Turning Your Garage Into a Brewery

If you love your beer, you might as well brew some on your own! Even if you take brewing beer as a hobby or a business, you will definitely have fun producing this much-loved alcoholic beverage. Statistics show that the craft beer industry is currently facing unprecedented growth across America. From Seattle to Miami, microbreweries are redefining beer and industry experts are speculating that the craft beer trend is here to stay. You might be thinking about where you can set up your brewery at a time like this. Well, you do not have to go far! The garage has the potential to quench your thirst for space. Truthfully, the garage is the most ideal space in terms of space and temperature. A kitchen may not be big enough to accommodate the different brewery tools while an attic may have poor ventilation that is not enough to mitigate the inevitable high heat. Before trying to set up your brewery, make sure that these details are already ironed out:

• Cleanliness -- Sanitation is fundamental in the craft beer industry (or any food and business industry, for that matter). This is a topmost concern because contamination can affect the beer’s quality. You won’t want to make a batch go bad because of poor sanitation. You can check this article on how to maintain hygiene in your brewery. Also, if you use your garage as a storage area, it is best to install overhead garage racks to preserve the quality of your stored items. This will also give you more room to work since an overhead garage rack is suspended and does not consume floor space.
• Space -- If you are starting the brewery alone, you have the last say on the size of your space. High production will require a big space -- maybe your whole garage -- while a small brewing space might just need a small corner.
• Temperature -- Does your garage have windows and doors? Making beer requires a lot of heat, so you have to make sure that your garage has great ventilation to offset the high temperature.
• Effective plumbing -- Every gallon of beer can require up to five gallons of water because the process involves cleaning, rinsing, handling grain, chilling wort, and soaking equipment. It can be quite tedious to lug water from inside the house so it is best to set up plumbing in your garage. The sink need not be fancy -- it can be utilitarian but just make sure that it is deep enough to accommodate your brewing equipment.
• Storage area -- Staying organized is a must for brewing. You need things to be off the floor to prevent any future injury. Plus, you also have to know where you keep your tools so the brewing process can go smoothly. You can mount a garage shelf to make sure that all the necessary equipment is within reach.
• Lighting -- Don’t forget about the light requirements in your garage brewery! It pays to have plenty of lighting so you can clearly see everything in your brewery space. If your garage has windows, you can take advantage of the natural light.
• Electricity -- Wiring extra electricity in the brewing area is a good idea since you might add more fixtures in the future. They would come in handy if you decide to put up neon lights in your garage so you can have a pub in your own home.

Cheers to your brewery If you have nailed down the basics, feel free to add the big items like a draft beer refrigerator or a keg rack. In any case, setting up your brewery is already a big step. After weeks of preparation and construction, go ahead and celebrate your mini brewery with a big glass of your own beer!