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John Beere

Deep Six Brewing Co.
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Joined
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Location
Valdosta, GA
As some of you know, my house got flooded last April and I've been out of brewing since then. Loooong story short, we are breaking ground on a dedicated (home) brewery tomorrow. The original plan was to build it 16'x24' but there is some damn code here in Valdosta which requires any out-buildings to be at least 15' away from the primary residence.. meaning I am scrambling to figure out what to do as I don't want to move where the building is built.

Below is the initial footprint of the brewery before the city revoked it..

My builder is coming over in about an hour to discuss options. I would like some advice on the overall size of the building as others see it.. would 18'x22' be better than 16'x24'? what about 20'x20'? I'm talking about how the layout of brewery.. I know that is incredibly vague, but if this was your brewery, how would you build it?

2010-02-24_17_01_06.jpg
 
I would prefer a rectangular arrangement versus a square one but that's just me. Rectangular would also buy you the ability to maintain a similar area/volume in a similar location yet would allow for the 15' you need to be up to code.
 
Hmm, hard to say, I would say rectangular. Not sure why, just seems to flow better. Also, if you have two separate spaces (one for brewing, one for enjoying the brew), a more rectangular structure makes that easier.
 
I highly suggest looking into google sketchup and laying out the brewery before building. Even if you just make simple dimensioned boxes for your fridges, brewery chairs etc. it will help you visualize the space and how best to lay it out.

I can't wait to see what you come up with!!
 
I just went out there and measured.. there is plenty of room for it at 16'x24' moved a few more feet down to where it is 15' away from the house. Rectangular was my thoughts as well, but I'd still like other's opinions as it is not too late.

Can you tell from the photo how tall it is going to have to be built to get it to the same height as the floor system in my house? heh
 
I highly suggest looking into google sketchup and laying out the brewery before building. Even if you just make simple dimensioned boxes for your fridges, brewery chairs etc. it will help you visualize the space and how best to lay it out.

I can't wait to see what you come up with!!


I've already done that.. just didn't want to post it and have that affect other's opinions. ;-)
 
Are you building it similar to how a home wouldbe built? With a concrete foundation, block foundation and then sub floor....or just laying a concrete pad and building off that?
 
I think there would be something to be said about a square layout with a nice work station in the center.

You could have a "race-track" layout with all the fixtures and equipment around the edges of the room, then some stainless tables in the middle for workspace.

Are you going to put a drinking lounge area in there? If so I think a rectangle could be more conducive to separate spaces (ala drinking/brewing)
 
I like the layout you have in the picture. I would definitely want a lagering room/walk-in cooler in it...maybe in one side or the other (on the opposite side of the brewery from the boil kettles and stuff for efficiencies sake). I would also build it kind of tall (high ceilings) to allow you to utilize the dead space up high for storage of stock grains, kegs, bottles...just all the extra equipment that you need for production but that way it is out of the way. I would configure it to be over my walkin cooler and have a ladder or stairs that go up to it (kind of like you see in houses with lofts).

Just some of the things I would want in my brewery...good luck and I will be following the progress....
 
My Dream brewery is square. Brewing stuff on two sides connecting, built in fermchamber/kegerater on the next and a sampling table very close.
 
Are you building it similar to how a home wouldbe built? With a concrete foundation, block foundation and then sub floor....or just laying a concrete pad and building off that?

It will be more built like a deck.. or a dock. heh. Not exactly sure how it will be finished at the bottom, but probably like my deck.

deck.jpg
 
I'd highly recommend looking at making the attic space useable for storage. Even if you have to crawl around. You can easily install a drop/pull ladder to get up there. I did various quoting like this while building and was shocked at how cheap it was to just change the trusses to give me TONS of attic storage, and make it so that I had about a 8 foot wide corridor down the middle of my attic. Literally was almost free.

I did the same type of analysis on 8 versus 9 versus 10 foot ceilings and found that the added cost was minimal for the added feeling of space.

Just some thoughts.
 
As far as shape, I would let the layout of the space be dictated by the natural progression of the beer. You start with raw ingredients (storage), weigh them and prep them (scale and mill), brew with them (this parts obvious), chill/cleanup(sink, etc..), ferment (ferm chambers), and keg/carb(kegerator). I would arrange my equipment so that everything just flows from one station to the next. At least, that's how I would lay it out. You could do all these tasks in a line or have it be u-shaped where it starts and one end and circles back to the same spot you started.

One added bonus is that the cleaning area is smack dab between the brewing and the fermenting, the two 'dirtiest' parts.
 
Well, we will only have to move the building about 4' further away from the house, which is no big deal.. but at a minimum it has to be 30" off the ground (in the front) to meet code of being above the 100 year flood plane.

I am trying to build a usable loft above the brewery for storage, and that is still a major arguing point. Do I build the roofline like a barn? or do I have him build up the walls 2' or so in the attic and keep the same pitch as my house's roofline? If we do neither, the attic will only be 40" tall in the middle and nearly unusable. If we build it like a loft, the windows and door are going to be 2' below the roof line which is going to look... weird. :-/
 
Go with knee walls (building walls in the attic). It's the easiest way to raise the roof. You could go with a barn roof, but they ain't fun in my opinion. Your other option would be to create a dormer. That would give you some extra headspace and you could put a window in for some light.
 
