You’ve perfected your recipe. Your yeast is healthy. Your water chemistry is dialed in.
Then—your mash stalls. Your fermenter won’t cool. Foam erupts during bottling.
Suddenly, that award-worthy IPA is at risk—not because of your skill, but because of unreliable equipment.
At Meto, we’ve engineered and installed 3000+ brewery systems worldwide, from 100L nano setups to 100HL commercial lines. And one truth remains constant: great beer starts with great hardware.
Whether you run a microbrewery or a full-scale production facility, you’ve likely faced these 8 common equipment issues. More importantly—we’ll show you how to solve them fast, using field-tested engineering and smart maintenance.
🔥 1. Inconsistent Heating in Mash Tuns or Kettles
Symptoms: Slow ramp-up, uneven boil, scorching on the bottom
Root Cause: Poor steam jacket design, scale buildup, or inadequate insulation
Meto Solution:
We use fully welded, dimpled steam jackets for uniform heat distribution—no cold spots, no leaks. Paired with high-density insulation, our kettles maintain temperature stability within ±1°C, batch after batch.
✅ Pro Tip: If using electric elements, inspect for limescale quarterly. Just 2mm of scale can reduce thermal efficiency by 30%.
🌾 2. Stuck Mash & Slow Lautering
Why It Happens: Over-crushed grain, poor false bottom design, or aggressive pumping
Result: Lost time, low efficiency, cloudy wort
Meto Design:
Our lauter tuns feature laser-cut false bottoms (slot width: 0.35–0.45mm) and optional rakes or automatic grain-out systems—ensuring smooth runoff, even with high-protein wheat or rye.
✅ Brewer Hack: Start recirculation at <1.5 L/min. Let the grain bed settle before increasing flow.
❄️ 3. Fermentation Tanks That Won’t Cool
Signs: Temperature drift during active fermentation; uneven frost on glycol lines
Hidden Issue: Air gaps in cooling jackets, blocked lines, or undersized chillers
Meto Standard:
All fermenters feature laser-welded cooling jackets with zero dead zones. Paired with glycol systems precisely sized based on the heat load of each tank, they deliver stable temperature control within ±0.5°C.
⚠️ Warning: If your tank can’t reach 2°C within 24 hours, the problem isn’t your yeast—it’s your hardware.
🧊 4. Glycol Chiller Underperformance
Common Mistakes:
- Glycol concentration too high (>40%) → increased viscosity, reduced flow
- Dirty condenser coils → >20% efficiency loss
- Poor ventilation around the unit
Meto Recommendation:
Maintain glycol at 30–35% propylene glycol, clean condensers monthly, and ensure 1 meter of clearance on all sides.
🧼 5. CIP Failures & Microbial Contamination
The Silent Killer: Biofilm in weld seams, worn gaskets, or dead legs in piping
Outcome: Off-flavors, haze, or full batch rejection
Meto Prevention System:
- Mirror-polished interiors (Ra ≤ 0.4 µm) with orbital welding—no crevices, no residue
- Entire system designed with zero dead legs (L/D ≤ 2)
- Optional flow-verified automated CIP logic
🍺 Fact: A single poorly polished weld can harbor enough Pediococcus to spoil 1000 liters of beer.
🛠️ 6. Pump Cavitation & Valve Leaks
Causes: Dry running, excessive suction lift, or low-quality seals
Risk: Seal failure, air ingress, oxygen pickup
Meto Specification:
We integrate global-brand pumps install sight glasses on critical lines. All valves are tri-clamp, EPDM-sealed, and tested working pressure.
💨 7. Foaming During Filling
Why It Happens: Warm beer, high CO₂ pressure, or dirty filling heads
Cost: Product loss + oxidation = shorter shelf life
Meto Packaging Insight:
- Keep brite beer at 0–2°C
- Gradually reduce tank pressure before filling
- Use counter-pressure fillers with self-cleaning nozzles and foam-sensing auto-pause
🔁 8. High Energy Consumption
Often Overlooked: Heat loss from uninsulated pipes, inefficient heat exchangers, or oversized motors idling
Meto Efficiency Focus:
- Optional heat recovery systems (capture boil-off vapor to preheat next mash)
- VFDs (Variable Frequency Drives) on all pumps and agitators
- Plate heat exchangers sized for <40-second wort cooling
💡 Result: Most Meto clients reduce energy costs by 15–25% compared to legacy systems.
✅ The Bottom Line: Prevention > Repair
Most “equipment failures” aren’t sudden—they’re the result of compromises made during design: cheap welds, undersized components, or lack of automation.
That’s why Meto builds true turnkey systems with no shortcuts:
- Full orbital welding
- Mirror-polished 304/316L stainless steel
- Global-brand valves, sensors, and controls
- Custom-engineered for your space, volume, and beer style
Because when your gear works flawlessly, you’re free to brew—not troubleshoot.
📩 Ready to Brew with Confidence?
If you’re tired of patching leaks, chasing temperature swings, or losing batches to avoidable failures—it’s time to upgrade to a system built for reliability.
👉 Get your custom turnkey solution from Meto—designed by brewers, for brewers.
Request Your Free Consultation & System Quote
About Meto
Meto is a global supplier of premium craft brewery equipment, with operations in over 95 countries and 3000+ successful installations worldwide. We combine German engineering precision with deep brewing expertise to deliver fully automated, high-reliability turnkey systems—from nano to commercial scale.
🍻 Great beer starts with great equipment. Make yours unbreakable.
