brewhouse sizes

[nwcw2001]

Hello everyone,

I have gotten some great answers from you guys in the past and I am back with some more questions.

I have seen figures on other websites about what it takes to have a brewery. I am planning a brewpub/Pizzeria and am starting to so some preliminary location scouting and want to get some info form you.

I am thinking of a 7 bbl system with a walk in cellar. I think the question I have now is how large is your brewhouses?

Thanks for your input, my yogis!

John

[nohandslance]

Location Vs. Size

Where is your location?, and do you plan on doing some off-site sales?. A 7bbl system is fine for low traffic areas, but if you are going to be in a large city or a pedestrian friendly up-start community you my want to look into a 10bbl/or15.
I believe you had posted that you were looking into Fort Collins, Colorado. If this is the case, start small and plan for expansion. Many breweries at this location. what is your Food Menu like, should be the question if you are planning on taking up residence there.

[nwcw2001]

We have moved to a small town just south of Ft. Collins. We are planning on a high end pizzeria with Belgian inspired ales. There are quite a few breweries in the area and I think that we could do well here. We are thinking small to begin with. We are not thinking of off site sales right now. I want to start small and build as it comes.



John

[nohandslance]

Front Range Locations

Are you in Loveland, Longmont, Berthoud,?
Each has their own identity. All of these communities are unique, For the most part they are Commuter locales. so make your food and beer good, easy and affordable. What will make you beer unique? Have you visited the Pumphouse in Longmont, or Coopersmiths in Fort Collins? what do you think of their product and what can you improve on these long lasting establishments. Just some of the questions we all ask ourselves.
Good Luck

[BeersmithMT]

If you are not planning outside keg sales, I would have to vote for the 7bbl system for your type of setting. Small enough to offer a variety of beers, big enough to make it worthwhile for production. Also, there are many 7bbl systems out there that additional equipment should be easier to find. Should you want to expand production later, you can start by jumping up to 14/15 bbl tanks and continue to use the same brewhouse to double batch and then later upgrade to a 14/15 bbl brewhouse. I just think in general you have more equipment choices with a 7-14/15 bbl plan than a 10/20 bbl scale.

[beertje46]

System Sizing

System Sizing from the Specific Mechanical website. I'm sure most reputable manfacturers websites use a similar version:



Calculation of Annual Production

System Size (Brewhouse Size) x Number of brews per week x 50 weeks per year = Annual Production

Example :10 Barrels (bbls) x 3 brews/week x 50 weeks/year = 1500 bbls/year

Calculation of No. of Fermenters Required

Desired Annual Production = No. of Fermenters (to meet desired annual production)
(Brewhouse Size x Vessel Cycles/year)

Sizing for a Brewpub - Example

Parameters:
"1000 barrels per year; 75% Ales, 25% Lagers"
50 brewing weeks / year
14 Day Ales / 28 Day Lagers with full fermentation in fermenters
Ales - 25 cycles / fermenter / year (50 brewing weeks / 2 week fermentation)
Lagers - 12.5 cycles / fermenter / year (50 brewing weeks / 4 week fermentation)
6 beers on tap

Calculate system size and number of fermenters

For example
3.5 barrel system 1000 barrels / year / 3.5 barrel system / 50 brewing weeks/year = 5.8 brews per week
7 barrel system 1000 barrels / year / 7 barrel system / 50 brewing weeks/year = 2.9 brews per week
10 barrel system 1000 barrels / year / 10 barrel system / 50 brewing weeks/year = 2 brews per week
15 barrel system 1000 barrels / year / 15 barrel system / 50 brewing weeks/year = 1.3 brews per week

Comment - One must look at the labor component in selecting a system size.
Most properly sized brewpubs brew 2 - 3 times per week in their first couple of years of operation.
"Brewing less than twice a week, the system may have been oversized to start with."
"Brewing more than 3 times a week, the system may have been initially undersized."
"For this example, either the 7 or 10 barrel system is recommended."

Number of fermenters required
Projected: 750 bbls Ales (75%) & 250 bbls Lagers (25%)

For 7 barrel system
Ales ------> 750 bbls / year / (7 bbls x 25 cycles/year) = 4.2 = 5 Fermenters
Lagers ----> 250 bbls / year / (7 bbls x 12.5 cycles/year) = 2.8 = 3 Fermenters
Total -----> 7 - 8 Fermenters to produce 750 bbls Ales and 250 bbls Lagers

For 10 barrel system
Ales ------> 750 bbls / year / (10 bbls x 25 cycles/year) = 3 Fermenters
Lagers ----> 250 bbls / year / (10 bbls x 12.5 cycles/year) = 2 Fermenters
Total -----> 5 Fermenters to produce 750 bbls Ales and 250 bbls Lagers

Number of Serving Vessels ; Equals number of desired beer styles one wishes to serve via tank to tap.
Note number of beer styles may increase through kegging and/or bottling.

System Recommendation : 10 barrel system with 5 x 10 barrel fermenters and 6 x 10 barrel serving tanks.
Selecting the 10 barrel system over the 7 barrel system has the following benefits:
-good utilization of manpower (2 brews per week)
-reduced floor space (5 fermenters vs. 8 fermenter)
-better priced / more economical (fewer fermenters)
-better expansion capabilities
-meets all system requirements

**Note: Double sized fermenters (and conditioning tanks) may half the number of vessels required to meet annual production.
**Note: All calculations assume 50 brewing weeks per year**

[nwcw2001]

Are you in Loveland, Longmont, Berthoud,?

We are in Longmont. We haven't quite figured out which town we would like to set up in. Longmont is really nice, but as you say they have the Pumphouse which is really good and they are about it for independent restaurants. And right now it makes me a little nervous driving downtown and seeing quite a few vacant store fronts.

System Sizing from the Specific Mechanical website. I'm sure most reputable manufacturers websites use a similar version:

I have looked over that quite alot in the last 3 years or so. It gives a great deal of information for the equipment. The question I have is more for the physical size of the brewery footprint. How much room is your brewhouse and cellars taking up. SqFt.

Also, there are many 7bbl systems out there that additional equipment should be easier to find. Should you want to expand production later, you can start by jumping up to 14/15 bbl tanks and continue to use the same brewhouse to double batch and then later upgrade to a 14/15 bbl brewhouse. I just think in general you have more equipment choices with a 7-14/15 bbl plan than a 10/20 bbl scale.

This is what I was thinking. I worked in a brewpub in Washington for a bit and they have a 7 bbl brew house with 4 7bbl fermenters and 2 15 bbl fermenters, and 12 brite tanks/SV. I think this gives us room to grow by adding tanks.

John