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[[File:Coolship1.jpg|thumbnail|right|Copper Coolship at a brewery in Prague]]
'''Coolship''' (Anglicized version of the Dutch/Flemish ''koelschip'') is a type of fermentation vessel used in the production of beer. Traditionally, a ''coolship'' is a broad, open-top, flat vessel in which wort cools. The high surface to mass ratio allows for more efficient cooling. Contemporary usage includes any open fermentor used in the production of beer, even when using modern mechanical cooling techniques. Traditionally, ''coolships'' were constructed of wood, but later were lined with iron or copper for better thermal conductivity. See also the [http://www.milkthefunk.com/ccc/ MTF Coolship Cooling Calculator]. See [[Spontaneous_Fermentation#Cooling|Spontaneous Fermentation]] for information on dissolved oxygen in wort that is cooled overnight in a coolship.
A less common practice that has been gaining some traction in the US is using a portable coolship. These coolships are designed to be transported, often in the back of pickup trucks. The coolship should have a baffle that prevents the dangerously hot wort from spilling out of the coolship. The coolship can then be transported anywhere to inoculate the wort. See [http://allaboutbeer.com/article/portable-coolships/ this All About Beer Magazine article].
==Homebrew Coolships==
::Wort volume = 1122 gallons = 150 cubic feet.
::Surface area (2wl + 2lh + 2wh) = 260 sq. ft.
::Surface Area to Volume ratio = 260/150 = '''1.73''' sq. ft. per cubic foot(56.8 cm<sup>2</sup> per L)
:Example of a 10 gallon coolship:
::Wort volume: 9.35 gallons = 1.25 cubic feet.
::Surface area (2wl + 2lh + 2wh) = 14.5 sq. ft.
::Surface Area to Volume ratio = 14.5/1.25 = '''11.6''' sq. ft. per cubic foot(380.6 cm<sup>2</sup> per L)
</code>
This example indicates a substantially lower ratio for the 36 BBL coolship. At the lower ratio, the wort will cool considerably slower. As a result difference in cooling rate between the two coolships, the inoculation rate and ratio between microorganisms will may differ.
Designing a coolship for homebrew volumes may result in a coolship that does not appear similar to its larger companions. To get as close to the 1.73 ratio of the 36 BBL coolship with our 10 gallon example, the dimensions would have to be as close to a cube as possible with dimensions approximately 1.1' x 1.1' x 1.03'. This still only gives a SA:V of 4.9 sq. ft. per cubic foot. A homebrewer desiring a more shallow vessel may insulate the coolship to slow the cooling rate although this may affect the inoculate rate. A typical homebrew-volume boil kettle is closer to the larger coolship (estimated 1-2 sq. ft. per cubic foot) and insulating the kettle when using it as a coolship may slow the cooling rate closer to that of a commercial-volume coolship.
::Wort volume = 1122 gallons = 150 cubic feet.
::Surface area of the top surface of the wort (w x l) = 100 sq. ft.
::Surface Area to Volume ratio = 100/150 = '''0.67''' sq. ft. per cubic foot(22.0 cm<sup>2</sup> per L)
:Example of a 10 gallon coolship:
::Wort volume: 9.35 gallons = 1.25 cubic feet.
::Surface area of the top surface of the wort (w x l) = 6.25 sq. ft.
::Surface Area to Volume ratio = 6.25/1.25 = '''5''' sq. ft. per cubic foot(164 cm<sup>2</sup> per L)
</code>
==Commercial Coolships==
This table shows the dimensions of various commercial coolships (sources noted below the table). The volume of the coolships has been calculated from the dimensions, and therefore it is slightly larger than the practical filling volume. Surface area:volume is calculated for the top surface exposed to air for both the maximum fill and the approximate batch sizes as well as the total surface area (including the walls and bottom of the coolship). Some breweries use multiple coolships at once. When multiple identical coolships are used, numbers in parentheses following brewery names indicate the number of coolships used and the volume given is the total combined volume of these coolships. For brewers who prefer ft<sup>2</sup>:ft<sup>3</sup>, 10 cm<sup>2</sup>:L is equal to 0.305 ft<sup>2</sup>:ft<sup>3</sup>.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Brewery !! Coolship Material !! Volume (total if multiple) (HL)!! Surface Area:Volume (top, min) (cm<sup>2</sup>:L)!! Actual Surface Area:Volume (top, estimated) (cm<sup>2</sup>:L)!! Surface Area:Volume (Total, min) (cm<sup>2</sup>:L)!! Brew Size (HL, approx)!! Length (cm)!! Width (cm)!! Height (cm)
