What the Chiller Actually Does in a Brewery
The chiller cools a glycol-water mixture and pumps it through jacketed tanks. When a tank needs to be cooled, the glycol flows through the jacket, absorbs heat from the beer or wine inside, and returns to the chiller to be cooled again. The chiller is always running in the background, keeping everything at the right temperature.
Different Stages Need Different Temperatures
| What you are doing | Temperature you need |
|---|---|
| Ale fermentation | 62–72°F (17–22°C) |
| Lager fermentation | 45–55°F (7–13°C) |
| Crash cooling after fermentation | 32–35°F (0–2°C) |
| Cold stabilization (wine) | 28–32°F (-2 to 0°C) |
| Serving and bright beer tanks | 33–38°F (1–3°C) |
The Biggest Sizing Mistake in Craft Brewing
Most small brewery glycol systems are sized for the average number of tanks calling for cooling at any given time. That sounds reasonable but it misses something: on a busy production day in August, multiple tanks may call for cooling simultaneously, AND your chiller is working harder because it is 95°F outside.
The result is glycol temperature climbing, fermentation temperatures drifting, and batches coming out different than expected. Always size for your worst-case scenario, not your average day.
Use the Right Glycol
Use propylene glycol in any food or beverage application. It is food-safe and non-toxic. The typical starting point for a brewery is a 30% propylene glycol mix, which gives you freeze protection down to about 9°F — well below anything you will encounter in a brewing operation.
Wine Cold Stabilization
Cold stabilization prevents tartrate crystals from forming in the bottle after sale. It requires holding wine at 28–32°F for several days without letting the temperature wander. Standard refrigeration equipment is not precise or stable enough for this. A properly sized glycol chiller with an adequate buffer tank is the right tool for the job.
Rule of thumb: Size your glycol chiller for all your tanks calling for cooling simultaneously, at the hottest ambient temperature you expect in your facility. If you are not sure, tell us how many tanks you have and what they hold — we can help.
See full configurations on the Breweries & Wineries page.
FAQ
How big a glycol chiller does my brewery need?
Size for every tank that could call for cooling at once, on your hottest day — not the average. Tell us your tank count and volumes and we'll size it.
What glycol percentage should I run?
30% propylene glycol is the typical starting point — food-safe and good to about 9°F.
Still Not Sure What You Need?
Tell us what you are cooling and we will figure out the right chiller for you. No jargon, no catalog. Just a straight answer.