in the next few weeks.

 

[BrewinSoldier]

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Yes
The coils are welded my apologies. I have enclosed some pictures the coil will seat around for a 8 gallon batch.
I have the 3/8 hp Ss Brewtech glycol system that used in conjunction with the Unitank I use it for lagering and I will be trying ferment at pressure on my next batch. So far I am able to ferment at temperature I also have the heating portions of the FTSs to do diacetyl rest, then secondary fermentation and I cold crash at 34F. It holds temperatures without any issues.

I like the Unitank very much I will be getting another in the next few weeks.

Thank you very much for the info. If it wouldn't be too much to ask, would you be willing to measure out 6 gallons of water and see if it will get it down to 35°? I'm ready to buy one but if it can't do 6 gallons of wort and get it down to 34°, I'll end up having to just get the 7 gallon Unitank instead. Id much rather spend the extra money on the 14 gallon if it's capable and be able to use it for both 6 gallon and 12 gallons of wort. I would be extremely grateful.

 

[Jlco25]

Absolutely no problem at all, I understand your rationale perfectly if a 14 Gallons can do the job invest a little more now and you are setup later when you are ready to increase your batch sizes.

I will run this experiment at 6 gallons. However, I will need a few days due to my work schedule. If you don’t mind the wait, I should be able to do it either Thursday or Friday.

If the test is successful at 6 gallons, I will also try to do it a 5 and 5.5 gallons

More to follow....

 

[Ridenour64]

Was this ever done? I’m also considering a 7 or 14 gal uni.

 

[BrewinSoldier]

Was this ever done? I’m also considering a 7 or 14 gal uni.

Never heard back from JLCO25 so I went ahead and just bought the 7 gallon.

 

[Ridenour64]

Can you share your thoughts and opinions thus far on the 7 gal.

 

[BrewinSoldier]

Well I currently have 3 different brand conicals(Spike CF15,Brewershardware 14 gallon single wall, and the SS 7 gallon unitank). In the past, I've had the SS 7 gallon BME and the Brewershardware 8 gallon jacketed conicals. I like them all but they all have their pluses and minuses. That said, the best quality and most complete conical is the SS unitank. I have my first batch in mine right now and so far I really like it. Going to try carbonating my NEIPA that's in it today via the internal carb stone so we will see how that goes. My only two gripes about it are that there are no handles and no internal volume etchings. The cheaper BME edition has both of these so I'm not sure why they don't put them on their flagship. I also wish the legs were a little longer(without having to add the legs extensions). It makes it a little hard when trying to dump trub because the trub valve is almost touching the floor.

Other than those small things, I highly recommend it and it will be my conical of choice going forward.

 

[Ridenour64]

Ok. Yes, I definitely have decided that I want the ssbt unitank. I just can’t decide on 7 or 14 gal. I’m worried that I will not be able to cool efficiently on a 5 gal batch. Also, whether or not I would be able to properly carb on a 5 gal batch.

I emailed SSBT and they said cooling and carbonating would be “less than ideal” on a 5 gal batch in a 14 gal. Also that excess headspace can scrub hop aromas.

 

[BrewinSoldier]

Well I'm starting to think that even though a company promotes their product as a multi batch unit, these things are best served as the batch size they were made for.

I can tell you this. I don't know if it has to do with only being 7 gallons, but my unitank and both of my BME 7 gallon chronicals were the only ones I can cold crash to 34° with. I have the SSbrewtech glycol chiller I use for my conicals.

Right now I have a 12 gallon batch in both the Spike CF15 and the
Brewershardware conical and I can't get either to 34°. I can't get them to drop below 40°. I don't know if it has to do with not having enough wort in them, or if it's just because of the bigger size conical, but its frustrating.

 

[stux]

Well I'm starting to think that even though a company promotes their product as a multi batch unit, these things are best served as the batch size they were made for.

I can tell you this. I don't know if it has to do with only being 7 gallons, but my unitank and both of my BME 7 gallon chronicals were the only ones I can cold crash to 34° with. I have the SSbrewtech glycol chiller I use for my conicals.

Right now I have a 12 gallon batch in both the Spike CF15 and the
Brewershardware conical and I can't get either to 34°. I can't get them to drop below 40°. I don't know if it has to do with not having enough wort in them, or if it's just because of the bigger size conical, but its frustrating.

Bit late, but is it because of this:

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0152/1071/files/Temp_Inversion.pdf?16799892967664542904

?

Spike recommend reversing the cooling flow for crashing. I guess that’s because they don’t have any coils at the top of the fermenter

 

[Vale71]

Bit late, but is it because of this:

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0152/1071/files/Temp_Inversion.pdf?16799892967664542904

?

Spike recommend reversing the cooling flow for crashing. I guess that’s because they don’t have any coils at the top of the fermenter

Nope. Tried that a half dozen times with no success. The cooling coil IMHO just has too small of a surface, to get the temperature close to the beer's freezing temperature you need to set the glycol so cold that you will inevitably have ice forming on the coils leading to a runaway situation.