Author: Henry Chen Publish Time: 2026-10-20 Origin: Cassman
“We need a 10HL brewery that can produce two brews per day.”
That sounds like a clear equipment requirement. But it leaves an important question unanswered: Can the entire brewery—not just the brewhouse—support two complete batches on the same production day?
A supplier may be able to show that the vessels can process two batches. Yet if the hot liquor tank cannot recover in time, wort cooling takes longer than planned, or no fermenter is available, the second batch will not follow the proposed schedule.
For buyers, the most useful way to evaluate a 10HL brewery is to ask for a documented two-brew production plan supported by equipment specifications, utility calculations and an operating sequence.
This guide explains what that plan should include.
A 10HL brewery can be designed to produce two 10HL wort batches per production day, but vessel size alone does not establish that capability.
To assess a supplier’s proposal, ask for:
A time-based schedule for both brews
Defined brewhouse vessel configuration
Hot liquor demand and reheating calculations
Cold liquor and wort-cooling calculations
Steam or electrical heating requirements
Fermenter availability and annual production planning
Staffing and automation assumptions
A preliminary P&ID and utility schedule
FAT and on-site commissioning acceptance criteria
A successful two-brew day means both batches complete the specified production steps under stated, achievable operating conditions—not simply that a second mash can begin.
Before comparing brewery quotations, define the production target precisely.
For example:
“The brewery shall produce and transfer two separate 10HL batches of wort to available fermenters during one production day, using the specified recipes, staffing level and site utilities.”
This is more useful than simply requesting “two brews per day” because suppliers may otherwise interpret the requirement differently.
Your RFQ should clarify:
Is 10HL the volume into the kettle, the volume after boiling, or the volume transferred to the fermenter?
Must both batches be transferred to fermenters on the same day?
What is the expected working-day length?
How many operators will run the system?
What beer styles and original gravity range should be used for the design?
Are cleaning and changeover included in the schedule?
Will both batches use the same recipe?
Must the second batch be possible every brewing day or only occasionally?
These details determine whether competing quotations describe the same production capability.
A credible proposal should show when each major operation begins and ends.
Process step | Batch 1 | Batch 2 | Question for the supplier |
Milling and grist preparation | Scheduled | Scheduled | Can milling keep pace without delaying mashing? |
Mashing | Scheduled | Scheduled | When is the mash tun available for the next batch? |
Lautering and sparging | Scheduled | Scheduled | Is the lauter tun the bottleneck? |
Kettle filling and boiling | Scheduled | Scheduled | Can the kettle receive the next batch on time? |
Whirlpooling | Scheduled | Scheduled | Is the whirlpool combined with the kettle? |
Wort cooling and transfer | Scheduled | Scheduled | Can both batches reach fermenters on the planned day? |
Cleaning and changeover | Included | Included | Has realistic turnaround time been allowed? |
The supplier should fill in actual proposed times based on its equipment design and clearly state the assumptions used. Recipe, water supply, steam performance, ambient conditions and staffing can all change the result.
If you are still choosing a vessel layout, read our related guide: 3-Vessel vs. 4-Vessel Brewhouse: Which Is Better for a 10HL Brewery Brewing Twice a Day?
Publishing note: Keep this internal link only if the referenced article is live at this URL.
A buyer planning two 10HL batches per day may consider:
A 3-vessel brewhouse with separate mash and lauter tuns plus a combined kettle/whirlpool
A 4-vessel brewhouse with separate mash, lauter, kettle and whirlpool vessels
A 4-vessel configuration may allow the first batch to move from the kettle into a separate whirlpool, freeing the kettle earlier for the next batch. But the additional vessel is only valuable if it removes a meaningful bottleneck.
Ask the supplier to show:
Which operations overlap in each design
Which vessel limits the 3-vessel schedule
How much usable time the fourth vessel saves
Whether lautering or wort cooling becomes the next bottleneck
The complete additional cost of the 4-vessel option
For an accurate comparison, all other equipment—including utilities, instruments and automation—should remain the same.
The hot liquor tank (HLT) supplies water for operations such as mashing and sparging. Its nominal volume is only part of the answer.
A proposed 30HL HLT for a 10HL brewery, for example, still needs to be evaluated against:
Mash water requirements
Sparge water requirements
Water used elsewhere during the brew day
Minimum usable tank level
Supply-water temperature
Time available for reheating
Heating capacity
Whether two operations need hot water at the same time
Ask for a hot-water demand and recovery schedule showing:
The amount of hot water required for Batch 1
When that water is withdrawn
How much remains available
How quickly the HLT recovers
When Batch 2 needs hot water
That schedule is more informative than a tank-volume figure on a quotation.
Wort cooling is another common source of unrealistic throughput claims.
The complete cooling design may involve a plate heat exchanger, incoming water, a cold liquor tank (CLT), glycol and one or more chillers. Each component performs a different role.
