Author: CASSMAN Publish Time: 2025-09-05 Origin: CASSMAN BEER BREWING EQUIPMENT
Project Title: Navigating the CRN Process to Supply a Custom 7BBL Fermenter for a Leading Vancouver Brewery
Client: "True North Brewing Co.," a successful and rapidly growing craft brewery in Vancouver, British Columbia, celebrated for its high-quality ales and lagers.
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver's craft beer scene is one of North America's most mature and demanding. For a brewery like "True North Brewing Co.," maintaining momentum means constantly increasing production to meet the insatiable demand for their flagship beers. Having already established a loyal following, their primary challenge was no longer marketing, but manufacturing. Their cellar was at maximum capacity, creating a production bottleneck that limited their growth and ability to supply new accounts. They needed to expand, but they faced a significant hurdle unique to Canada.
Expanding a brewery in Canada involves more than just ordering new tanks. All pressurized equipment, including glycol-jacketed fermenters, must be registered with the province's safety authority and bear a Canadian Registration Number (CRN). This process is notoriously complex and presents a major risk when sourcing equipment internationally.
The CRN Compliance Nightmare: The CRN process requires detailed engineering drawings to be submitted and approved by a provincial safety authority before fabrication can even begin. Any deviation can result in the equipment being rejected at the border or failing on-site inspection, leading to catastrophic financial loss and delays. The client was hesitant to source from overseas, fearing the supplier might not correctly manage this complex process.
Urgent Need for Increased Capacity: Their most popular West Coast IPA was consistently selling out. They needed two additional 7BBL fermenters immediately to double its production and maintain their taproom supply and distribution commitments.
Maintaining Quality Standards: The new tanks had to match the build quality and performance of their existing North American-made equipment. This meant excellent weld quality, efficient cooling, and a sanitary design were non-negotiable.
Logistical Complexity: Sourcing large equipment from Asia to Western Canada required a partner who could manage not only the complex manufacturing and certification but also ensure safe, reliable, and timely door-to-door logistics.
CASSMAN presented a solution that directly addressed the client's primary concern: we offered a complete, turnkey service that included managing the entire CRN registration process.
Key Features of the Solution:
Full-Service CRN Management: This was the cornerstone of the project. CASSMAN's engineering team prepared a full package of compliant design calculations and drawings. We then worked directly with an authorized third-party inspection agency to review the design, oversee fabrication, and submit the entire package to WorkSafeBC (British Columbia's safety authority) to secure the CRN. We handled all the paperwork, providing the client with total peace of mind.
Premium 7BBL Conical Fermenters: The two 7BBL fermenters were built to the highest standards. They featured:
CRN-Stamped Construction: Each tank was stamped with the official CRN, proving its full compliance.
Sanitary TIG Welds: All internal welds were ground smooth and passivated to ensure a perfectly sanitary, easy-to-clean surface.
Dual-Zone Glycol Jacketing: High-efficiency dimple jackets on both the cone and cylinder provided precise and rapid temperature control, crucial for producing clean, consistent beer.
Customized to Match Existing Cellar: We customized the new tanks' dimensions and port locations to align perfectly with the client's existing cellar, ensuring a simple and fast installation process.
"Port-to-Brewery" Logistics: We provided a comprehensive logistics solution, including robust, secure crating and management of the entire shipping journey from our facility directly to the brewery's door in Vancouver.
Our process was built on transparency and expertise.
Initial CRN Consultation: The project began with a detailed discussion about the CRN requirements for British Columbia. We clearly outlined our proven process, providing the client with the confidence to proceed.
Engineering & Submission: Our engineers drafted the CRN-compliant designs. These were reviewed and approved by the client before being submitted to the inspection agency and WorkSafeBC. The CRN was issued before the tanks were shipped, eliminating any risk of rejection.
Inspected Fabrication: An authorized inspector physically visited our facility to witness the pressure tests and verify that the tanks were built exactly to the approved drawings, a key step in the CRN process.
Secure Shipping & Hassle-Free Customs: The CRN documentation was included with the shipping paperwork, which allowed the tanks to clear Canadian customs without any delays. The client was updated at every stage of the transit.
The CASSMAN solution successfully de-risked the expansion for True North Brewing Co., allowing them to focus on what they do best: brewing beer.
Instant Inspection Approval: When the local safety inspector arrived on-site, they saw the CRN stamp and the accompanying documentation and approved the tanks immediately. This avoided what could have been weeks of delays.
Production Doubled: With the two new fermenters online, the brewery was able to immediately double the production of their flagship IPA, meeting all market demand and capturing previously lost revenue.
Confidence in International Sourcing: The head brewer was thrilled with the outcome. "The CRN process was our biggest fear. CASSMAN didn't just sell us tanks; they sold us a guaranteed solution. They handled the entire registration from start to finish. The quality is fantastic, and they arrived ready to go. It completely changed our perspective on sourcing equipment from overseas."
A Partnership for the Future: True North Brewing Co. has already begun planning their next expansion phase and has stated that CASSMAN will be their first call for future cellar needs.
The True North Brewing Co. project is a testament to CASSMAN's capability as a global brewing solutions provider. We understand that navigating complex regional regulations like Canada's CRN system is as important as the quality of the steel itself. By combining meticulous engineering, regulatory expertise, and transparent project management, we empower Canadian breweries to expand confidently, efficiently, and without risk.
For Canadian brewers, CASSMAN delivers not just world-class equipment, but certified peace of mind.
