 |
A brewhouse consists of the brewing vessels such as mash / lauter tun, brewkettle, whirlpool, hot liquor tank, and in some cases, cold liquor tank. This is the area in which the actual brewing takes place. An average brew will take about six hours to complete and this area is the most highly visible area to customers.
 Some brewhouses leave the brewhouse exposed to the public, separated by only a low knee
wall. It should be noted that this area does produce some noise (primarily from the pumps), odor from both the mashing procedure and the boil, heat and at certain points, waste water from vessel cleaning.
It would be wise to consider safety considerations involved in exposing the brewery to the public. In the case of the brewhouse it is important that this room be under
positive pressure to allow for proper evaporation during the boil as well as the need for make up air in the case of direct fired kettles. From a visual standpoint, the brewing vessels are usually
orientated so that the front of the vessels and the stairs of the platform face the public. The back of the vessels are oftentimes aligned along a wall to allow the mechanical supplies to be supported. The equipment should be placed so that there is enough room to
access all sides of the vessels for daily sanitation and occasional maintenance, a minimum of 18" should be provided.
The brewhouse area will generate waste water and as such, a trench drain running in front of the brewing vessels should be installed. The
floor should be pitched 1/8" - 1/4" to the drain and covered with a suitable covering to stand up to the anticipated high temperature, both acidic and alkaline cleaning solutions.
Brewhouse walls and ceilings should be of materials that will withstand a wet environment and not harbor bacterial growth. The brewhouse should be considered a
manufacturing area and as such, sufficient lighting should be provided to allow for safe efficient working conditions. It is a good idea to install a drop down "trouble light" over the brewhouse platform to allow for interior tank inspection. A
water house, complete with spray nozzle, should also be provided at the platform for use during the actual brew. The brewhouse will require an input of malted barley (approximately 50 lbs per barrel) per batch and its
storage area should be such that it is readily accessible yet not exposed to excessive moisture or temperature.
The typical small brewery will receive malt shipments in 50 lb bags, in lots of 2,000 to 10,000 lbs. It is important that the malt
storage area is adequate to allow for rotating of inventory. The brewhouse will also generate spent grains (wet barley) which will need to be taken from the brewing area and either dumped or held for pick up. The grain will spoil quickly and cannot be stored in the brewing area. If at all possible an
exit to the outside from this area would be preferred, over having to transport the grains through a public area and then to the outside. As a
food preparation area, the brewhouse
should include a hand sink as well as a larger sink for washing
parts, etc. An emergency eye wash and / or an emergency shower
are also good ideas. A safe area for storing and dispensing
cleaning chemicals should also be included. These compounds
should not be stored with other restaurant cleaning supplies. In
the absence of a separate lab area, a stainless steel counter
should be included c/w 110 v electrical supply to allow for
product measuring and testing. All floor obstructions in all
areas should be minimized when ever possible. |
|
|
|
|
|
