Hello Pro Brewers!
I’m looking to convert an existing and operating restaurant into a brewpub.
It’s a small space and I think a 3-5bbl system and bar with 6-10 taps will utilize the space perfectly. Currently it’s not attracting many customers largely because of lack of parking. I think fresh brewed beer will be enough incentive for people to park across the street and walk over. Mainers love their brewpubs, in York county.
It seemed easiest to me to just use the business name that’s currently running the restaurant since it already has some of its licensing, they do serve beer and drinks already.
My main question is about the legal side of things...
Would my equipment need to be in a separate fire rated room? Does that room need sprinklers? If I had space under the big fancy stainless hood in the restaurant that has fire suppression in it could I do my boiling under that and ferment elsewhere?
Is vinyl sheet flooring ok for a new brewing area? (I think the kitchen is tile currently) Is a floor drain mandatory?
Are there any un foreseen licensing / permitting hurdles I might be missing for a typical small diner that already serves beer to be able to produce a couple hundred barrels of beer yearly to be served in house only?
How crude / small of a system can I expect to be permitted with? Can I Be permitted to start making beer there using the existing burners and 60gal kettles with spigot and plastic fermenters etc? I’m not talking about the economics of the whole thing, I understand economies of scale. But just to get something going, maybe use that while we ponder where to put a bigger one?
Thank you!
Eric
I’m looking to convert an existing and operating restaurant into a brewpub.
It’s a small space and I think a 3-5bbl system and bar with 6-10 taps will utilize the space perfectly. Currently it’s not attracting many customers largely because of lack of parking. I think fresh brewed beer will be enough incentive for people to park across the street and walk over. Mainers love their brewpubs, in York county.
It seemed easiest to me to just use the business name that’s currently running the restaurant since it already has some of its licensing, they do serve beer and drinks already.
My main question is about the legal side of things...
Would my equipment need to be in a separate fire rated room? Does that room need sprinklers? If I had space under the big fancy stainless hood in the restaurant that has fire suppression in it could I do my boiling under that and ferment elsewhere?
Is vinyl sheet flooring ok for a new brewing area? (I think the kitchen is tile currently) Is a floor drain mandatory?
Are there any un foreseen licensing / permitting hurdles I might be missing for a typical small diner that already serves beer to be able to produce a couple hundred barrels of beer yearly to be served in house only?
How crude / small of a system can I expect to be permitted with? Can I Be permitted to start making beer there using the existing burners and 60gal kettles with spigot and plastic fermenters etc? I’m not talking about the economics of the whole thing, I understand economies of scale. But just to get something going, maybe use that while we ponder where to put a bigger one?
Thank you!
Eric
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