Make it a rectangle with sides that match the Golden Mean (1 to 1.618034)

For example: 16' x 25' 10 5/8"

The Ancients believed that it was the most aesthetically pleasing...

...and your beer will taste better too!! :D

-Steve
 
Hmm.. my builder already thinks I'm an anal bastage.. can't quite convince myself to stand up and ask him to add 1' 10 5/8" to match the Golden Mean. :)

I'm going with 16'x24'. The lowest spot will be 30" off the ground to bring it well above the 100 year flood plain and meet code. Still debating the second floor.. knee walls will probably be the easiest but it is already going to be so tall.. and I don't think I want the roofline to be higher than my house if I go with the same pitched roof..
 
Nice project! It's nice to see a place being built that will actually be used to brew in.:mug:
I wish mine was 16' wide, but when you attach to a house your width is limited.
 
I'm going with 16'x24'. The lowest spot will be 30" off the ground to bring it well above the 100 year flood plain and meet code. Still debating the second floor.. knee walls will probably be the easiest but it is already going to be so tall.. and I don't think I want the roofline to be higher than my house if I go with the same pitched roof..

I think you can easily pull off a 1 floor and just do a catheral or open ceiling type style. That would allow you the versatility of adding a loft in the dead space above and not change the overall look from the outside.
 
One good thing is... If the water ever rises you won't have to go far for beer and a dry spot to stay. you should install a zip line form the house to the shed just incase you need a quick exit. :mug:
 
Woohoo, Gabe! Soooo good to see progress on the new brew house being made! I read the entire first thread about the walk-in cooler. Then, I discovered the second thread yesterday which dealt with post-flooding and rebuilding the house. Now I find this thread...can they be linked together somehow? Anyway, woohoo!:ban::ban::ban:

glenn514:mug:
 
Woohoo, Gabe! Soooo good to see progress on the new brew house being made! I read the entire first thread about the walk-in cooler. Then, I discovered the second thread yesterday which dealt with post-flooding and rebuilding the house. Now I find this thread...can they be linked together somehow? Anyway, woohoo!:ban::ban::ban:

glenn514:mug:

I was thinking about that today on my way to work.. I'll at least update the other threads with links to this one now that construction is under way as I know people have suscribed to those other threads.

I'm anxious to see the progress today when I get home- he thought he might have the floor system done by EOD..
 
Hmm.. my builder already thinks I'm an anal bastage.. can't quite convince myself to stand up and ask him to add 1' 10 5/8" to match the Golden Mean. :)

I'm going with 16'x24'. The lowest spot will be 30" off the ground to bring it well above the 100 year flood plain and meet code. Still debating the second floor.. knee walls will probably be the easiest but it is already going to be so tall.. and I don't think I want the roofline to be higher than my house if I go with the same pitched roof..

Just be cautious, there may be height limitations for accessory structures. I know you discussed 'placement' on the lot and flood elevation with the City, you might want to check into it if you haven't already.
 
Just be cautious, there may be height limitations for accessory structures. I know you discussed 'placement' on the lot and flood elevation with the City, you might want to check into it if you haven't already.

Thanks.. I brought it up to the builder and he said we are good. The floor system is 18" below the floor system in the house, so even with the loft it shouldn't end up being any taller than the house..
 
You could build a matching deck on the house side of the building. Since the brewery is going to be 30" off the ground, a deck would make it look "not so tall" from the front, and make a taller loft more visually pleasing. Maybe with a sliding door into the brewery! Hey! Then the 2 decks would be close enough to build some sort of bridge between the 2!

Just a thought.
 
The brewery will have an 8'x6' covered front porch built just like the deck.. thought about connecting them in some way but it just won't work. Instead, I'm having a walkway built between the two that branches off the one to my firepit.

finished.jpg
 
I love the fire pit....I have been thinking about adding something like that behind my house as well....
 
Thanks.. I brought it up to the builder and he said we are good. The floor system is 18" below the floor system in the house, so even with the loft it shouldn't end up being any taller than the house..

The reason I brought it up is that many times (not all) accessory structures don't have the same height limitations as the dwellings on the property and are significantly less. For example, the Town I work in has a 35' max dwelling height and 18' max accessory structure height and all height dimensions are measured from average grade, not floor elevations. Just something to think about, I love the idea though!
 
The reason I brought it up is that many times (not all) accessory structures don't have the same height limitations as the dwellings on the property and are significantly less. For example, the Town I work in has a 35' max dwelling height and 18' max accessory structure height and all height dimensions are measured from average grade, not floor elevations. Just something to think about, I love the idea though!

Thansk for the info.. by my calculation, it will be around 17' - 18' from ground to roof even with the loft.. he swears we are fine, and I plan on holding him to it on code issues. :)
 
Hmm.. my builder already thinks I'm an anal bastage.. can't quite convince myself to stand up and ask him to add 1' 10 5/8" to match the Golden Mean.

I firmly believe if you are paying the bills you can play proctologist if you want to. :rockin:
 
Awesome. Welcome back to the game. :mug: I was so excited to see you post this thread I think i need new pants. :eek:

I'm going 20x25 I think which is as big as we can go under the local code. That should provide a nice big 5x20 coldroom on one end and leave 20x20 for the brewery inside. Gotta have room for the couch and disco ball, y'know? :D
 
Love the deck and firepit, I'd expect the brewery to be equally attractive. Stuff I make works, but it ain't pretty.
 
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