Expert Tips for Purchasing Brewing Equipment From China

Price is the main driving force for breweries to purchase brewing equipment from China. Setting up a brewery is an expensive business, and your biggest expenditure may be to buy brewery equipment for brewing beer. Many brewers are most concerned about: How to purchase brewing equipment from China? How to ensure that all accessories in the equipment are intact?
We have all seen some horror stories on the forums, buying poor quality equipment from a bad manufacturer. Some people shared the status of the equipment they purchased and their evaluation of the equipment. Among them, there are some good evaluations, and some are relatively poor. As an excellent manufacturer of brewery equipment in China, Micet Craft will share with you some tips for purchasing high-quality brewing equipment from China.

Buy online from Amazon or other similar businesses

Nowadays, people buy many goods online, whether it’s electronics, gardening tools, or books. Of course, brewing equipment can also be purchased online, for small home brewing equipment can choose to buy on Amazon. But if it is large-scale brewing equipment, you can consider buying it from China’s B2B website Alibaba. When making an online purchase, you need to:

Shop around
Looking for comments
View seller ratings
Get recommendations from friends or family members or brewing consultants
You may also communicate directly with the seller

You will not blindly choose to buy on the first website you visit, even if there happen to be the goods you need. Of course, you may not choose the cheapest option. You need to have a general understanding of the seller or company and feel that they are trustworthy before you choose to buy. The same is true for buying brewing equipment from China. You need to understand the manufacturer’s situation before you can buy equipment with confidence and start your brewery.
Now, I need to say frankly that Micet Craft is a brewery equipment manufacturer located in China. However, I need to tell you that not all Chinese equipment suppliers are trustworthy. There are indeed some suppliers who are thinking about the quality of their products. Their existence has cast a stain on “Made in China” that is difficult to erase. However, the equipment produced by Micet Craft is manufactured with superb manufacturing technology, and multiple inspections are performed on the equipment before shipment, and the shipment will be arranged after the inspection is qualified.
I want to share with you Micet Craft project cases in other countries. They purchased our brewing equipment and completed the installation to start brewing delicious beer. If you need it, you can contact us, and we will provide you with an invitation letter from the nearest customer to help you determine whether to purchase the equipment at Micet Craft.

100L home brewing equipment waiting to be shipped to Australia

Some bright tanks and one set homebrewery system is ready to Australia.This project adopts the integration of 100L mashing system, with 2 fermentation tanks with an effective volume of 100L.As an excellent manufacturer of home beer brewery equipment in China, we have developed and designed the miniature brewing beer equipment for home brewers based on the advanced technology of Germany.We create new and unexpected possibilities, providing customized solutions for your future! MICET, your reliable partner of brewing equipment.

6BBL brewing equipment completed

The 6BBL beer brewing equipment shipped to the UK has been manufactured according to customer requirements and is waiting to be shipped. The equipment is made of sus304, and its high quality has won the favor of many customers. Beer brewing equipment manufacturer Micet Craft offers brewing supplies to support your brewing needs, from small batch micro brewing equipment to large scale commercial brewing.

10bbl fermentation tank ready to be shipped to Canada

A Canadian customer customized a batch of 10bbl fermentation tanks and bright tanks. Each tank is equipped with a corresponding valve on the front. Made of 304 stainless steel, it is smooth, durable and not easy to rust. And each tank is equipped with a side manhole to facilitate inspection and cleaning of the tank.

Mexico 10BBL fermentation tank configuration completed

Customized 10 10BBL fermenters for a Mexican customer. We increased the cone angle and diameter of the fermenter and lowered its height. This not only accommodates the lower room height, but also allows the fermenter to be transported standing up in the container to save shipping costs.The customer is very satisfied and micet supports customized services and technical support.

5000L beer equipment successfully installed in Changchun, China

The beer equipment ordered by the customer was relatively large and was designed and laid out according to his requirements. The customer expressed satisfaction and sent photos. At any reasonable request, Micet can design and produce the brewing system you want according to your requirements to meet your brewing needs.

400L craft beer equipment installation completed

The 400L brewing equipment was installed in Guizhou, China. The engineer came to assist with the installation and sent pictures. It has been used and brewed delicious beer and the customers are very satisfied. The 400L beer brewing equipment belongs to a small brewery and is equipped with 12 fermentation tanks, which can accommodate more batches of beer. Micet specializes in the production of large, medium and small craft beer equipment, fruit wine equipment, beer experimental equipment, and manufacturers that provide brewing technical support.

Customized new product 1200L coconut water equipment

Also to producing beer brewing equipment and stills, Micet has recently expanded into new areas. The 1200L coconut water brewing equipment customized by customers in the Philippines is equipped with a 1200L hot water tank and a 2000L ice water tank. The following set of equipment is used to produce coconut water, including hot water tanks, coconut water tanks, storage tanks, glycol tanks, chillers and other necessary equipment. If you need to use stainless steel tanks to produce various beverages, you can tell me your requirements and ideas, and we will customize the equipment for you.