A proposed 20HL CLT does not automatically guarantee that two 10HL batches can be cooled on schedule. The supplier should evaluate:
Incoming water temperature
Target wort temperature
Wort flow rate through the heat exchanger
CLT starting temperature and usable volume
CLT recovery time between batches
Available glycol capacity
Simultaneous fermenter and BBT cooling demand
Likewise, a chiller rating at a specified glycol temperature should not be treated as the complete wort-cooling answer. The system may rely on stored cold liquor and a defined recovery period between transfers.
For both batches, request the expected:
Wort inlet and outlet temperatures
Cooling-water or cold-liquor consumption
Transfer duration
CLT temperature change
Recovery time before the next transfer
This allows you to check whether wort cooling fits the proposed brew-day timeline.
If the brewery uses steam heating, buyers often focus on the steam generator’s headline capacity—for example, 300 kg/h.
That number alone does not establish whether the steam system can support the planned process. The supplier should account for:
Mash heating
Kettle heat-up
Boiling
HLT heating or recovery
Heat losses
Possible simultaneous demands
Distribution pressure and pressure reduction
Steam piping, traps and condensate management
Ask the supplier to identify the peak coincident steam demand, not just list the capacity of an individual vessel or boiler.
For an electric alternative, request the corresponding:
Connected electrical load
Expected simultaneous operating load
Site supply requirements
Protection and cabling requirements
Expected heat-up performance
Gas-fired steam, electric steam and direct electric heating can have very different implications for building preparation, permits and operating costs. Your preferred option should be evaluated against local utility prices and regulations.
For broader planning considerations, see the CASSMAN Blog’s brewery utility planning articles.
Two 10HL batches equal 20HL of nominal wort production in one brewing day. That does not mean the brewery can brew 20HL every day.
Suppose a proposed cellar includes:
6 × 10HL unitank fermenters
2 × 10HL bright beer tanks
Before evaluating weekly output, confirm whether “10HL” refers to each tank’s nominal volume or usable working volume.
Then ask:
How long will each beer occupy an FV?
Can two batches of the same beer share a suitable larger FV, or must they use separate tanks?
How often are tanks unavailable for cleaning?
How quickly can beer move to a BBT or packaging line?
Are there seasonal or long-conditioning products?
Is cellar expansion planned?
If six fermenters each have 10HL usable working capacity, they provide 60HL of simultaneous fermentation capacity. If every tank remains occupied for approximately two to four weeks, average fermenter turnover—not the brewhouse’s maximum daily output—may limit sustained production.
Actual output will vary with beer style, process time, cleaning, packaging and tank scheduling. The purpose of this calculation is not to set a guaranteed annual capacity; it is to expose a potential bottleneck before equipment is ordered.
For more detail, see How Many Fermenters Does a Brewery Need? A Practical Tank Planning Guide.
An illustrative calculation can help align the brewhouse with the business plan.
If a brewery completes:
2 brews per brewing day
10HL nominal wort per brew
3 brewing days per week
46 brewing weeks per year
its theoretical annual wort production would be:
2 × 10HL × 3 days × 46 weeks = 2,760HL
This is not a finished-beer sales forecast. It does not account for:
Wort and beer losses
Fermenter availability
Recipe changes
Maintenance
Packaging constraints
Unsold capacity
Seasonal demand
Use the figure to test whether the proposed cellar, packaging system and sales plan are broadly aligned—not to promise 2,760HL of packaged beer.
A two-brew schedule can be delayed before mashing even begins if malt preparation is overlooked.
An integrated malt-handling proposal may include:
Malt mill
Conveying auger or other conveying method
Grist hydrator
VFD control
Dust-management measures
Controls and safety interlocks
An approximately 800 kg/h malt mill, for example, should be assessed against the expected grain bill and the time available to prepare each batch. The mill’s rated capacity is useful, but the complete workflow also depends on conveying distance, discharge arrangement, room layout and operator tasks.
Ask where malt will be stored, milled and introduced to the brewhouse. A strong layout reduces unnecessary manual handling and avoids placing grain operations in conflict with wet cleaning areas.
A quotation may mention a Siemens PLC, HMI and pneumatic valves without explaining the operating experience they provide.
For a two-brew-per-day brewery, request a written control-function list covering:
Automatic multi-step mashing
Recipe storage and editing
Temperature control
Water dosing
Flowmeter display
Pump control
Pneumatic valve operation
Wort transfer permissions
Alarm handling
Manual override procedures
Data logging and trend recording
Most importantly, ask the supplier to identify:
Which operations are automatic, which require operator confirmation, and which are manual?
The answer affects staffing, repeatability and the feasibility of overlapping batches.
Remote monitoring and support should also be described precisely: what information can be accessed, how access is authorized, and what functions—if any—can be changed remotely.
Some brewery buyers want a 10HL brewhouse today while preparing to add 20HL fermenters and bright beer tanks later.
Future expansion should be divided into two categories:
Spare PLC I/O
Control-panel space
Prewired tank controllers, where justified
Electrical distribution provisions
Glycol header connection points
Physical access and floor-space allowances
Documentation showing reserved capacity
Chiller output
Glycol tank capacity
Glycol pump duty
Distribution pipe sizing
Electrical supply
Packaging throughput
Fermenter-filling strategy
“Expansion-ready connections” and “fully sized to cool every future tank simultaneously” are different promises. Ask your supplier to state exactly which one its quotation includes.
