Discover the Kombucha FV 400L, a special version of our temperature-controlled fermentation tank made using 304 grade stainless steel. At first, this fermenter was designed for use in a Kombucha brewery, where the main purpose is for heating rather than cooling.

From the reaction of regular beer yeast and sugar which creates alcohol, a heat is radiated which can spoil a beer if the level reaches above about 30°C. A Kombucha yeast, otherwise known as a Scoobie, doesn’t emit heat in the same way and instead needs a temperature of 30°C to ferment correctly, so if conditions are cool, it may be too difficult for the fermentation process to complete.

The system we developed here at Latimer is capable of passing warm water through the stainless immersion panel in the fermenter, gradually increasing the temperature of fermentation. Giving a gentle heat like this is essential to ensure that the yeast cells aren’t killed, which would almost certainly happen if we used a heat source similar to the ones used in our boilers and hot liquor tanks.

The system is fully self-contained and automatic; no external input will be needed. As well as this system being well-suited to Kombucha or Kefir brewers, it has also been successfully used for other industries for which a gentle heat delivery is important.