Stainless Steel Maturing Tank Cider Maturation Tanks Beer Lagering Tanks Beer Fermenter

• Customization: Available
• Condition: New
• Customized: Customized
• Model NO.: maturing trank
• Processing Material: Beer, Wine, Cider
• Process: Ferment
• Structure: Jacketed / Single Wall
• Transport Package: Wooden, Nylon
• Specification: 500Liter to 5000Liter
• Trademark: Ranking
• Origin: China
• HS Code: 847982
• Production Capacity: 5000PCS Per Season

Product Description

MATURATION LAGERING TANKS - the maturation of beer
The main fermentation process of the young beer (or cider), which intermediate is called green beer, follows the process of the maturation of beer in the maturation tanks (also calledlagering tanks). They are special beer production tanks designed only for second phase of the beer fermentation process. During this production phase, the beer maturates, or saturates with the carbon dioxide, which is formed from the remaining yeast activity. This way the beer acquires savour.
Maturation is the longest stage of the beer production process. The length of the beer maturation process depends on the chosen recipe, temperature and the set pressure in the maturation tank. Maturation of bottom fermented beer with EPM 10 % takes two to three weeks, light lager with EPM 12% at least 30 days, beer with special EPM above 12 % takes 60 days up to several months.
The length of the maturation process of beer, the batch size and frequency of its production is important for the decisions on the required number of maturation tanks in the brewery.

Equipment of maturation tanks:

Typical equipment of our maturation tanks

• Overpressure setting mechanism from 0 to 3 bar (over-pressure tanks with the maturation bottling function)
• Cooling channels - duplicators for circulating of coolant
• PUR insulation - thickness corresponding to the size of the tank and the environment
• Stainless steel jacket - with the customer selected surface finishing
• Guaranteed inner surface roughness of Ra = 0.8 microns (except in very small containers and terminating welds on intermediate vessels)
• Manhole on the bottom or on cylinder part (according to customer requirements)
• Outlet / inlet for beer or cider
• Outlet / inlet for dosing and discharge of yeast
• Sanitation shower - sprayball (static or rotary) - one or more pcs
• Cleanable and sanitizable sampling cock
• Double-acting air vent valve
• Independent safety overpressure valve
• Thermometer pocket
• Cleanable and sanitizable glass level indicator

Optional equipment of of our maturation tanks

• Frame or frame-system for positioning of horizontal tanks at several levels above each other
• Thermometer or thermo-sensor
• Manometer
• Automatic valves for regulation the coolant flow in the cooling channels
• Local thermostat unit (control valves duplicators, depending on the temperature)
• Control system for manual or automatic control of the fermentation and maturation process
• Carbonation stone - the special jet for carbonation of beverages from CO2 bottles
• Stainless steel ladder for easy access to the door of the tank

The Guide the four types of maturation tanks in our offer

We manufacture and supply lagering tanks in various designs with our microbreweries:

I. Types of beer maturation lagering tanks according to the the design of a cooling method:

1. Beer maturation lagering tanks with single-jacket (air-coolled)

Simple and cheap non-insulated tanks , cooled by cold air. The traditional way of cooling in a lager cellar . The advantage is low cost, but there is also number of disadvantages: high cooling energy demands (it can be affected by the quality of the thermal insulation of walls in the lager cellar) , the impossibility of controlling the maturation ( it is not possible to set different temperatures in individual tanks ), low comfort of work in the lager cellar ( cellar workers are working in very cold and humid environment which is not conducive to their health and working condition ).
It is necessary to note that for the brewery cellar with single-shell tanks it is needed to create a cooling box, a room with very good insulation of walls and ceiling and with a refrigerator door. The operating costs of cooling are particularly during the summer months, possibly year-round in tropical areas, significantly higher than the lager cellar with insulated tanks cooled by liquid. These increased costs to the building and operation usually outweigh the savings from buying cheaper technology brewery.
In contrast, the solution is usually advantageous for air cooling Microbrewery what need to create a refrigerated storage area for filled kegs or bottles of beer, and have not a dedicated storage room. In this case, together with the beer for sale are simultaneously cooled also lager tanks.

2. Beer maturation lagering tanks with double-jacket (liquid cooled)

- more elaborate insulated tanks, cooled by glycol or ice water circulating in the double jacket duplicators. The modern way of cooling a lager cellar, which is standard in modern breweries. 

Besides the apparent disadvantage of the higher initial cost, these tanks have only advantages: low cost of cooling operation (cooling only beer, not space), low demand at the place of installation (no need to insulate storage cellar, tanks can be in any room), comfortable operation (in the room with tanks is not need to regulate the teperature ). possibility to control maturation in each tank separately. The only suitable solution for automated management system of the brewery.

II. Types of beer maturation lager tanks according to the spatial orientation:

1. Beer maturation lagering tanks vertical

- tanks in a brewery are "standing". Easy for cleaning and sanitation and there is also easy access to the tanks from all sides. The disadvantage is the space requirement both in height and in the area of beer cellar. Vertical maturation tanks are standard in modern breweries and this concept is preferred where small space is no fundamental limitation.

