equipment guide?

[Chapman]

Can anyone here point me to some kind of guide that explains what all these parts of a brewery system do? I have a general understanding but I don't know what differentiates the different pieces of equipment. For i.e. why one fermenter is better than another)

Thank you,
Chapman

[brauerdave]

I do not know of a version of "Professional Brewing for Dummies" but I'm sure you could hire someone to tell you what all those little parts of the brewery are for.

[Diamond Knot]

............but experience is really the best guide. You'll either have to moonlight in a Brewery or be a free volunteer to get some knowledge.

Good luck!

[zbrew2k]

Chapman:

Pick up the The Practical Brewer , available from:http://interactive.mbaa.com/source/library/ordershome.cfm?section=orders

Great overview and its been used to train brewers for many many years now in its various reprints. You might find a cheap copy of an older version through a place like abebooks.com.

After you have read that, pick up a copy of Technology Brewing and Malting ,
Wolfgang Kunze, VLB Berlin. Available from the Siebel Institute (https://rbes.net/e/siebel/scan/se=0/sf=hideme/se=Other/sf=category/se=1/sf=masteritem/sp=itemlist/tf=sortorder/to=f/co=1.html)

That book really gets into the design aspect of breweries in more detail. You must have some understanding of the process of brewing before you will get much out of the book though.

Good luck,
B

[Diamond Knot]

Originally posted by brauerdave
I do not know of a version of "Professional Brewing for Dummies" but I'm sure you could hire someone to tell you what all those little parts of the brewery are for.

I think that's what "The Practical Brewer" is in a way..........that's what I cut my teeth on. However, I didn't see any Grundies in mine, nor direct fire Kettles under 1,000 gallons........nor anyone trying to patch their Brewery floor with Quickrete!

It didn't mention Tri-clamps, either (my version anyway).

Good input, though, zbrew2k. It's worth the read.

[tarmadilo]

You might also try checking out the websites of the various equipment suppliers, particularly the ones who sell whole systems. At least that way you might be able to see what things look like in the context of a whole system.

As for things like which different styles of fermenters are best, it all depends on things like cost, style of beer being brewed, space, batch size...

For example, there's an IPA that was made near me by a brewery using a particular strain of yeast and open-top fermenters. That brewery was bought by a larger brewery about a hundred miles away who moved all the production to their much larger system which uses unitank fermenters. That yeast doesn't like those fermenters! The IPA has never been the same... Note that with their other beers, those fermenters are excellent.

Certain kinds of equipment can vary in price as well. Used dairy tanks can be converted into open-top fermenters quite cheaply. On the other hand, unitanks don't require separate aging tanks and can make yeast management much easier.

The things that make certain types of equipment "right" are determined by:

1. Your budget
2. Your batch size
3. Your brewery space
4. Your preferred beer styles

Cheers, Tim

[GlacierBrewing]

Either way you look at it, the best way for you to understand what all these things are is to spend time in a brewery. As a volunteer, brewery grunt, or a sample room regular. No matter how you slice it, you MUST invest time. If you're thinking of opening a facility, you HAVE TO, HAVE TO, HAVE TO work there to understand it. Remember, if you want to know how a clock works, take it apart and put it back together!

Luck to 'ya
Dave

[tarmadilo]

Or, as brauerdave said up above, hire an experienced brewer/consultant...

Cheers, Tim

[Sepp-DBI]

http://www.specific.net/index1.htm This is a very general overview of a simple system. Invest in the text mentioned above. Sepp

[Sepp-DBI]

go to "Brewing equipment" then scroll down to "brewing process" http://www.specific.net/index1.htm