A phased design may be commercially sensible: prepare controls and pipe routes now, then add cooling capacity when expansion actually occurs. The correct approach depends on budget, downtime tolerance and growth plans.
A preliminary P&ID should help the buyer understand how vessels and utilities work together.
For a two-brew-per-day project, ask it to identify:
Product and wort lines
Hot and cold water lines
CIP lines
Steam and condensate lines, if applicable
Glycol supply and return
Pumps and flowmeters
Pneumatic and manual valves
Instruments
Safety devices
Connections reserved for expansion
The P&ID should be accompanied by a valve list explaining each automatic valve’s function. This makes it easier to check whether the automation proposal matches the intended brew-day schedule.
CASSMAN’s website describes support for brewery layouts, P&IDs, electrical connection diagrams and other project drawings. These documents are especially valuable when several systems must operate together.
A documented Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) can confirm important equipment and control functions before shipment.
Depending on what can reasonably be assembled and tested at the factory, the FAT plan may cover:
Vessel inspection and test records
Pump and motor checks
Valve actuation
Instrument signals
PLC and HMI screens
Simulated automatic sequences
Alarm and interlock testing
Document review
However, FAT cannot fully prove performance that depends on the customer’s actual building, steam supply, water temperatures and installation.
For that reason, buyers should also define site acceptance and commissioning checks. These may include confirmation of utility connections, safe operation, wort-cooling performance and the agreed production sequence under site conditions.
A clear distinction between FAT and site acceptance prevents misunderstandings about what “tested before shipment” means.
Requirement | What the supplier should provide |
Two-brew target | Written definition of batch volume and completion point |
Production schedule | Time-based sequence for both batches and stated assumptions |
Brewhouse configuration | 3-vessel proposal and separately priced 4-vessel option, if requested |
HLT | Hot-water demand and recovery schedule |
CLT and wort cooling | Cooling calculation and batch-to-batch recovery assumptions |
Heating | Peak coincident steam or electrical demand |
Fermentation cellar | Tank working volumes and production-capacity assumptions |
Automation | Control-function list and manual/automatic operation matrix |
P&ID | Preliminary drawing identifying product and utility lines |
Expansion | Clear distinction between reserved connections and installed capacity |
FAT | Documented test plan and acceptance criteria |
Commissioning | On-site scope, responsibilities and performance checks |
This checklist helps buyers compare complete operating solutions, rather than prices for similar-looking tanks.
CASSMAN supports brewery projects with equipment configuration, layout planning and technical drawings. For buyers targeting two 10HL brews per day, the best starting point is a conversation about the whole production system:
What must be produced?
How often?
With how many operators?
Under which site conditions?
With what expansion plan?
From there, the brewhouse, cellar and utilities can be evaluated as one project.
You can explore CASSMAN’s brewery and distillery project cases for examples of different equipment configurations and project scales.
A 10HL brewhouse should not be sold—or purchased—as a “two-brews-per-day system” based only on vessel capacity.
The claim should be supported by a realistic operating sequence and a matching design for hot water, heating, wort cooling, fermenters, automation and staffing.
The best question to ask a supplier is:
“Please show us how both 10HL batches move through the complete brewery on the same production day, and state every assumption required to make that schedule work.”
That question turns a marketing claim into an engineering discussion.
It may produce approximately 20HL of nominal wort on a successful two-brew day, depending on how batch volume is defined. Finished and saleable beer volume will be lower after normal process losses. Fermenter availability and the brewery schedule also determine how often two-brew days are possible.
Not always. A properly designed 3-vessel system may meet the target. A 4-vessel system may provide more scheduling flexibility, especially when the combined kettle/whirlpool is the limiting step. Request a documented timeline for both configurations before deciding.
It may be, but nominal capacity is not enough to confirm suitability. The supplier should check hot-water demand, usable volume, water temperature, heating capacity and recovery time against the proposed schedule.
Possibly, depending on the complete cooling design and operating schedule. Ask for separate calculations covering instantaneous wort-cooling duty, stored cold-liquor capacity, tank cooling loads and peak simultaneous demand. Do not judge suitability from compressor horsepower alone.
Not necessarily. It may be more economical to prepare connections, controls and physical space now, then expand installed cooling capacity later. Ask the supplier to explain both options and state which future loads the initial equipment can actually support.
Provide your target batch volume, brews per day, brewing days per week, beer styles, available building dimensions, water conditions, heating preference, cellar plan, packaging method, automation expectations, destination country and expansion goals.
CASSMAN can discuss a project-specific equipment configuration and supporting engineering scope. Share your site and production requirements through the CASSMAN website so the team can evaluate the appropriate brewhouse, cellar and utility arrangement.
Planning two 10HL brews per production day? Send CASSMAN your target production schedule, building information, available utilities and cellar plan.
Contact CASSMAN to discuss a brewery configuration and request a quotation based on your actual operating requirements.
