How many here have the opportunity to help brew at a commercial brewery?

[OpenSights]

Today was my second commercial brew day. This one was an oatmeal stout and I was given 5 gallons of pre-pitch wort. The other 250 gallons will be split in three, one as is for tap and the other two are experimental/limited release. My 5 gallons will be my Christmas beer, chocolate covered cherry stout.

The brewery is one of 8 former club members who have gone pro.

I’m wondering how many home brewers here have the ability to brew commercially and thoughts on the difference between brewing, say 5 gallon gallon systems vs a, say 7 barrel systems. I guess it’s really not much different if you look at percentages, but it’s still hard to see the last 3-5 gallons go down the floor drain... but that’s like the last little bit that I leave in my kettle.

My club has an event called firebrew, a 7 barrel system that we make 150-250 gallons. The two systems are quite different, but I’d like to become a better master brewer for my club. I’ve already learned quite a bit about brewing with such a large system, but I want to get to the point of running the show, maybe even brew one of my beers there to put on tap there someday.

 

[dpeters]

Yes I have done it twice. Once at Lions Tail brewery (Festbier) in Neenah WI and the other at McFleshman's brewery (Carpe Diem Belgian Pale Ale) in Appleton WI.
The one at Lions Tail was on a full 10 barrel system and the biggest eye opener for me was the amount of grain used. The one at McFleshman's was their 1 barrel pilot system and that was very similar to doing a homebrew. I got to do both of these by entering and winning their homebrew contest. Both beers were put on tap at their place and I believe Lions Tail also sent some kegs out to other places as well.
It really was a cool experience.

 

[OpenSights]

Yeah, the grain bill was 550lbs! Seemed like it took an hour just to mash in. I know there are fancier systems out there, but still an amazing experience!

 

[shetc]

My club, the Miami Area Society of Homebrewers (yes, MASH) does a collab brew each year. Matter of fact, we are about to brew an altbier with MIA brewing in a couple of weeks.

 

[dpeters]

Yeah, the grain bill was 550lbs! Seemed like it took an hour just to mash in. I know there are fancier systems out there, but still an amazing experience!

If you look at the pic of me pouring in the grain you will see how small the shoot is. It was crazy pouring bag after bag into that small hole.

 

[MaxStout]

A brewery near here has done some pro/am things, where homebrewers are encouraged to submit beers and the winner has their beer brewed and gets to help brew it. Then the brewery has a release party.

It would be fun to see how to scale up something from 5 gallons to several hundred. And lots of work.

 

[OpenSights]

If you look at the pic of me pouring in the grain you will see how small the shoot is. It was crazy pouring bag after bag into that small hole.

I did notice that! I was wondering why they didn’t build a bigger hopper.

This particular brewery, one of many in my area, orders their grain milled for now. They bought the grain mill from our old LHBS, but haven’t had time to set it up yet. Once they, or I do I have have use of it at no charge... however I still want to make my own. On that note, I’ll never have to mill 550lbs of grain for home brew. At the same time while their offer is appreciated, I don’t want to be a bother showing up during business hours, bothering them.

 

[JimRausch]

Yeah, I've won a local competition twice and the prize was brewing my recipe on a professional system. Two different breweries. First one was on a 5 barrel system, the second on a 15 barrel. Fun.

 

[OpenSights]

A brewery near here has done some pro/am things, where homebrewers are encouraged to submit beers and the winner has their beer brewed and gets to help brew it. Then the brewery has a release party.

It would be fun to see how to scale up something from 5 gallons to several hundred. And lots of work.

That’s an idea! With BeerSmith it’s easy to do, just round up or down depending.

If it weren’t for cider season beginning I’d be brewing my first attempt at a alcoholic ginger beer. Not sure how well it will work out or how popular it would be, but I designed it around Vernon’s ginger ale. Much more ginger than Canada Dry... Vernon’s is based out of Michigan, so there might be a market....

 

[OpenSights]

Yeah, I've won a local competition twice and the prize was brewing my recipe on a professional system. Two different breweries. First one was on a 5 barrel system, the second on a 15 barrel. Fun.

15 barrel! Holy crap Batman! That’s awesome!

 

[jdauria]

I have brewed 3 times at local breweries. Won a comp that a new brewery in Mass (Barrel House Z) had a few years ago. Got to brew 4 barrels of my Amber Ale there for tap room plus won a trip to GABF where the beer was entered in comp. Anyway, the beer was a hit, so got to brew it a second time there, and then they contracted Dorchester Brewing, where I got to help brew 60 barrels for distribution in cans to stores and to a few select bars in kegs.

Another local brewery owner keeps asking me to brew one of my beers there, but we have not been able to schedule it yet.

 

[kh54s10]

It sounds like winning a try at brewing would be a lot better than actually working at a brewery. It appears that they didn't have you cleaning everything........

 

[Spartan1979]

I've brewed my recipes twice on two different commercial systems. One of the recipes is on tap year round at that brewery. I also "helped" brew on the system at the Research Pilot Brewery at AB-InBev in St. Louis. That consisted of pushing a button and adding hops.

 

[OpenSights]

It sounds like winning a try at brewing would be a lot better than actually working at a brewery. It appears that they didn't have you cleaning everything........

Oh, I help clean too. However the way they have their system set up and their brewing process, cleaning is quick and painless. I actually take longer cleaning my home brew equipment than it takes to clean/sanitize they’re entire system, and they have pumps and hoses, I don’t.

I’ve picked up quite a few tricks from them in every aspect of brewing. I’ve improved my efficiency immensely. I brewed Yooper’s oatmeal stout for an upcoming club competition and hit the numbers almost exactly! I think I was off on OG by .001 or .002. I used that Viking 2 row that was on sale so maybe it was that, or I’m getting better or just plan luck? I guess I’ll find out on the next brew day.

As far as working at a brewery full time, no thanks. The two brothers who own it generally work 10+ hours and 7 days a week. They’re two payments away from paying off the brewing equipment and yesterday we started putting the kitchen together. Looks like paninis and what not.

Once my Master retires I plan on spending time there on brew unless I get a call, which has happened both times.

 

[enkamania]

I won a contest and had my beer brewed. I missed mash in, but it was still a lot of fun. It was a 7 bbl system. Cleaning up the mash tun is a lot of fun.

 

[OpenSights]

I have brewed 3 times at local breweries. Won a comp that a new brewery in Mass (Barrel House Z) had a few years ago. Got to brew 4 barrels of my Amber Ale there for tap room plus won a trip to GABF where the beer was entered in comp. Anyway, the beer was a hit, so got to brew it a second time there, and then they contracted Dorchester Brewing, where I got to help brew 60 barrels for distribution in cans to stores and to a few select bars in kegs.

Another local brewery owner keeps asking me to brew one of my beers there, but we have not been able to schedule it yet.

60 barrels! WOW! We have some pretty big names in the “craft” brewery here in Michigan, I’d love to brew at Founders, but that will never happen!

 

[jdauria]

60 barrels! WOW! We have some pretty big names in the “craft” brewery here in Michigan, I’d love to brew at Founders, but that will never happen!

60 barrels did not seem like much when brewing, since their system was pretty automatic. However, I went back to help can the beer and 12 hours of canning (with the line breaking down a few times too) and drinking dented cans, really makes you realize how much beer it was! Seeing all the pallets of cans lined up, I was like "wow, that's a shitload of beer!"