For craft breweries, there are three popular heating methods, namely electric heating, steam heating, and direct fire heating. The heating method will affect the brewing process, and of course, the design of brewhouse equipment will be different. What is the best heating method for brewing equipment? This long-running but unanswered question is that there is no “best” heating method. Our brewing equipment is designed for various heating methods, and our suggestions for you will be based on your brewing needs and settings. Each heating method has its own advantages and disadvantages. To provide you with convenience, Micet Craft will list these advantages and disadvantages for you below.
Electric heating
But, electric heating brewhouse equipment usually requires up to 300-500 amperes and 3 phase 480 volts of electricity. These requirements are not operating standards in most parts of the world, meaning that your craft brewery will have a large number of permits, electrical service upgrades, and infrastructure construction before it can safely make the first brew. Also, the ongoing cost of electricity is a more monthly cost that may significantly affect the profitability of craft breweries. Also, electric heating is notorious for its slow heating rate, which will extend your brewing time. We recommend electric heating for smaller brewing systems below 1000L.
Advantages of electric heating:
- High-efficiency heating method for small brewery equipment, 100% of the heat generated is transferred to water or wort;
- There is no need to worry about the appearance of carbon monoxide or open flames or explosive gases;
- Cost-effectiveness is relatively high for 200L-1000L brewery equipment. If necessary, highly automated control can be carried out;
- Excellent temperature control during the brewing process;
- Predictable cost;
Disadvantages of electric heating:
- The cost of electric heating is usually higher than that of steam heating, but it is usually offset by higher heating efficiency;
- The initial cost of equipment is usually higher than that of direct fire heating, but lower than that of steam heating;
- In the craft brewery, there needs to be enough current for heating the kettle and other operations (varies according to the size of the brewing system);
- The heating speed of electric heating is very slow, which will extend your brewing time;
- After the brewing is completed, the electrical components need to be removed for cleaning, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive;
Direct fire heating
Advantages of direct fire heating:
- The craft brewery can be started at the lowest upfront cost;
- Many brewers are accustomed to using gas kettles;
- Some brewers prefer the caramelization that the gas system may bring;
Disadvantages of direct fire heating:
- The heating efficiency of gas is usually only 25% to 50%, which may become the most costly heating method;
- You may need to provide supplemental air and exhaust systems for direct combustion gas systems. Your city may need a professional mechanical engineer to provide planning and installation for your brewery;
- Some craft breweries will need fire extinguishing systems;
- In some states in the United States (such as California and Texas), the emission regulations and requirements of gas burners will cause a significant increase in costs and reduce the efficiency of opening a brewery;
Steam heating system
Advantages of steam heating:
- Rapid heating method for large brewery construction;
- When combined with a gas boiler, you can get good (but not the best) heating efficiency and lower energy costs;
- It is easier to clean compared with electric heating;
Disadvantages of steam heating:
- Because of the need to build a boiler system and a steam system, it is the most costly heating method;
- It is usually not very cost-effective to use in small-scale brewery equipment;
- Local authorities in some countries/regions must inspect and operation of steam generators/boilers and must have high permits and inspection fees, which may slow down your brewery startup time.
| Heating Options | Direct Fire Heating | Steam Heating | Electric Heating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tank structure features | The kettle/HLT is built with a fire chamber with an inspection manway, burner mounting port, and flue port | The kettle/HLT is welded with a steam jacket to be able to heat by steam | The kettle/HLT is mounted with electric heating coils inside |
| Extra equipment | 2 burners: burner for the kettle(1 Set), burner for HLT(1 Set) | The kettle and HLT share the same set of steam boilers, and also suitable steam piping& valves, etc | No |
| Fuel requirement | It can be LPG or natural gas. Please kindly let the burner supplier advise the suitable burner capacity according to the required thermal power. For example, 300L kettle thermal power: 18kw | It can be LPG or natural gas or electricity. Please kindly let the boiler supplier advise the suitable boiler capacity according to the required thermal power | No |
| Building construction | A vent port to let flue extend outside the room | Better have an independent small room(1-2 square meters) to put the steam boiler, just beside the brewhouse | Enough electricity powerm |
| Electric requirement | Within 30kw for the whole set of the brewhouse(including pumps, chillers, motors, etc) | Within 30kw for the whole set of the brewhouse(including pumps, chillers, motors, etc) | Normally big. For example, 500l system: More than 80KW. |
| Recommended use capacity | 500L-2000L Brewhouse | Brewhouse above 500L | 50L-1500L Brewhouse |
Beer Brewery Equipment Manufacturer The brewing supplies provided by Micet Craft can support your brewing needs from small batches of micro beer brewing equipment to 100 barrels capacity. Micet Craft has reached cooperation with many breweries around the world, we can design and manufacture professional brewing systems for breweries, including cellar beer brewing equipment and other
China stainless steel fermentation vessels manufacturer The fermentation tank is where the beer carry out the fermentation process, it provides a place suitable for life activities and metabolism for microorganisms. To adapt to the use of different sizes of breweries, Micet Craft produced a variety of sizes and specifications of fermentation tanks. Customers can choose
Professional bright Beer tank manufacturer from China The bright tank is a vessel for storing and carbonated beer, it is also called the brite tank. The bright tank is an important part of the workflow of professional beer brewers. It can be used to store and carbonate beer, thus eliminating the trouble of cleaning beer
China brewing equipment manufacturer and suppliers Micet Craft has cooperated with breweries in many countries around the world to provide them with brewing equipment. We provide customers with turnkey brewery solutions, which include designing, manufacturing and installing customized breweries. The Micet Craft team has decades of experience in the manufacturing of brewing equipment, we not
Best brewhouse equipment manufacturer from china Brewing good beer requires brewhouse equipment. Whether you are brewing beer for home, business or brewery, Micet Craft can provide a turnkey solution according to the daily output you need. We have brewhouse equipment with 2 vessels, 3 vessels and 4 vessels, the unique design allows you to do decoction
Professional beer filling machine manufacturer Beer filling machine is the core equipment of the beer production line. Our beer filling system uses stainless steel as the production material. Stainless steel is not easy to wear, and it is easy to clean. Micet Craft provides you with a cheap and efficient way of filling beer. We
Best beer brewing system manufacturer from china Micet Craft is a professional beer brewing system manufacturer in China. We mainly produce high-end customized turnkey brewing systems. Whether you are planning to open a nano-brewery, microbrewery, or commercial brewery, we can provide you with the most complete turnkey solution. Our beer brewing systems are all price-competitive