Brewery Production Design and Layout (Planning Part 4)
The last step in your planning process before pulling the trigger on buying everything will be your brewery’s production layout and design. There is much to consider at this stage and it is best to get all of your professionals involved. Typically, you as the owner will work with your brewery consultant, architect, and general contractor(s) to design the space for functionality, utility, the customer facing needs of the business, all while working within the confines of your city permitting structure (which is the most fun part of it all!). This is where it all really comes together. Your capacity and business planning will serve to keep in mind your future growth needs. Your infrastructure may need to be upgraded to satisfy your current and future equipment needs. Depending on your size and equipment, there will be space and structural and engineering considerations as well as special permitting with your city. Lastly, your equipment both current and future should be planned out and organized for workflow efficiency.
· Building and Brewery Infrastructure
Your building and brewery infrastructure will be your first point of planning. This will include electrical needs for brewery equipment and tasting room, plumbing, and potential structural/engineering improvements. It will also include wire, line, and pipe runs/drops to key places they are needed for equipment and day to day production. Important, but often overlooked, is your drainage and wastewater treatment needs. This is one of those things that was never a big consideration until the craft beer industry accelerated over the last 10 years, but cities are taking note of this now. Be sure you know your city and state policies concerning waste water and possible treatments you need to apply to yours before sending it to the city plant for processing. Sometimes you simply need a buffer tank and a pH balancing process or you may be required to have a more robust treatment plan. It all depends on your location and local government requirements.
· Engineering and Structural Brewery needs
In addition to the utility infrastructure itself, you may have engineering and structural requirements to satisfy so your equipment can be used in your space. This is highly individualized based on not just the equipment you will be brewing on but the city and state you operate within. There is more than one way to approach this because literally every city views it differently. This is where it would be beneficial to have a professional architect on your side, ideally someone who has experience in the city you are building in as well as brewery construction experience. Pro tip: if you plan to brew into tanks larger than 30 barrels, it is a near certainty you will need to undergo structural improvements on the floor of your facility. All of this has a time and monetary cost, plan accordingly.
· Current Workflow and Future Growth Needs
The largest physical items will be your brewery equipment, tanks, and storage space needs. You will want to place your brewery equipment with a few things in mind: access to infrastructure, future growth plans, general workflow and space needs of operations. Lastly, how it will all tie into the appearance your customers will ultimately see when they are enjoying a beer in your tasting room. Will you have access to drains from all wet areas in the brewery? Are you able to fit a pallet down every row of tanks for packaging? Do you have an easy pathway/access to your loading dock or delivery area? Are all your doors large enough for your forklift and/or pallets of kegs to fit through? These are some of the basic questions (and many more) you will want to be answering throughout this process.
Final Thoughts:
Planning your brewery design and layout fully and in advance is not only good for your day to day operations and future growth, but when done right, it will save you weeks, months, or even years of time in avoiding costly permitting and construction delays. This is not an area to cut corners because you don’t feel a professional architect, general contractor, or brewery consultant is not worth the cost. Unless you are a career professional in one of these fields yourself, it is far more likely it will turn out to be a costly mistake. Not just in financial terms, but it could lead to headbutting with city officials, inspectors, and city planners. This is never good or pretty when it occurs.
As is true with most all things in planning your business, it is best to do so well in advance, in full, with the help of knowledgeable professionals, and ensure you are financially prepared for the estimated costs as well as possible overages. The best thing your can do once you have planned and costed it all out is add 25% to your time and cost needed to complete the project. It is also helpful to make a list of items to prioritize in the event you must look to cutting costs part way through. It is not ideal, but this can and does happen in real life. This way, if you run into permitting or construction delays you are prepared and done so with a clear head, rather than under pressure from one source or another.
For assistance in planning your brewery’s layout and design, contact us now for a free consultation!