2. Beer maturation lagering tanks horizontal

The advantage is saving place. In the same area we can place a greater number of tanks, if they are arranged in the battery, i.e. several rows one above another. The disadvantage is the difficult cleaning and sanitation of the tanks stored too low or too high. Battery tanks are difficult to clean from outside - in inaccessible surfaces of tanks organic contaminants may accumulate and contaminate the produced beer.

The construction of maturation tanks depending on allowed overpressure and using

The standardized maturation tanks which we product and deliver with our breweries and cider houses are usually designed for max. overpressure 3.0 bar and we test them for overpressure 4.0 bar in our works.  Notice : These tanks are classified as pressure vessels according to PED (Directive 97/23/EC).
According to customer request we can replace all the maturation tanks by combi-serving tanks with a maximum allowed overpressure of 3.0 bar tested by PED  with combined functionality both lager and bright beer tanks - then the microbrewery operator can bottle and serve beer from any pressurized lager tank without pumping beer into dedicated serving tanks.

Variations of maturation tanks according to their quality and equipment :

According to requirements and financial possibilities of customers we recognize the maturation tanks with three classes of quality and equipment:

• HQ - HIGH Quality - High quality workmanship of all parts, welded joints and surfaces. The inner surface has a guaranteed roughness Ra<0.8 μm  - glossy design. The outer surface is unified. All functional armatures and fittings that have an impact on the reliability and safety of the products are made in Europe or in the USA. Luxury equipment of the tanks. The main advantages are the savings of sanitizing solutions, water and energy, minimized losses of beverages, shorter work time, reduction of production costs. Three years warranty for stainless steel main parts and also for the fittings. The quality class for the most demanding customers.
• SQ - STANDARD Quality - Standard quality workmanship of all parts, welded joints and surfaces. All functional armatures and fittings that have an impact on the reliability and safety of the products are purchased from approved suppliers from Europe or USA. Inspection of all critical welds and joints. The inner surface has a guaranteed roughness Ra=0.8μm  - semi glossy design. Usual equipment af the vessels, usual set of fittings. Tanks in this quality class comply with all European regulations for pressure vessels and food processing plants. Two years warranty for stainless steel main parts, two year for the fittings. It is the most often ordered quality variaton of tanks for our customers.
• LQ - LOWER Quality - Lower quality workmanship of all parts, welded joints and surfaces. The most of functional armatures and fittings are purchased from approved suppliers from Asia. The inner and outer surface are not unified. Not guaranteed surface roughness on the inside of the containers. This solution is interesting only for starting small breweries because it saves an investition costs. Unfortunatelly, this brings higer beverage production costs. Longer period of sanitation, greater consumption of the sanitizing solution, energy, labor and hot water. High losses of produced beverages. We don´t offer this quality class for our products, because the equipment with the LQ quality class does not comply with the European regulations for pressure vessels and food processing plants. It is the quality of tanks of very cheap world producers of the tanks.

 Maturation lagering tanks : Quality + Equipment

Specification and equipment	HQ	SQ	LQ
Production of the Czech Mini Breweries	optional	standard	we don´t offer
Competitors' production (usual reality)	rarely	optional	standard
Main fittings producers	Europe	Europe	Asia
*** Inner surface - roughness	Ra < 0.8μm	Ra = 0.8μm	Ra > 0.8μm
*** Inner surface - sheen	glossy	semi glossy	matte
Outer surface - united design	yes	no	no
* Connections of outer plates	welved	welved	riveted
* PU insulation	> 50 mm	> 40 mm	< 40 mm
Thickness of the inner plates	> 3 mm	> 3 mm	< 3 mm
* Thickness of the outer plates	> 1,5 mm	> 1,5 mm	< 1,5 mm
* Penetration test	yes	yes	no
Design quality	100%	100%	unspecified
Function quality	100%	100%	unspecified
* Pressure relief valve - adjustable range	0 - 3 bar	0 - 3 bar	0 - 2 bar
* Pressure relief valve - with adjusting scale	yes	extra charge	no
Level indicator - sanitable	yes	yes	no
Level indicator - with scale	yes	extra charge	no
Vacuum-overpressure aeration valve	yes	yes	yes
** Independent safe overpressure valve	3.3 bar	3.3 bar	no
Rotary shower - pressurizing nozzle	yes	yes	extra charge
Inlet / outlet valve	yes	yes	yes
Yeast draining valve	yes	yes	yes
Sampling valve - removable	yes	yes	no
* Overpressure manhole (upper or side)	yes	yes	yes
* Cooling area of duplicators	> 60%	> 60%	< 60%
Manometer	yes	yes	yes
Thermocouple for each cooling zone	yes	yes	yes
PED 97/23/EC certificate	yes - always	yes - always	rarely
ASME / GUM / GOST-R certificate	optionally	optionally	rarely
Warranty	36 months	24 months	12 months

MLT - Maturation lagering tanks : Quality + Equipment
Asterisks: *= only for insulated tanks cooled by glycol **= only for pressure tanks > 1000L ***= only for pressure tanks > 300L