Comparing the operating expense of a TIANTAI vs traditional brewing system
- Jul 17, 2021
- 181
- tiantai
When compared to the traditional four vessel brewing system, it is no surprise that the TIANTAI brew system is cheaper to install (approximately 30% less) and that it takes up a smaller footprint. And since there is less equipment, it is apparent that the capital outlay for a TIANTAI brewery is also generally lower.
But what might not be as clear in the planning stage, is that the TIANTAI brew system (and TIANTAI fermenters in particular) continues to provide economic benefits year after year through its reduced operational expense. Because of its reduced equipment, less space is required, there are less transfer steps in the brewing process, and less cleaning is required. And because the boiling occurs directly in each fermenter providing perfect, chemical-free sanitation, there is considerably less time, chemical and water use for cleaning. In the chart below, we demonstrate that with a typical TIANTAI microbrewery/brewpub with one complete 5BBL BIAC and five additional 5BBL 4-in-1 fermenters (six fermenters total), one would see an annual savings of about US$25,000.
The chart below itemizes some of the more major operational expenses on the brewing side (these don't look at the service side as it is assumed those would be relatively similar between systems). It compares the lease space (only of the brewing equipment), the labor cost (only for brewing and cleaning brewing equipment), water cost, and cleaning chemical cost.
Annual Operational Expense comparison TIANTAI vs Traditional brewing system
Summary
TIANTAI Traditional
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Batches / year with six 5BBL fermenters on a 3 week rotation 104 104
A Lease cost (brewing equipment space only) $ 2,415.00 $ 4,815.00
B Labor cost $ 20,800.00 $ 33,800.00
C Brewing/cleaning water cost $ 167.50 $ 527.85
D Cleaning chemical cost $ 1,133.60 $ 10,545.60
Total annual brewing expense $ 24,516.10 $ 49,688.45
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Total annual operational savings with BREWHA $ 25,172.35
Installation cost estimate* 70% 100% *TIANTAI setup cost is less due to less vessels and
Annual water consumption (brewing and cleaning) 32% 100% the portable nature of the BREWHA equipment
Detailed
A Lease Cost TIANTAI vs Traditional
#sf needed for brewing equipment* 240 480 *Without a brew platform, TIANTAI takes
Lease/sf $ 15.00 $ 15.00 up about 50% less space than a traditional system
NNN/sf $ 10.00 $ 10.00
Annual lease $ 2,415.00 $ 4,815.00
B Labor Cost TIANTAI vs Traditional
Brewer hourly wage $ 25.00 $ 25.00
Brewing hr/batch 6 7
Cleaning hr/batch* 2 6 *Up to 60% of a traditional equipment brewer's time is spent cleaning
Labor cost/batch $ 200.00 $ 325.00
5BBL batches/year 104 104
Brewing labor cost/year $ 20,800.00 $ 33,800.00
Brewing labor cost/pint $ 0.17 $ 0.28
C Brewing/cleaning water cost TIANTAI vs Traditional
Water cost USD/L* $0.0015 $0.0015 *https://www.circleofblue.org/waterpricing/
Batch size 585 585
Water pre boil volume (5BBL) L 625 620
Water absorbed in grain 136 136
Water cleaning Mash Colander/Tun 40 300
Water cleaning Boil Kettle N/A 300
Water rinse Fermenter and Lines** 100 350 **Complete lid removal on TIANTAI fermenter Water cleaning Fermenter
Water cleaning Fermenter and lines 1163 1744 allows more direct/efficient spraying and reduced water use
Batches per chemical Fermenter cleaning cycle 6 1
L of water per L of beer (Gallons same number) 1.9 5.9
D Cleaning Chemical Cost TIANTAI vs Traditional
PBW Cost /kg $ 10.00 $ 10.00
PBW kg/L water 0.015 0.015
Acid 5 Cost/L $ 5.00 $ 5.00
Acid 5 L/L water 0.015 0.015
Star San Cost/L $ 15.00 $ 15.00
Star San L/L water 0.0015 0.0015
Boil Kettle alkaline cleaner L/batch N/A 300
Batches per BK alkaline cycle* N/A 6 *methods vary but chemical clean of kettle
Boil Kettle acid cleaner L/batch N/A 300 once every six brews is not unusual
Batches per BK acid cycle* N/A 6 *methods vary but chemical clean of kettle
Fermenter and lines alkaline cycle L/batch 291 291 once every six brews is not unusual
Batches per Fermenter alkaline cycle** 6 1 **While the heat of the boil perfectly sanitizes
Fermenter and lines acid cycle L/batch 291 291 TIANTAI's fermenters (which are also the boil
Batches per Fermenter acid cycle 6 1 kettle, mash tun and brite) a traditional
Fermenter and lines sani cycle L/batch N/A 291 cleaning cycle to remove beer stone can be
Batches per Fermenter sani cycle N/A 1 completed once ever six batches
Total Cost/batch PBW $ 7.27 $ 51.10
Total Cost/batch Acid 5 $ 3.63 $ 50.30
Total Cost/batch Star San N/A $ 6.54
But what might not be as clear in the planning stage, is that the TIANTAI brew system (and TIANTAI fermenters in particular) continues to provide economic benefits year after year through its reduced operational expense. Because of its reduced equipment, less space is required, there are less transfer steps in the brewing process, and less cleaning is required. And because the boiling occurs directly in each fermenter providing perfect, chemical-free sanitation, there is considerably less time, chemical and water use for cleaning. In the chart below, we demonstrate that with a typical TIANTAI microbrewery/brewpub with one complete 5BBL BIAC and five additional 5BBL 4-in-1 fermenters (six fermenters total), one would see an annual savings of about US$25,000.