Chocolate production equipment made for customers

Our Filipino customer sent the 200L boiling pot he purchased to our factory, and we added a platform to it. We made chocolate production equipment for him. We also equipped it with equipment such as a 200L cooling tank, a 2000L mixing tank, a 1000L glycol tank, and a chiller, etc.

20BBL fermentation system equipment

This is a custom-made fermentation tank for a British customer. The 20BBL fermenter leaves enough space for brewing and storing beer. If you want to add some of your own accessories to the fermentation tank, such as temperature and level sensors, digital thermometers, etc., we can reserve ports on the fermentation tank, and you can install the accessories after receiving the fermentation tank. micet can design corresponding equipment for you according to your needs.

200L micro brewing equipment shipped to Germany

The 200L brewing equipment we designed for German customers places the hot water tank under the brewhouse/filtration box, which not only provides sufficient hot water but also saves space. And adding a stirrer and motor to the kettle/whirlpool tank increases the flexibility of the brewing process.

100L home brewing equipment waiting to be shipped to Australia

6BBL brewing equipment completed

10bbl fermentation tank ready to be shipped to Canada

Mexico 10BBL fermentation tank configuration completed

5000L beer equipment successfully installed in Changchun, China

400L craft beer equipment installation completed

Customized new product 1200L coconut water equipment

Chocolate production equipment made for customers

20BBL fermentation system equipment

200L micro brewing equipment shipped to Germany

Have a complete equipment list and appropriate specifications

In order for your brewery project to have a greater chance of success, you need to make proper preparations. It all starts with your equipment list and proper equipment specifications. So you can know very clearly what kind of equipment you need. For example:

How many vessels (2, 3, 4, or 5 vessel systems) will your brewery have?
What is your preferred heating method?
How many fermentation tanks do you need, and what size and configuration do you need?
Do you produce a lot of high-alcohol beers? Do you need an oversized mashing bucket?
Are you going to mainly make lager beer?
Is the horizontal fermentation tank more suitable?

Example of equipment list from the customer

When you can understand your needs and requirements in more detail, you can purchase more suitable brewing equipment. We have recently cooperated normally with an Australian brewery, hoping to provide them with a turnkey solution for the brewery. The list of equipment they listed is impressive and they know what they need. They hope that the equipment can match the requirements of the local government and the brewing process, so there are clear brand names for the use of many key components.
Why do they have such a request? After inquiring, we learned that they hoped that the equipment parts could be replaced easily in the future. This also means that they do not need accessories produced by local Chinese brands, but choose international brands that can be purchased in Australia.

Ensure that the equipment complies with local regulations

Using their specified accessory brands will make it easier for the maintenance team to repair any problems that occur on the equipment. In addition, they wrote in the equipment requirements:

Electrical wiring and installation must comply with Australian standards
Fermentation tanks and pressure vessels must be designed and registered in Australia

These contents will make it easier for the device to pass government inspections and audits because it will have the necessary paperwork. The customer has also developed some other content, let us take a look at it together.
For their fermentation tanks, the following are some of their requirements:

Tanks with individual temp controllers, PID’s and glycol solenoids wired-up on-board skid
Spunding Valves
9” dry-hopping ports on the top of each tank
Carbonation Stones in Each Tank
Racking Arms
All Tri Clover Fittings 1.5”

In addition, there are some requirements for brewhouse equipment:

Steam Condensing Stack on Kettle Heat Exchange
Mash Rakes and Plough
Supplied with steam pipework, traps, strainers, and valves fitted to vessels ready to connect to single 1.5” BSB fitting from existing steam network

The more specific your equipment requirements, the better the project will be. For example, consider the height of the grain export manhole for possession of fee grains. Your requirements are precise, so you won’t let the manufacturers make their own decisions, thereby reducing the occurrence of accidents. In the initial communication with different brewing equipment manufacturers, clearly state that your instructions are a good way to evaluate how the company operates. The manufacturer’s feedback, questions, and responses are good indicators of the progress of the entire project. For example, you can determine whether there are good engineers in the manufacturer’s team through communication. Because they will make equipment drawings and layout drawings in time according to your requirements. In addition, Micet Craft is very happy to work with you to change the layout and drawings during the project.

Where to buy brewing equipment?

