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Fermentation Tank Finance

Spread the cost of fermentation tanks from £8,000 to £150,000+ with flexible finance options. HP, lease, or refinance, compare rates from 40+ lenders.

Can you finance a fermentation tank?

Yes, fermentation tanks are financed as a standard asset purchase, usually on hire purchase or a lease, with the machine itself acting as the security. UK prices typically run £8,000 to £150,000, and most deals are written over 12–72 months with a deposit of around 10–20%. Decisions typically take 24–48 hours. Used machines are financeable too, usually with a shorter term.

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Typical Cost

£8k – £150k

Approval Speed

24–48 hours

Same-day for < £40k

Rates From

4.8% APR

What would a fermentation tank cost per month?

£35,000
10%
60 months
9%
£0

Your estimate

Indicative only. Not a quote and not an offer of finance.

Pre-filled with a typical fermentation tank price. Indicative only, not a quote.

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Finance options

Hire Purchase (HP)

Rate
From 5.2% APR
Term
12–72 months
Deposit
10–20%
Ownership
Yours at the end
Best for
Breweries wanting to own the tank outright

Finance Lease

Rate
From 4.8% APR
Term
12–72 months
Deposit
None required
Ownership
Return or buy (balloon payment)
Best for
Tax-efficient, claim the lease payments against profit

Operating Lease

Rate
From 5.5% APR
Term
24–60 months
Deposit
None required
Ownership
Return at end
Best for
Add batch capacity without a large upfront outlay

Representative example

On a purchase price of £35,000: a 10% deposit of £3,500, then 48 monthly payments of £738 at 5.9% APR representative (fixed). Total amount payable £38,924, including the deposit. The rate you are offered depends on your business and the asset.

What buyers actually specify

Guide prices for sizing a finance agreement, not quotes. Manufacturers in this market mostly price on application, so where a current UK list price could not be confirmed the row describes a specification class rather than naming a model. Your supplier quote is what the agreement is written against.

Machine or specification Guide price Type
10HL Fermenter £10,000 – £18,000 Cylindroconical Unitank
20HL Fermenter £18,000 – £30,000 Cylindroconical Unitank
50HL Fermenter £35,000 – £65,000 Production Unitank
100HL Fermenter £65,000 – £120,000 Production Unitank

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Tax benefits

A fermentation tank qualifies for capital allowances, so most of the purchase cost can be set against taxable profits well within the Annual Investment Allowance most brewing and distilling businesses have available in a given year. Hire purchase lets you claim allowances as the owner from day one. Finance lease and operating lease payments are typically deductible in full as a trading expense, which suits businesses that would rather smooth the deduction over the term than take it all upfront. Speak to your accountant about which structure suits your current tax position.

Market context

Fermenters are bought incrementally more often than any other piece of brewing kit. A brewery typically starts with enough fermentation capacity to match its brewhouse and packaging line, then adds tanks one or two at a time as sales grow rather than buying a full estate on day one, which is why refinancing existing tanks to fund the next one is a routine part of how breweries expand. Stainless unitanks from established manufacturers hold their value well over many years of use, supporting both a genuine used market for breweries buying secondhand and asset-backed refinance for breweries that already own tanks outright. Replacement tends to follow a capacity shortfall rather than a tank wearing out, since a well-maintained stainless fermenter has a long working life.

Bad credit?

Several of our 200+ lenders specialise in businesses with imperfect credit histories. You may need a larger deposit or personal guarantee, but options exist. Checking your options here does not affect your credit score, because we do not run a credit search to match you. A lender will run their own checks only if you decide to apply.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I finance a single fermenter or only a full set?
You can finance a single tank. Fermenters are usually priced and sold individually or in small batches, so it is entirely normal to add one or two tanks to an existing cellar rather than financing a whole new set. Lenders assess the tank on its own as security, which means the deal size scales with what you are actually buying. This makes fermenters one of the more flexible pieces of brewery kit to finance incrementally as demand for a particular beer grows.
Can I refinance fermenters I already own to buy more?
Yes. If your existing fermenters are paid off, a lender can advance funds against them, using the tanks as security to release cash for additional capacity. This is one of the most common ways breweries fund growth, since it avoids a fresh injection of working capital and keeps the new tanks matched to actual demand rather than a large speculative purchase. The amount available depends on the tanks’ age, manufacturer and condition, confirmed by an independent valuation.
Is there a difference financing a unitank versus a separate fermenter and conditioning tank?
Not from a finance perspective; both are stainless pressure vessels and lenders assess them the same way, based on capacity, manufacturer and condition. The practical difference is in your process: a unitank handles fermentation and conditioning in one vessel, while a separate conditioning tank frees the fermenter for the next brew sooner. Many breweries finance unitanks first and add dedicated conditioning capacity later as batch frequency increases, financing each stage as the need arises.
Can I finance a used fermentation tank?
Yes. Most lenders will finance used stainless fermenters up to around 10 to 15 years old from recognised manufacturers, since well-maintained tanks last far longer than that. An independent inspection is usually required to check for pitting, damaged cooling jackets or worn fittings. Used tanks are one of the more straightforward secondhand brewery assets to finance because stainless steel is durable and its condition is easy for an inspector to assess.
Does the finance include the glycol jacket and fittings?
Usually yes for the tank’s own cooling jacket, which is built into the vessel and forms part of its price. The wider glycol chilling system that supplies cold liquid to the jacket, including the chiller unit, pump and pipework linking multiple tanks, is normally a separate piece of plant and often financed as its own agreement rather than bundled with the tank purchase. Check with your supplier exactly what is included in the tank quote before assuming the whole cooling loop is covered.

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