Brew Shed Advice

[NaperJeepBrew]

I've recently moved into a new house that has a detached barn in the back yard. Due to some permitting issues, the county is going to make me put a concrete slab under it, and I thought that this might be a perfect opportunity to turn it into a brew shed. The barn is roughly 24x17 feet, and I'd probably have about half that space for brewing. I use a Blichman Top Tier modular brewing stand. Currently there is no electric run to the barn, but that's something fairly easy to do.

I'm looking for any advice or things to keep in mind for turning it into a brewing shed down the road. I know I'm going to need some sort of vent/hood to get all the steam out. Is it a concern to burn propane in a shed, or would simply leaving the door open suffice? Also, I'm not planning on adding any kind of floor drain, but spills happen.

So I'm looking for any advice from people that have built their own brew shed, or adapted something into one. Things to look out for, or address at this time, etc.

Thanks!

 

[CodeSection]

There are a number of items you could do. However, IMO the two most important items are:

1. Rethink about your decision not to install a floor drain when you pour the concrete foundation. Why not as the cost is next to nothing....

2. Install electric. Regardless if you ever switch to electric brewing, you need light in there. What about heat or cooling? So, while you are installing various wiring and recepticals, you might as well add a 240v.

 

[Batteman87]

Congrats on the new soon to be brewing space. It depends on how much brewing you plan to do. Think future wise too. I'd strongly consider some sort of drain or plumbing. Spills, water, wort, etc. are going to happen.
Water source for brewing and or chilling you need to take into consideration. Also if you opt to CIP or do any cleaning in general there of your equipment.
Hauling mats etc. out to clean get wet and haul back in adds to the brew day.
Vent hood would be nice, but I'd go water/drainage first because of the slab. You can add the hood and electric after the fact. Doing the drainage and h2o after the slab cost considerably more. That's just my input on that.
Propane inside with door open / ventilation is a different animal and there are other threads on that topic. I'd strongly suggest solid ventilation and even a fan for the steam/gases but thats as much as I'm going to say because others have their opinions on that.
Enjoy the journey on your brew space!

Cheers!

 

[mongoose33]

If I had a clean slate for a brew area, here's what I'd do:

1. I'd have a drain. Probably a trench drain/gutter type of thing. I'd love to be able to spray down my floor when done brewing. I brew in my garage, on a concrete floor. I'd love to have that drain.

2. Water. Brewing cleanup is always improved by a good sink and water supply. I have a sink that has a shallow bowl and a sideboard on the left side, a single-handle faucet and a sprayer (the type on a kitchen sink). I've got mine set up so top of the bowl is 40 inches above the floor (no bending!). I see people using utility sinks, deep-bowl stainless sinks (looks pretty!) and I wouldn't change my setup for any of them.

2a. Water, part II. Do you use RO water? I do and I have the RO filters under the sink, and push that RO water into a 7-gallon aquatainer.

3. Electricity. 240 volts for sure. You can eventually plan on electric brewing (I converted this past year and what a pleasure!). On top of that, you could put in an electric heater if you wanted. After I installed 240 in my garage, I was walking past heaters at Menards (home store), and they had one for $69.99, minus 11 percent. So, say $63. For another $15 in BX cable I had heat. Allows me to work out there in the winter, to brew--wonderful addition. For 78 bucks.

3a. If it were me, again, I'd run electricity out there and use a subpanel from which I could wire the rest of the barn.

4. Venting. I added the steamcatcher device to my kettle which lets me boil wort without putting a ton of moisture into the air. I'd rather not use a hood.

Now, in your case, with your equipment, maybe that's a foregone conclusion.


5. You don't say where you live. Cold winters, mild winters, what? Some of the above is predicted on assuming you can do things like run a water line, but if you're where it gets cold in the winter, you'll need a way to prevent water from freezing in the pipes, the drain, like that.


Anyway, those are some thoughts. Good luck!

 

[CodeSection]

Another item in addition to the drain to consider before pouring the concrete would be installing plumbing for a stainless steel sink. It will make life a lot easier when cleaning and the plumbing itself shouldn't add that much to the cost.

To save money, do not buy the hood. Instead, read this thread and use something like this.... https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/...denser-no-overhead-ventilation-needed.636955/

EDIT: I see @mongoose33 posted while I was looking up the thread and writing my post. It looks like we both are in agreement....

