Expanding Your Brewery’s Offerings: How to Brew Alcoholic Seltzers

The craft beverage industry is always evolving, and one of the fastest-growing trends in recent years is seltzers. Consumers are looking for light, refreshing, and flavorful alternatives to traditional beer, and breweries that embrace seltzer production can expand their audience while keeping up with market demands.

If you're considering adding seltzers to your product lineup, Glacier Tanks provides stainless steel equipment and fittings necessary to brew high-quality seltzers efficiently and consistently.

The Seltzer Production Process

While seltzers may seem simple at first glance, producing a consistent and flavorful product requires the right equipment and techniques. Whether making alcoholic or non-alcoholic versions, the key steps in seltzer production include:

  1. Base Liquid Fermentation

    • Alcoholic seltzers typically begin with a sugar-based wort that is fermented using a clean, neutral yeast to create a light alcohol base.
    • Many breweries are opting to use bulk Neutral Grain Spirits (NGS) instead of fermenting their own base. This method blends high-proof alcohol with de-aerated water, cutting production time from 2-3 weeks to as little as 1-2 days while maintaining consistency.
    • Recommended Equipment:
      • Brite Tanks – Essential for freeing up fermentation space and keeping production throughput high. Great as a final clarification and carbonation tank, and can double as serving tanks to cut down on kegging and cleaning time.
      • Fermentation Tanks – Designed for temperature-controlled fermentation, and ease of cleaning, and equipped with a VPRV (vacuum and pressure relief valve) to ensure your product, and crew, stay safe.
      • Yeast Brink Tanks – To manage and propagate yeast for consistent fermentation results (Keep a few on-hand for one-off specialty beers or R&D trials on your core offerings - no single product brings more value to your brewery than this versatile vessel!).
  2. Filtration & Clarification

    • To achieve a crystal-clear seltzer, filtration is crucial. Unwanted particulates, yeast, and haze-causing compounds need to be removed.
    • Fining Agents, such as gelatin or proprietary blends, can be used to bind particulates, allowing them to settle out naturally. Though this takes more time than filtration, it reduces oxidation risks.
    • Recommended Equipment:
      • Tri-Clamp Sight Glasses – Monitor clarity during the filtration process.
      • Filter Housings & Cartridges – Remove unwanted particulates and fine-tune the clarity of the beverage.
      • Centrifuges – Use centrifugal force to separate solids from liquids quickly and efficiently, reducing filtration time and improving clarity. Once considered equipment only for large-scale production, centrifuges have become more affordable for smaller breweries.
  3. Flavoring & Carbonation

    • Once clarified, seltzers are typically flavored with fruit extracts, natural flavors, or botanicals before being carbonated.
    • Seltzers require a higher level of carbonation than beer due to their lower sugar and protein content, which affects their ability to retain CO2. Carbonating to 3.0 volumes (or sometimes even slightly higher) ensures they remain fizzy throughout their shelf life. Make sure to work collaboratively with your packaging team to ensure proper steps are taken to keep that precious gas in solution!
    • Recommended Equipment:
      • Mixing Tanks – Ideal for blending flavor extracts and sweeteners evenly.
      • Carbonation Stones & Carbstone Assemblies – Ensure consistent and efficient carbonation.
      • Pressure Relief Valves – Maintain optimal pressure levels during carbonation to prevent over-carbonation or pressure spikes. These also act as vacuum relief valves, preventing tanks from collapsing if a vacuum is accidentally created (e.g., by pumping liquid out too quickly without makeup air).
  4. Storage & Packaging

    • Once carbonated, the seltzer is ready for packaging into kegs or cans for distribution.
    • Recommended Equipment:
      • Brite Tanks – Can be used as serving tanks to store carbonated seltzer before packaging, eliminating the need to transfer to a separate vessel before canning or kegging.
      • Kegs – Efficiently package seltzers into kegs for distribution or taproom service.
      • Canning Lines – For breweries looking to expand distribution or in-house to-go offerings with packaged seltzers.
      • CIP (Clean-In-Place) Spray Balls – Ensure sanitary conditions by thoroughly cleaning tanks between batches.

Scaling Up Your Seltzer Production

Whether you're a small craft brewery looking to test the waters with seltzers or a larger operation ready to scale production, Glacier Tanks provides scalable solutions. From 1-barrel pilot systems to full-scale brewing operations, our stainless steel tanks and fittings ensure durability, efficiency, and sanitary production.

Why Breweries Should Embrace Seltzers

friends cheersing setlzers

Adding seltzers to your lineup can provide several benefits:

  • Attract a Broader Customer Base – Seltzers appeal to consumers looking for lower-calorie, gluten-free, or lighter alcohol options.
  • Diversify Revenue Streams – Expanding beyond traditional beer can create new sales opportunities.
  • Experiment with Unique Flavors – Seltzers allow for creativity with fruit, botanical, and herbal infusions.
  • Ease of Incorporation – Seltzer production can be done using existing brewing equipment, making it an easy addition to a beverage lineup.
  • Higher Profit Margins – Due to lower cost of goods sold (COGS) compared to beer and other alcoholic beverages, seltzers can provide a higher return on investment.

If you’re ready to start brewing seltzers, Glacier Tanks has the equipment and expertise to help you succeed. Browse our extensive selection of fermentation tanks, brite tanks, fittings, and more.