Thinking about a brite tank

[Tony Grimwood]

I'm having really good results with bottle conditioning my beers but I'm thinking of buying a brite tank and using that instead. It's the thick end of three grand by the time I buy the tank, a glycol chiller and the gas setup to make it work. Wondering if it's worth doing ... I have no experience with kegging or brite tanks but it seems like a move that might improve my results (and not have to was bottles!). Anyone have any advice?

Tony

[Tony Grimwood]

*wash* bottles

[Smiffy]

Surely you mean Bright?

Why do you want a bright tank if you are intending to keg?

Just filter the beer from the fermenter direct to the keg, under CO2 pressure, then carbonate it to the desired level (taking into account the beer temperature) then refrigerate to the desired serving temperature.

[Tony Grimwood]

No, I mean Brite! I decided not to go that way anyway and opted for a keg, a CO2 supply, a unitank fermenter and a chiller. I've already got a brew in the keg and it's doing ok so far. Need to condition for a bit longer. I need to renovate my brewery now though and will add some more bench space so I can get both of my fermenters at working height, just above the chiller. A project for the upcoming Auckland Anniversary weekend. I'll brew that weekend too, if all goes well. I'm still going to bottle some of my beer though - I get great results and I already have plenty of bottles anyway.

TG

[Michael]

Sounds like a good choice. Why clean multiple bottles when you would only need to clean one keg! (Unless you want something bottled of course.)

I am guessing the unitank is like a fermentasaurus? I have been looking at those, and they seem interesting. I just would have to redo my whole fermenting chamber and such to fit it. However, I like the idea of carbonating in the fermenter, the ease of harvest yeast, etc...

[Tony Grimwood]

The unitank is nice. It sort of puts you in a similar place to the pro brewers - you can carbonate in the fermenter, ferment under pressure etc, etc. The one I have is pretty much the same size as my other fermenter which is an Ss brewtech Brewmaster. Just a baby - doing 5 gallon batches. Both of these are set up so that you don't need a fermenting chamber. They have neoprene jackets and heating pads, and of course the chilling coil. Looking forward to getting it up and running on the weekend!

TG