Any specific requirements for a shed?

[solbergg]

I'm going to either buy or build a shed for my back yard soon. In addition to storing some lawn care equipment, I want to start brewing my own beer out there as well. Are there any specific conditions that would make a shed better for brewing?

 

[Lil' Sparky]

Since this is your 1st post - Welcome aboard!

electricity and water
sink (if you have room)
ventilation if you plan to run burners in there

would all be on my want list. How big of a shed are you planning on building? If you do a search, I seem to remember a couple of other threads about brew shed builds. I remember one was really nice.

 

[bradsul]

Welcome to HBT!

A lot would depend on the climate in your area as well. For fermenting there are relatively specific temperature requirements you'd need to be able to meet.

 

[rdwj]

If I was going to build another shed, I'd make sure to have something other than a plywood floor. The one I had at my last house had one of those and it wasn't great. I think I'd probably use concrete pavers because they are still considered "portable" and not a permanent structure like poured concrete. I'd also want water and electric. Depending on the climate, you're also going to have to consider heating and cooling.

 

[solbergg]

Thanks for all of the replies and welcomes, guys. It sounds like a true brew shed can be quite the investment. Perhaps I should start small and then expand into a shed once I get things rolling? I have a large backyard and would love to have a workshop back there as well, so electricity and water shouldn't be too difficult. Ventilation might be unless a wall unit would be sufficient. I am located in Jacksonville, FL so some sort of A/C would be important, I suppose.

 

[mrk305]

Definetaly A/C and a large shaded porch.

 

[jas0420]

Don't forget a beer fridge.... You don't want to be too far seperated from tasty brew while you make tasty brew. I brew in my garage (live near Houston) and don't have the garage AC'd, so summers are almost unbearable. Ice cold beer helps a lot.

Hmm. Actually, maybe that's why mine haven't been turning out all that great..............

 

[Dr_Deathweed]

Don't forget a beer fridge.... You don't want to be too far seperated from tasty brew while you make tasty brew. I brew in my garage (live near Houston) and don't have the garage AC'd, so summers are almost unbearable. Ice cold beer helps a lot.

Hmm. Actually, maybe that's why mine haven't been turning out all that great..............

Thats why I had my crappy beer on tap when we brewed, so we could pay more attention and do it right! Except for the whole gallon and a half short on volume....

 

[Catfish]

Give this BN show a listen (skip the first 45 minutes if you don't want the witty banter). Then they follow up with a thorough discussion of 3 levels of brew house(backyard brewers, shed brewers, and brewers with an extremely large budget). They cover things like lighting, water, power, gas, flooring etc. etc.

 

[bigjohnmilford]

before you get into all of that you may want to check your local building codes and see what you can legally do. and welcome to hbt

 

[the_bird]

before you get into all of that you may want to check your local building codes and see what you can legally do. and welcome to hbt

+1.

If you're going to be fermenting in there, temperature control is absolutely critical, since the shed's naturally going to be experiencing much greater fluctuations in temperature than your house or your basement.

 

[karbinator]

Maybe Lattice the outsides, and grow some hops up the sides of it!

 

[kappclark]

I think the idea of a shed is pretty cool ... maybe it wld be easier to enclose a porch

I was thinking of claiming some of the basement for brewing, but am worried abt the burner.

 

[solbergg]

Maybe Lattice the outsides, and grow some hops up the sides of it!

Yeah, there will definitely be some hop growing happening.

 

[Preliator]

this guy built a real nice shed, thinking of cloning it myself.....heavy insulation with the siding,plywood interior and exterior with a layer of fiberglass insulation, heat and ac.....this is a keeper
hope it helps
enjoy
anthony
http://www.jrbrewing.com/brewshed/

 

[mrk305]

That brew shed is awesome!

 

[Grimsawyer]

I keep looking at better built barns and think you know... Wouldn't have to build the thing, someone else would show up and build it for me! All I would have to do after that is insulate it run some water and juice to it and I'm set! Never have to leave my little 12'/14' paradise! Go wifi so I could surf HBT from it! Of course there is putting a heater in, an exaust fan and air comditioner not to mention a septic tank(cause lets face it, the yard can't handle that much water!). Wouldn't go the porch route myself, I'd go patio but DEFINATE covered area just outside the door. And I'd make the inside(other than the electronics) completely hose out friendly! Just turn on the pressure washer and let it fly a few times a year! Create a man zone Tim Allen would be proud of! grunt grunt grunt!!! oh yeah!