 

[NaperJeepBrew]

I should have clarified that I live in the Chicago area. So, yes, the winters get plenty cold to freeze water in pipes and drains. The barn is about 150 feet from the house, so that's a long water line in cold winters. And thank you for all the information, guys! I've never heard of the steam catcher, so I'll definitely need to learn some more about that. It's been about 4 years since I brewed, but my youngest kid is 18 months, so I'm planning to get back into it next year. I'll focus on a floor drain and a drain for some kind of sink out there, even if my water source is just a hose. Cheers!

 

[mongoose33]

Another item in addition to the drain to consider before pouring the concrete would be installing plumbing for a stainless steel sink. It will make life a lot easier when cleaning and the plumbing itself shouldn't add that much to the cost.

To save money, do not buy the hood. Instead, read this thread and use something like this.... https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/...denser-no-overhead-ventilation-needed.636955/

EDIT: I see @mongoose33 posted while I was looking up the thread and writing my post. It looks like we both are in agreement....

My only adjustment would be that the sink have a sideboard, and the sink be shallow. There's a sink setup in another thread that, to me, is almost perfect:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/...wery-build-sorin-brewing.667368/#post-8668975

He has it set up with the sink on the left due to plumbing issues; I'd have it on the right, because I'm right-handed and I lay my kettles and kegs on the side and spray them out with a standard sink sprayer (not the kind that hangs from above).

 

[CodeSection]

My only adjustment would be that the sink have a sideboard, and the sink be shallow. There's a sink setup in another thread that, to me, is almost perfect:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/...wery-build-sorin-brewing.667368/#post-8668975

He has it set up with the sink on the left due to plumbing issues; I'd have it on the right, because I'm right-handed and I lay my kettles and kegs on the side and spray them out with a standard sink sprayer (not the kind that hangs from above).

You are so right! I do not know what I would without my SS table on casters and my sideboard.

 

[Scout]

I just moved to a new house last year. I was spoiled because my old garage already had water lines run to it, and this one doesnt. I debated on whether I wanted to rent a trencher and bury my water line 5 feet down to protect from freezing, and in the end I went about 6 inches down. Pex is about $73 for 300' at Menards https://www.menards.com/main/plumbi...0-blue-pex-pipe/appb30012/p-1546846286742.htm and I also buried a copper wire alongside it so it could be found later. Now, I live in NE indiana, so winter is similar to yours. I needed a way to blow this line out, so heres what I did. Once I drilled through the foundation and brought my water line in the crawlspace, I ran it over to the pipe for the hose bib. I cut that line and ran the supply to a valve. Coming out of the valve it goes to a T, where one side goes to the hose bib and the other side to my garage water line. The valve was mounted to the floor joists and the handle was extended through the wall to outside. I didn't want to have to get in the crawlspace twice a year because it's a pain.
Now when it's time to winterize, I shut off the valve and open the hose bib. Then I go in the garage, open the faucet, and hook up my air compressor. (Jam the blow gun in) this will blow the water back out through the hose bib.
I figure if I want to brew in the winter I can, and it's easy to blow the water out again.

I should have clarified that I live in the Chicago area. So, yes, the winters get plenty cold to freeze water in pipes and drains. The barn is about 150 feet from the house, so that's a long water line in cold winters. And thank you for all the information, guys! I've never heard of the steam catcher, so I'll definitely need to learn some more about that. It's been about 4 years since I brewed, but my youngest kid is 18 months, so I'm planning to get back into it next year. I'll focus on a floor drain and a drain for some kind of sink out there, even if my water source is just a hose. Cheers!

 

[itsnotrequired]

sounds like this is going the permitted route so keep in mind that drains got to go somewhere. depends on the jurisdiction but may need to run that drain to sanitary sewer or a septic tank, even if you are just dragging a hose out there for supply. sound like you need to trench to the barn anyway for elec? might not be that big a deal to go a bit deeper and put in a real water supply, might be able to use that for drains as well.

 

[jmcquesten]

20 inch?

sounds like this is going the permitted route so keep in mind that drains got to go somewhere. depends on the jurisdiction but may need to run that drain to sanitary sewer or a septic tank, even if you are just dragging a hose out there for supply. sound like you need to trench to the barn anyway for elec? might not be that big a deal to go a bit deeper and put in a real water supply, might be able to use that for drains as well. 150 ft is a long way and assuming a traditional 1/8" per foot drain slope, looking at almost a 20 ft drop to get back to the house, you would likely need a lift station. maybe better to go local septic, if the jurisdiction allows.

 

[itsnotrequired]

20 inch?

sure, why not...