Lab and research fermenters

Jacketed stainless fermenters and small brewing systems for universities, colleges and research labs. Pressure-rated, tri-clamp throughout, heated by an element and cooled by glycol, from 8 gallons to 1 BBL. We quote with freight included, take purchase orders, and set up as a supplier with your procurement office.

Bräu Supply builds electric brewing and fermentation equipment in Vancouver, BC. Most of it goes to brewers, but a steady share goes to labs: food science and engineering departments, plant breeding programs, teaching breweries and beverage R&D teams who need a real fermenter, not a bucket and not a six-figure bioreactor.

Who buys from us

• University of British Columbia, Chemical and Biological Engineering: ordered on a university purchase order.
• University of Alberta: a repeat customer, most recently a glycol chiller system with pumps, lines and controllers.
• Washington State University, Barley Breeding Program: a 30 L brewing system and two 30 L Unitanks to brew trial batches from new barley varieties.
• Beverage R&D teams, from canned cold coffee pilots in Whistler to shelf-stable drink development in Australia.

What fits a lab

Equipment	What it does in a lab	Sizes
Unitank jacketed conical fermenter	Fermentation trials under controlled temperature and pressure, with a sample valve to draw samples without opening the tank and a cone to dump yeast and solids	30 L (8 gal), 50 L (13 gal), 100 L (26 gal)
Unitank 1 BBL	Pilot-scale fermentation and conditioning	150 L
MCED glycol chillers	Hold each tank at its own temperature, near freezing to warm, from one chiller	One tank up to several
Brewing controllers and elements	Heat a tank on a PID controller: hold a fermentation temperature, or bring the tank up to a boil	120V or 240V
Unibräu and BräuPro brewing systems	Make wort or other extracts from grain, in small, repeatable batches	5 gal to 1 BBL

The Unitank at a glance

• Material: 304 stainless, tri-clamp fittings and silicone gaskets throughout.
• Pressure: 30 psi working pressure, with a 15 psi relief valve. The cooling jacket is rated to 5 psi.
• Temperature: cooled by glycol through the jacket; heated by an element in the tank on a PID controller. The same tank can hold a fermentation near freezing or, with the element, come up to a boil.
• Sampling and solids: a sample valve on the side, a racking port, and a dump valve at the bottom of the cone.
• Cleaning: cleaned in place with a spray ball (sold separately), like a brewery tank. Gaskets, valves and fittings come apart by hand.

These are food-grade brewing vessels, not sterile bioreactors: they are not autoclaved or steam-sterilized. If your work needs sterile processing, GMP documentation or a specific electrical certification, ask us before you order.

Before you order: site checklist

• Power. The 120V controller and 1,650 W element plug into a standard 15A outlet. The 240V controller and 5,500 W element need a 30A, 240V circuit. Many buildings have 208V or three-phase power: check with facilities before you choose.
• Drains. The cone dumps through a 2" tri-clamp valve. Plan for a floor drain or a bucket under the tank.
• Space. Floor space, ceiling height to the top port, and door widths for the larger tanks. Each product page lists the dimensions.
• Cooling. A glycol chiller needs air around it to shed heat. Plan where its warm air goes, especially in a small room.
• Water. Filtered water for brewing, and a sink or hose for cleaning.
• Safety review. Many universities review pressure vessels and electrical equipment before installation. We send specifications and manuals for your safety office on request.

Quotes, purchase orders and supplier setup

• Quotes. A formal quote on letterhead, with freight included, in CAD for Canadian institutions and USD for US institutions.
• Payment. Credit card or purchasing card at any time. Purchase orders from universities, colleges, hospitals and government labs, payable Net 30 from the invoice date. Your PO number goes on every invoice, and invoices go to your accounts payable office.
• Supplier setup. We are a Canadian company. US institutions set us up with a W-8BEN-E, not a W-9; we send it filled in, along with a company information sheet for your vendor form.
• Tax. US sales tax is added only in states where we are required to collect it; send your tax-exemption certificate with the PO. Canadian quotes show GST/HST and PST where they apply.
• Shipping. US tariffs and duties are paid by us, and freight is on the quote. Tell us if the building has a loading dock or needs a liftgate delivery.
• Warranty. 2 years on the stainless, 1 year on electronics, and lifetime parts support.

FAQ

Do you accept purchase orders?

Yes, from universities, colleges, hospitals and government labs, payable Net 30. Everyone else can pay by card, including university purchasing cards.

Can you give us a W-9?

No: a W-9 is for US companies. As a Canadian supplier we complete a W-8BEN-E instead, and send it with your vendor setup forms.

Are these bioreactors?

No. They are jacketed, pressure-rated stainless fermenters built for brewing and food fermentation. They are cleaned and sanitized like brewery tanks, not autoclaved, and they have no sterile ports or aeration control.

Can a Unitank be heated as well as cooled?

Yes. Every Unitank has an element port. With an element and controller it holds a warm fermentation or comes up to a boil, and glycol through the jacket cools it.

How big a batch can we run?

Fermentations with foam, like beer, leave about 20% headspace: about 6, 10, 20 and 31 gallons in the 8, 13 and 26 gallon and 1 BBL tanks. Fermentations that barely foam can fill higher.

Do you ship outside North America?

Yes, on a quote with freight included. We have shipped systems as far as Australia.

Can we talk it through first?

Yes. Book a 15-minute call, or send us your requirements and we will reply with a quote.