China has a vast territory. From a geographical point of view, almost 90% of Chinese brewing equipment manufacturers are located in two regions of China: Jinan and Ningbo. To be fair, most of the best quality equipment manufacturers are located in Ningbo. At the same time, Ningbo is also a place for first-line American equipment companies to look for OEMs. We will not mention any names here, but you can find them by asking your potential suppliers.
Why are so few American equipment companies cooperating with manufacturers in Jinan? This is because Ningbo has suppliers of all high-quality accessories and parts. Ningbo also has more clinker welding workers and other workers, such as polishers and passivation experts. However, this is the previous situation. Now, the brewing equipment manufacturing industry has been developed in China for decades, and the equipment manufacturing process and manufacturing level have been improved. In addition, some manufacturers in Jinan will also hire teams from Ningbo to complete the production of equipment. Therefore, not only Ningbo will produce high-quality equipment, but also Jinan. The manufacturing team of Micet Craft is specially hired from Ningbo, they have superb manufacturing technology and rich experience. Moreover, after the production of the equipment is completed, a series of inspections will be carried out on the equipment to ensure the quality of the equipment received by the customer.
One more thing, price is also one of the factors that affect where you buy. Higher labor costs and better accessories require higher production costs. Yes, the budget will also guide you from which manufacturer to buy equipment. Low-priced equipment does not have high requirements for quality, design, materials, and other parts (heat exchangers, pumps, motors, etc.). When using this low-standard equipment, maintenance, and repair costs, communication time, problem-solving and beer quality will always haunt you.

Conduct research and get customer reviews

When making an online purchase, browse the customer reviews of your potential suppliers or you can talk to their previous customers. Any legal Chinese brewing equipment supplier is very pleased that you can talk to the brewery they worked with before. Ideally, you can visit their brewery in person. There is nothing more reassuring than seeing it with your eyes.
Most equipment manufacturers have a list of previous customers who have worked with them and are willing to talk to potential customers. Micet Craft has already started to do this. If you need to visit our customer’s brewery, you can contact us directly. We will provide you with an invitation letter for your local brewery project, you can consult them:

How was the communication during the project – is it easy for the company to grasp when needed, and did they keep you up to date throughout the process?
How is the installation of the equipment progressing? How about communication when planning the layout and design of the brewery?
What is the aftermath after the completion of the project?
Every brewery will encounter some problems after a few months of operation. How can manufacturers help solve these problems, what have they done, and what are the solutions?

Compare

After you have completed your research on the brewery project and obtained a shortlist of potential manufacturers, you can get a project quotation. Depending on your list of brewers, the price difference between manufacturers may be around 20% to 30%. Once you get a quotation from each supplier, you can split the quotation into smaller units to compare prices between them:

brewhouse equipment
Cellar tank
Glycol system
Heating system
Keg cleaner

These are just some examples, but it may throw some exceptions. If there is something outstanding compared to other suppliers, then it is worth asking the manufacturer about the cost.

Negotiation

When it comes to cooperation with Chinese manufacturers, price is a big attraction, but it should not be the only consideration. You’d better find the right balance between price and quality to get the best price. In the negotiation process, if you are a large company, you can be tougher. However, small companies like breweries need to negotiate more delicately. Here are some tips:

Show suppliers that you understand your industry

If you are buying brewery equipment, then you need to want the manufacturer to show that you know what you want and understand the brewing process.
When it comes to the specifications and details of the required brewery equipment, you need to prove that you know what you are talking about, which is a big deal for the manufacturer.

Let them know they are appreciated

As a professional Chinese brewing equipment manufacturer, Micet Craft has seen many customers who do not respect Chinese companies. Although customers will bring us business, we do not do anything at all costs. When choosing a manufacturer, take the time to cultivate this relationship. This is all part of an important Chinese “relationship“, you can find out through Google.
Good communication can make your equipment valued. You can give compliments when they do well during the manufacturing process. In addition, if you are satisfied with the equipment and promise to write them a good recommendation letter, you may receive better service.

Price negotiation

When buying brewing equipment in China, the price will have a certain amount of room for maneuver. You can negotiate with the manufacturer. When you and the manufacturer propose a price concession, you can get an ideal price. But the degree of price reduction is limited because the profit margins of many manufacturers are very low. So, if the price you negotiate is unrealistic and they agree, you may end up with inferior equipment. For example, they may change the grade of stainless steel to reduce costs. This is why we recommend checking during equipment manufacturing.
We know of a brewery that bargained very hard on prices, and in the end, the manufacturer delivered some very poor equipment. When the brewery complained to the manufacturer, they were told “You got what you paid for!”. You need to make brewing equipment manufacturers earn part of the profits because they also need to pay wages.

Conclusion

It is entirely possible to buy high-quality brewing equipment at a favorable price in China. But you need to make sure:

Clarify your requirements
Good communication with manufacturers
Respect (relationship)
There is a written agreement (agree to the specification list) instead of just a contract
Understand that manufacturers also want to be profitable
Develop an agreed payment plan suitable for both parties
Ensure that inspections are carried out at critical stages

As you can see, there are many factors to consider when purchasing high-quality Chinese brewing equipment. However, if you choose Micet Craft, we will give you the most complete service. If you need help in this regard, please contact us.

Get a turnkey solution for brewery equipment

If you plan to open or expand the brewery, you can contact Micet Craft directly. Our engineers will design and manufacture brewery equipment according to your brewing process. Of course, we will also provide you with a complete turnkey solution. Also, if you plan to expand the brewery, we will provide you with customized solutions.