Brewery System Sizing
DETERMINE The Best System For Your Business Model
A brewery focused on taproom retail sales in a rural community likely has different goals than a production brewery with distribution channels in a major city. Let us help you configure your system.
Example SCENARIO
Estimate annual product of Barrels (BBLS) Per Year
- 5,000 barrels of annual production
- 75% of production are Ales (3,750 barrels), 25% of production are Lagers (1,250 barrels)
- 50 brewing weeks per year, 2 weeks to ferment Ales (25 cycles per year) and 4 weeks to ferment lagers (12.5 cycles per year)
SELECT THE APPROPRIATE CELLAR SIZE
- Ales: 3,750 / 25 = 150 barrels of required fermentation capacity
- Lagers: 1,250 / 12.5 = 100 barrels of required fermentation capacity
- 250 barrels of total fermentation capacity required
- A 10 barrel system would require 25 x 10 barrel fermenters
- A 20 barrel system would require 13 x 20 barrel fermenters
- A 50 barrel system would require 5 x 50 barrel fermenters
- Double or triple sized fermenters and conditioning/bright tanks are sometimes used if back-to-back brews occur
- A brewpub should consider the number of serving tanks required and the use of kegs for serving beer
SELECT THE PROPER BREWHOUSE SYSTEM SIZE IN ACCORDANCE WITH PLANNED BREWS PER WEEK
- Option 1 – 10 Barrel System: 5,000 barrels / 10 barrel brewhouse / 50 brew weeks = 10 brews per week
- Option 2 – 20 Barrel System: 5,000 barrels / 20 barrel brewhouse / 50 brew weeks = 5 brews per week
- Option 3 – 50 Barrel System: 5,000 barrels / 50 barrel brewhouse / 50 brew weeks = 2 brews per week
- 2-3 brews per week is common for new operations
- A brewpub should consider the number of beers to serve on tap now and in future
- Labour component must be considered
POSSIBLE CONFIGURATIONS
- 50-barrel system with 5 x 50 barrel fermenters and 1 x 50-barrel bright beer tank: This will comfortably allow for future expansion
- 20-barrel system with 3 x 20 barrel fermenters and 5 x 40 barrel fermenters, 8 x serving tanks and serving kegs
- Factors that influence the selecting of the size of system are: manpower utilization, floor space, expansion capabilities, price, satisfying system/product requirements
Calculating Brewhouse Sizing
The following tool can be a helpful guide to understand what brewhouse size is best for your planned brewery. The tool can also help define how much fermentation capacity you need to produce your annual volume of beer.
Our technical sales consultants can help you by recommending configurations best suited to your recipes, building design and other factors that are important in this equipment decision making process.
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THE MOST RELIABLE BREWING SYSTEM
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