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  • A few Start Up Questions

    I have been looking through the forums for some information on a couple things so I apologize if the answers have already been posted somewhere. We have been weighing starting a small brewery for sometime and I was researching equipment that would be the best for our idea. Its a simple plan no distribution concentrate on growler sales and have a small taproom. We want to put it in an area with more housing as most breweries where we live are concentrated downtown. The goal is to sale 200BBL So brew 4-6 times a month on a 5BBL system having 6-8 taps depending on how well it catches on those numbers could go up. I have figured 3 Fermenter's for the job does this amount get the job done or would that be under estimating what I would need? I was looking at the BrewHa system as I would need a very small footprint and that would give me the extra fermenter just in case, has anyone used this system or heard any feedback on it besides the brewery BrewHa has on there website?

  • #2
    Hopmaster

    Portland Kettle Works be your
    best bet. Search labrewatory.

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    • #3
      Build your own...

      I’d save a ton of money and just build your own 5bbl system out of variable capacity wine tanks for a fraction of the cost.

      Just have a local welder add on tri clamp ferrules for electric elements. Build your own false bottom for the mash tun. Use an on demand hot water heater as your HLT. You can build your own 5bbl system for what some people pay for a nice 10 gallon home brew system.

      No experience with the BrewHa but to me mashing, boiling and fermenting all in the same vessel is a bizarre way to brew.

      For taproom only sales at 5bbls, I would do at a minimum of 3 5bbl fermenters with 5 5bbl serving tanks.
      Last edited by Catfish002; 06-08-2018, 03:34 PM.

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      • #4

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            • #7
              For whatever reason I can’t see any of the replies to this post so I apologize if anyone has asked a follow up question. Maybe something is wrong with Probrewer???

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              • #8
                Blank posts

                There was a glitch. We believe we've got it fixed now. Please repost your responses if they didn't post correctly.
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                • #9
                  Repost

                  Yeah I was wondering what was going on. I had asked if you had a link or anything that shows how someone used those wine tanks I have been searching but haven’t found anything yet. That’s an interesting idea.

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Bradis86 View Post
                    Yeah I was wondering what was going on. I had asked if you had a link or anything that shows how someone used those wine tanks I have been searching but haven’t found anything yet. That’s an interesting idea.
                    Variable capacity wine tanks are used just like giant homebrew kettles. They come in a wide array of sizes allowing one to easily build a 1bbl-10bbl brewery on the cheap. Pretty much every professional wine equipment company sells different manufacturers of them. Here is just one link and their 750 liter would make a great 5bbl mash tun and their 1000 liter tank would be a nice 5 bbl electric kettle https://www.winemakersdepot.com/Marc...tom-Tanks.aspx

                    Just get tri clamp ferrules welded on for electric elements, NorCal brewing solutions can custom build you a false bottom for the mash tun and just consult with an electrician to have the electric elements hooked up to basic electric on/off safety switch panels. No fancy/expensive control panel needed and boom you got yourself a 5bbl electric brewery on the cheap. Just use an on demand hot water heater for the HLT.

                    Here’s a link for a video of Slapshot Brewing when they were open. They built an even bigger version of a variable capacity wine tank brew kettle. They did a 9 bbl brew kettle out of a 1500 liter “primo” variable capacity wine tank from GW Kent https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yPW5g78W09Q

                    Starting a brewery does not have to cost a million dollars if you are creative :-)
                    Last edited by Catfish002; 06-13-2018, 08:47 PM.

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                    • #11
                      wine tanks can be turned into a system for pretty cheap. but they're a half ways solution. lots of stuff missing that you gotta add. totally doable though.

                      but- you seemed to imply that floor area was at a premium, which is why you're looking at a brewha? i also would avoid a brewhouse-fermenter combo.

                      colorado brew systems has a pretty decent one vessel brewhouse that goes to 2.5bbl (100gal). you could double batch. add a tankless water heater and you're set. they also will make a double kettle unit, so you could do up to 5bbl at a time. although the footprint grows a lot, but not quite double. definitely worth taking a look at if you're short on space.

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