Brewery / Bar - Garage Build (planning, need input)

[Mirilis]

So I just finished moving into a new place out in the country. I have a second garage that has a 20x25 foot print and an upstairs that is 10x25 with ~7' ceiling. My wife has given me the go ahead to turn it into my brewery / bar / man cave place.. (over time since it will take a lot of cash). Here are the images of before.

I have running water in the closet under the stairs, and the garage has 100A sub panel in it. (off a 100A breaker from the house). The house is all electric with a 400A breaker box.

I am thinking of working in this order:

Additional Outlets for my E-Brewery => Insulation => Drywall
Vinyl Plank floor / (maybe just stain it?) =>add Mitsubishi ac/heat high efficiency.
build bar => put in pool table / card table etc.

Im thinking beadboard (white) ceiling with fan, and probably gray walls. Some guys are talking me into just using OSB and paint but Im not convinced thats the way to go.

Any thoughts on how to approach this? Or design input

 

[NathPowe]

Wow man, so jealous of your space. The fact that you've already got the 100A sub panel is choice. Assuming you'll be brewing electric, are you thinking 30A or 50A for the brewery? Don't forget to figure out and install your ventilation solution before closing everything up.

Also, not sure on how you're planning to lay things out, but that closet space under the stairs is screaming walk-in cooler to me. If that nook next to it became the bar area you could run the taps through the wall...

Anyway, I'm sure you'll come up with a bunch of great ideas, so keep us informed with the progress. Good luck with the project - building that out is gonna be a ton of fun.

Cheers.

 

[Mirilis]

Thanks for the comments.. i didnt even think of a walk in cooler there.. thats a great idea.. Heres a shot of the inside of it. The water is coming up in there now, and the hole at the bottom was a doggie door to the outside that the previous people used for their pet. The nook to the side was going to be my brewery location I think.. then the bar will incase that area keeping people out and my brewing stuff in. I brew on 2x20A circuits (6g E-BIAB.. i think theres a link in my sig for the build.)

My plan is to add a window/fan combo to use to vent the steam similar to what Wilserbrewer does.. it shouldnt take much for my system.

 

[Rhumbline]

Don't skimp on the ventilation. A good hood and fan are going to be important.

At least for the immediate brewing area, think of flooring that will not be slippery when wet and can hold up to water.

I don't know what your setup is for chilling wort, but that can take a lot of water in and out.

You'll want a bathroom and a space where you can comfortably clean and store all of your gear. I think the walk in cooler is a great idea and you've certainly got the room. Depending on how you plan on using the space you may want a small kitchen, since I bottle, I'd want a cheap used dishwasher.

 

[Mirilis]

Heres my first concept...

Ill have the taps on the left of the stairs/walk in and probably a short saloon door to go through to get behind bar.

 

[bbohanon]

Rock on man and I am also jealous of the space as well! Subbed!

 

[Mirilis]

that damn pool table takes up soo much space.. i have minimum 4' all around it for clearance for players. If it werent there I could have a flat screen somewhere. In the space in front of the door id like to get one of those small hex shaped poker tables but i think its starting to get crowded in there already.

you'll be subbed for a long time.. i bet this takes me 2-3 years before i can finish it. I'm going to do what I can and when, but I have 3 kids under 5 years old, and im going to grad school full time in addition to work.

 

[Rhumbline]

Turn the pool table 90 degrees, make the bar a straight shot instead of an L, do the same for the brewing station, a straight countertop along the wall.

Buy a folding card table to set up between the couch and stairs.

What's the plan for upstairs?

Edit...

Also, tape out your design on the floor or even better, build a mock up out of cardboard. A lot of people don't think in 3D and can be surprised at the end result. For instance, a pool table is pretty short, easy to see over. If you put your TV on the wall opposit the couch you'd have no trouble seeing it.

Once you've got it layed out, go through an imitation brew day from start to finish. I still think you'll regret not having a bathroom in the space.

 

[Mirilis]

What's the plan for upstairs?

I'm thinking of putting a projector / RPi media center in and making it a small theater for the kids to watch movies while we hang out downstairs.

Ive considered a bathroom space too.. it still make it in, but since were out in the country i usually just go outside.

 

[Rhumbline]

You know better than any of us how you intend to use the space, but i'll offer a few more observations.

The more I think about it, the less ideal the space under the stairs seems for a walk in. By the time you add enough insulation it is going to be more of a reach in. I have a similar storage space under my stairs and with the exception of the space right in front of the door it is a PITA to use. I think it makes more sense to consider making this the bathroom.

I don't know the weather up there, but running across the yard in freezing rain to take a dump ain't fun, especially when your drunk ass buddies are tracking mud all through the house and waking up the wife/kids.

I think you'd be happier with using (a) fridge(s) as your fermentation/cold storage. Take a look at some of the designs on this site, the lighted glass fronted coolers with a SS conical in there look very cool.

You are packing a lot into a small space. Consider putting the taps on a wall, rather than using a bar back, that is mostly wasted space. If the pool table is non-negotiable, consider what a friend of mine did and make a top for it that can turn it into your card table, the top stores flat against the wall when using the pool table.

Good luck with the project, I envy you having the extra space.

 

[aaronmq]

The more I think about it, the less ideal the space under the stairs seems for a walk in. By the time you add enough insulation it is going to be more of a reach in. I have a similar storage space under my stairs and with the exception of the space right in front of the door it is a PITA to use. I think it makes more sense to consider making this the bathroom.

I second using the closet as a half bath. Its a perfect place for it and as stated above, will provide very little room as a walk-in cooler. I think the keezer build at the link below would be perfect and could go right up against the wall you were planning on having the taps.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=371438

I'm not sure how many taps you plan on having, but the above build accommodates 11 kegs. You could serve and condition a lot of kegs from that and still have room left over for bottles depending on how many taps you want.

 

[Mirilis]

The faucet coming out of the floor in the closet is too close to the center to be able to make it a good bathroom.

 

[kh54s10]

So you will need to go inside the closet and pump your water??

I would want more brew space. I don't see anything for equipment or grain storage etc. So the bar would need to move farther to the front of the room.

Or move the brewery upstairs and move the bar closer to the corner. That would give you a lot more room for the pool table.

 

[aaronmq]

Maybe look at putting in a wall upstairs, dividing it in half. That would limit the noise from downstairs, allowing your kids to watch movies in peace, and give you more room for storage and maybe a bathroom.

 

[Chrisl77]

So you will need to go inside the closet and pump your water??

I would want more brew space. I don't see anything for equipment or grain storage etc. So the bar would need to move farther to the front of the room.

Or move the brewery upstairs and move the bar closer to the corner. That would give you a lot more room for the pool table.

That's not a hand pump its a freeze proof spigot. The valve is at the bottom of the pipe coming out of the ground and is actuated by a rod attached to the handle that goes down the center of the pipe. When you close the valve it opens a drain that empties the pipe. I would put a small hot water heater in that closet and use the extra space for storage. Having hot water while brewing makes things so much easier.

 

[JKaranka]

I've lived in houses smaller than your second garage!!!

 

[Mirilis]

im doing grain storage in my basement of the house.. the temperature and humidity are more consistent. In the summer im thinking ill keep the bar ~75, and in the winter ~60. Most of my equipment i keep in Rubbermaid totes which fit underneath the bar and can come out on brew day. I dont want too much of my stuff everywhere because then people will touch it.