Question About Jacketed Fermenters

[StonesRyan]

Hello,

Wondering if anyone can shed some light on whether or not to invest in the added expense of a jacketed fermenter. It seems like a lot of the distilleries I've visited are getting by using fermenters without jackets. Are those of you who aren't using jackets having to pay more attention to controlling the ambient temperature in the room where you're fermenting? How are you controlling your ferment temp? Or are you not worried about it?

I'd hate to spend the extra money if I don't need to, yet I'd hate to not have the jacket and wish I did. Any feedback would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Ryan

[Natrat]

Smaller ferments don't generate enough heat to require cooling to keep their heat down. The best reason to have a jacket is to crash cool your beer if you can't get to it with the still...so it doesn't get infected with something that can potentially eat your alcohol or make narsty tastes.

If your ferments are bigger than 300-400 gallons, I'd go with a jacket to regulate your ferment. Single zone should be enough.

[Lenny]

Your ferm temp is going to have an outcome on your final distillate. I ferment 500+ gallons of wash in single wall open top tanks without temp control. I pitch yeast at 83f and the ferment rips up into the high 90's during the first couple days (regardless of seasonal ambient temps). Works for me -- might or might not work for you. If you want to save a few bucks by skipping the jacket for now, but decide later that you'd prefer a bit more control, you could always run a big copper coil inside your fermenters.

[StonesRyan]

Thanks for the input, gentlemen.

I'm ordering a 4000L fermenter with a closed top. I've already got a 100gal still so I want a closed top for decreased contamination risk since I'll only pull off 100gal at a time for stripping. I had considered using several smaller fermenters but decided against it for the added ease of cleaning only one and to occupy less floor space. So to your point, Lenny, I think using a copper coil for cooling - which is an awesome idea - could prove more difficult for me with a closed top. Also, the building owner informed me today that he'll not be installing AC or a swamp cooler in my space so it looks as though I'll have to spend the money for HVAC and/ or the jacket to help maintain temp in the summer months - even if I only run cold tap water through it rather than glycol.

The idea of spending another $2k for the jacket when I'm not entirely certain I need to just makes me cringe! But it may be cheaper in the long run than cooling the whole building in the summertime....

Thanks again, guys.

[MG Thermal Consulting]

Plus you'll probably not get enough cooling off city water since the heat exchange through the jacket to the product is lousy.

How are you cooling you condenser, city water or a closed loop chiller? You might consider searching for a small chiller for both, maybe a 4 ton or so.

Good luck.

[Donutboy]

We invested in a single jacket wrapped around our 15b FVs. They aren't clad so you can see the dimple jacket, but it kinda looks cool. It's about 30" of jacket wrapping all the way around. You can see it here http://instagram-ps.5thvillage.com/camp1805/ We also invested in a small 'chill &flow' glycol chiller from Pro Refridge out of Kent, WA for them. We haven't had a chance to use the chiller with em yet, we really haven't needed it.

[Natrat]

You'll be happy with the chill and flow unit. ProRefrigeration is a great company to deal with, and when you're ready to move up to a bigger chiller, Damon will probably buy it back from you. Their ChillStar units are perfect for most small distilleries, and I've had great customer service and support from them over the years.

If you're in a humid area, those dimple jackets will sweat like crazy :-) Make sure you have good drainage under your fermenters, or you'll have a mold problem. Also, beware of ice buildup where you plumb the glycol into the jacket.