|-
| 3 Fonteinen (4) || Stainless Steel || 62.3 || 35.7 || 55.6 || 90.8 || 40 || 400 || 139 || 28
|-
| Cantillon<nowiki>*</nowiki> || Copper || 75 || 33.3 || 38.5 || 74.7 || || 500 || 500 || 30
|-
| De Troch (2) || Stainless Steel || 57.3 || 38.3 || 68.7 || 88.7 || 32 || 349.3 || 314.5 || 26.1
|-
| Lindemans (new) || Stainless Steel || 234.3 || 19.9 || 23.3 || 46.4 || 200 || 1113.3 || 419.3 || 50.2
|-
| Timmermans || Copper || 236.1 || 26.8 || 57.5 || 58.6 || 110 || 810.1 || 781.3 || 37.3
|-
| Omer Vander Ghinste || Copper || 198 || 18.2 || 25.7 || 43.0 || 140 || 600 || 600 || 55
|-
| Van Honsebrouck || Stainless Steel || 352.5 || 17.2 || 26.4 || 39.6 || 230 || 778.9 || 778.9 || 58.1
|-
| Liefmans (2)<nowiki>**</nowiki> || Copper || 542 || 28.2 || 31.9 || 62.2 || 480 || 1749 || 440 || 35.4
|-
| Black Project (full)<nowiki>***</nowiki> || Copper || 13.6 || 21.9 || 24.8 || 68.4 || 12 || 243.8 || 121.9 || 45.7
|-
| Black Project (half) || Copper || 6.8 || 21.9 || 24.8 || 76.6 || 6 || 121.9 || 121.9 || 45.7
|-
| Jester King || Copper || 84.9 || 21.9 || 50.2 || 53.6 || 37 || 609.6 || 304.8 || 45.7
|-
| Mantra || Stainless Steel || 18.9 || 32.8 || 35.2 || 83.1 || 17.6 || 381 || 162.6 || 30.5
|-
| Monkish || Stainless Steel || 22.6 || 16.4 || 23.2 || 54.2 || 16 || 243.8 || 121.9 || 91.4
|-
| Orpheus || Stainless Steel || 28.3 || NA || ~26 || 76.7 (actual) || 10 || 91 (radius) || NA || 43.2 (fill height)
|-
| The Referend (full)<nowiki>****</nowiki>|| Stainless Steel || 55.4 || 21.9 || 34.5 || 56.1 || 35.2 || 508.0 || 238.8 || 45.7
|-
| The Referend (small) || Stainless Steel || 19.4 || 21.9 || 36.3 || 63.4 || 11.7 || 177.8 || 238.8 || 45.7
|-
| The Referend (large) || Stainless Steel || 36.0 || 21.9 || 33.6 || 58.2 || 23.5 || 330.2 || 238.8 || 45.7
|-
| Sour Cellars || Stainless Steel || 7.4 || 17.5 || 18.0 || 70.7 || 7.2 || 135.9 || 95.3 || 57.2
|-
| Trinity ||Stainless Steel || 27.2 || 10.9 || 17.5 || 46.5 || 17 || 243.8 || 121.9 || 91.4
|-
| The Veil || Stainless steel || 31.7 || 16.4 || 29.5 || 50.4 || 17.6 || 243.9 || 213.3 || 60.9
|-
|}
<nowiki>*</nowiki>An extra vessel is available to hold additional wort in case the wort volume exceeds the coolship capacity
<nowiki>**</nowiki>These coolships were used to cool wort to an intermediate temperature (~50-60 C) before finishing cooling with a Baudelot chiller, rather than for inoculation. They are no longer in use.
<nowiki>***</nowiki>The Black Project coolship is a single vessel with a divider allowing the coolship to be half filled with the depth and exposed surface area remaining the same as if it were completely filled.
<nowiki>****</nowiki>The coolship at The Referend Bier Blendery is a single vessel divided into two unequal compartments. This allows the coolship to be filled with three different brew sizes while maintaining the same fill depth and exposed surface area.
This table is based on data collected by [https://belgianbeergeek.be/2016/11/27/coolship-the-yeast-over-koelschepen-en-beestjes/ Belgian Beer Geek] on the characteristics of coolships in various breweries and from MTF member contributions<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/1790239601004246/ MTF thread about coolship dimensions]</ref>.
===Manufacturers===
Any metal tank manufacturer can generally build a coolship <ref>[https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/1327576813937196/?comment_id=1327588103936067&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R3%22%7D Conversation with Joe Wells on MTF. 06/11/2016.]</ref>. However, below are manufacturers that specialize in their construction for commercial breweries:
Some commercial brewers have reported positive results from using industrial maple syrup boil pans. [https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/1459172714110938/?comment_id=1459763314051878&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R2%22%7D See this MTF thread] for more information.
===Miscelaneous Information===
* [https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/1637570519604489/?comment_id=1637600782934796&reply_comment_id=1637627056265502&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R%22%7D James Howat's comparison of copper versus stainless steel coolships on MTF(multiple subreplies).]
==See Also==
* [[Spontaneous Fermentation]]
* [[Lambic]]
* [[Turbid Mash]]
===External Resources===