The chart below itemizes some of the more major operational expenses on the brewing side (these don't look at the service side as it is assumed those would be relatively similar between systems). It compares the lease space (only of the brewing equipment), the labor cost (only for brewing and cleaning brewing equipment), water cost, and cleaning chemical cost.
Annual Operational Expense comparison TIANTAI vs Traditional brewing system
Summary
TIANTAI Traditional
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Batches / year with six 5BBL fermenters on a 3 week rotation 104 104
A Lease cost (brewing equipment space only) $ 2,415.00 $ 4,815.00
B Labor cost $ 20,800.00 $ 33,800.00
C Brewing/cleaning water cost $ 167.50 $ 527.85
D Cleaning chemical cost $ 1,133.60 $ 10,545.60
Total annual brewing expense $ 24,516.10 $ 49,688.45
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total annual operational savings with BREWHA $ 25,172.35
Installation cost estimate* 70% 100% *TIANTAI setup cost is less due to less vessels and
Annual water consumption (brewing and cleaning) 32% 100% the portable nature of the BREWHA equipment
Detailed
A Lease Cost TIANTAI vs Traditional
#sf needed for brewing equipment* 240 480 *Without a brew platform, TIANTAI takes
Lease/sf $ 15.00 $ 15.00 up about 50% less space than a traditional system
NNN/sf $ 10.00 $ 10.00
Annual lease $ 2,415.00 $ 4,815.00
B Labor Cost TIANTAI vs Traditional
Brewer hourly wage $ 25.00 $ 25.00
Brewing hr/batch 6 7
Cleaning hr/batch* 2 6 *Up to 60% of a traditional equipment brewer's time is spent cleaning
Labor cost/batch $ 200.00 $ 325.00
5BBL batches/year 104 104
Brewing labor cost/year $ 20,800.00 $ 33,800.00
Brewing labor cost/pint $ 0.17 $ 0.28
C Brewing/cleaning water cost TIANTAI vs Traditional
Water cost USD/L* $0.0015 $0.0015 *https://www.circleofblue.org/waterpricing/
Batch size 585 585
Water pre boil volume (5BBL) L 625 620
Water absorbed in grain 136 136
Water cleaning Mash Colander/Tun 40 300
Water cleaning Boil Kettle N/A 300
Water rinse Fermenter and Lines** 100 350 **Complete lid removal on TIANTAI fermenter Water cleaning Fermenter
Water cleaning Fermenter and lines 1163 1744 allows more direct/efficient spraying and reduced water use
Batches per chemical Fermenter cleaning cycle 6 1
L of water per L of beer (Gallons same number) 1.9 5.9
D Cleaning Chemical Cost TIANTAI vs Traditional
PBW Cost /kg $ 10.00 $ 10.00
PBW kg/L water 0.015 0.015
Acid 5 Cost/L $ 5.00 $ 5.00
Acid 5 L/L water 0.015 0.015
Star San Cost/L $ 15.00 $ 15.00
Star San L/L water 0.0015 0.0015
Boil Kettle alkaline cleaner L/batch N/A 300
Batches per BK alkaline cycle* N/A 6 *methods vary but chemical clean of kettle
Boil Kettle acid cleaner L/batch N/A 300 once every six brews is not unusual
Batches per BK acid cycle* N/A 6 *methods vary but chemical clean of kettle
Fermenter and lines alkaline cycle L/batch 291 291 once every six brews is not unusual
Batches per Fermenter alkaline cycle** 6 1 **While the heat of the boil perfectly sanitizes
Fermenter and lines acid cycle L/batch 291 291 TIANTAI's fermenters (which are also the boil
Batches per Fermenter acid cycle 6 1 kettle, mash tun and brite) a traditional
Fermenter and lines sani cycle L/batch N/A 291 cleaning cycle to remove beer stone can be
Batches per Fermenter sani cycle N/A 1 completed once ever six batches
Total Cost/batch PBW $ 7.27 $ 51.10
Total Cost/batch Acid 5 $ 3.63 $ 50.30
Total Cost/batch Star San N/A $ 6.54
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