Author: CASSMAN Publish Time: 2025-09-05 Origin: CASSMAN BEER BREWING EQUIPMENT
Project Title: Engineering a Space-Saving Solution with Stackable, ASME-Certified 10BBL Brite Tanks
Client: "Five Boroughs Brewing," a fictional but representative microbrewery operating in a high-rent, limited-footprint facility in Brooklyn, New York.
Location: Brooklyn, New York, USA
In the heart of Brooklyn, where every square foot comes at a premium, "Five Boroughs Brewing" had built a thriving business. Their taproom was constantly packed, and their canned beer was a sought-after item in local bottle shops. They had perfected their beer, but they had hit a wall—a literal, physical wall. Their cold room was at maximum capacity, creating a severe bottleneck in the final, critical stages of beer production: conditioning, carbonating, and packaging. They needed more bright beer capacity to grow, but expanding their physical location was not a viable option.
The brewery's success was paradoxically hindering its growth. They faced several interconnected challenges centered around their lack of space:
Critical Space Shortage: Their cold room, the heart of their finishing process, was completely full. There was no floor space to add even one more standard 10BBL brite tank. This directly limited the amount of beer they could have ready for sale at any given time.
Packaging & Taproom Bottleneck: With insufficient brite tank capacity, they struggled to keep up with demand. Their canning line often sat idle waiting for beer to be carbonated, and they frequently ran the risk of tapping out of their most popular beers in the taproom.
Safety and Accessibility: The idea of simply stacking tanks was fraught with risk. How could they ensure the structure was safe and stable? More importantly, how could a brewer safely and efficiently access the valves, ports, and carbonation stone of a tank sitting 10 feet in the air?
Uncompromising Quality & Safety Standards: As the final vessel to hold their finished product, the brite tanks needed to be of impeccable quality. For pressure vessels holding their most valuable asset, the brewery desired the peace of mind that comes with an ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) certification, a mark of superior safety and build quality.
CASSMAN delivered an innovative solution that directly addressed the client's core problem: a pair of 10BBL Stackable Brite Beer Tanks, engineered for safety, usability, and certified quality.
Key System Features:
Engineered & Seismically-Rated Stacking Frame: This was far more than just placing one tank on another. CASSMAN designed and fabricated a heavy-duty stainless steel exoskeleton frame. The design included secure locking mechanisms and footplates engineered to safely bear the load of two fully loaded tanks (over 6,000 kg / 13,000 lbs), with calculations to ensure stability.
ASME Stamped & Registered Vessels: Both 10BBL brite tanks were designed, built, and certified in accordance with ASME pressure vessel code and were stamped with the official "U" stamp. This provided the client with the highest level of assurance for safety, insurance compliance, and durability.
Ergonomic "Ground-Level Access" Design: This was the game-changing feature. We engineered the system so that all critical operational ports for the upper tank—including the sample valve, carbonation stone, and pressure gauge—were located on a "drop-down" manifold. This brought all essential controls for both tanks down to a safe and accessible height, eliminating the need for tall, unstable ladders during daily operations.
Optimized for Packaging & Serving: The tanks included all the features needed for a modern brewery: a shadowless manway for easy cleaning, a high-quality carb stone for precise carbonation, a rotating racking arm to maximize beer yield, and dedicated sample ports for quality control.
Our process was designed to ensure a perfect fit and flawless execution.
3D Virtual Modeling: Before fabrication, we provided the client with detailed 3D models of the stacked system. This allowed them to take a virtual "walk-around" in their cold room, confirming that the unit would fit perfectly and that all access points were truly ergonomic for their team.
ASME Process Management: CASSMAN managed the entire, rigorous ASME certification process, including third-party inspections and documentation, delivering the stamped and registered tanks without any administrative burden on the client.
Custom-Built Shipping & Installation Frame: The tanks and their support frame were shipped in a custom-built, braced structure to ensure they arrived in Brooklyn without any damage. The design of the frame also facilitated a straightforward installation process for the local rigging team.
The installation of the CASSMAN "Verti-Brite" system was a turning point for Five Boroughs Brewing.
Brite Capacity Doubled in the Same Footprint: They instantly went from 10BBL to 20BBL of bright beer capacity without adding a single square foot of new cold room space.
Packaging Output Increased by 50%: With a consistent supply of carbonated beer, they were able to run their canning line more regularly, leading to a significant increase in packaged beer sales and market presence.
Safer and More Efficient Workflow: The ground-level access design was praised by the brewing team, who could now perform all carbonation and sampling tasks quickly and safely.
A Smart Investment in Growth: The founder of the brewery commented, "CASSMAN didn't just sell us tanks; they sold us square footage we didn't know we had. The stackable design is brilliant, and the ground-level controls are a game-changer for our daily workflow. Knowing they are ASME-stamped gives us total peace of mind. This investment has allowed us to grow right here in Brooklyn, and it paid for itself in months."
The Five Boroughs Brewing project demonstrates CASSMAN's commitment to providing innovative, problem-solving solutions for the modern craft brewery. We understand that growth is often limited by physical constraints, and our engineering is focused on overcoming those barriers. By combining clever, user-centric design with the uncompromising quality of ASME certification, we empower breweries in even the tightest urban spaces to maximize their potential and continue to grow.
For breweries looking to grow up, not out, CASSMAN builds the solution.
