Understanding brewpub apparatus

[ishkabibble]

What's a good resource for learning about the mechanics of brewpub apparatus? Let's say I have years of experience as an entrepreneur-so I dig the insanity/vow of poverty that is self-employment-and I'm looking to translate my success as a brewer on the quark-scale to a larger, professional scale.

Does anyone know of solid method of learning about brewpub-scale apparatus?

 

[bja]

Get a job at a brewpub.

 

[SimonHucko]

Get a job at a brewpub.

^^ this is really the best way to go. Doesn't have to be a brewpub, any commercial system will do (although larger systems have different features/issues than smaller ones). This is also a good way to decide if you *really* want to go the brewpub route. A brewpub is basically a restaurant/bar that happens to brew its own beer. I manage one and we wind up doing almost 50:50 food:beverage (we sell wine too but not liquor, so beer actually makes up less than half of our sales here). If pricing out a menu, managing labor costs, hiring/training/managing/firing servers and kitchen staff, working late nights, and dealing with extra licensing don't sound like fun to you, you might want to be looking at a nano or small packaging brewery instead.

If you're not looking to put some time in as an employee, at least see if you can find a few local-ish brewpubs (that you won't be competing directly with) and see if they'll let you sit in on a brewday or two. The beer industry tends to have a "pay it forward" mentality, and I think most brewers would be happy to accommodate. Be prepared to mop, scrub, sweep, lift, carry and clean as part of your education (since that's a large part of what commercial brewing is).

I also recommend checking out probrewer.com, which is the commercial equivalent of HBT. lots of great information over there.

 

[ishkabibble]

thanks for the tips!

before i started homebrewing, i watched/read hundreds, maybe thousands of vids/articles/books about homebrewing in an effort to prepare. i was hoping for some sort of corollary with large scale brewing. as yet, i haven't found much beyond vague vid-tours and taciturn websites.

i've owned a retail biz for 10 years--60hrs/week open-close--and my personal experience is that it's an inconvenience to have the occasional person conduct an impromptu reverse-interview, especially when you're busy.

so i've been loath to pester my local-ish professional brew mavens. but if the pay-it-foward mentality is truly there as you say, i'll try it out.

many thanks!

 

[forstmeister]

If you have a local brewery/brewpub just offer to volunteer. Most of them are willing to accept the help in exchange for a couple beers at the end of the day. That way you're not "watching" but doing the work. But be prepared to get messy and tired. Brewery work is far from glamorous. You can almost guarantee that you will be mashing out and hauling spent grains and mopping floors.

 

[kal]

The same principles apply as with homebrewing, it's just that the cleaning and some other mechanical process steps have to be different because you can't plunk the kettle in your sink or do other things the same way as lots of the equipment is larger.

Often CIP (Clean in place) is employed with extra pumps, and so forth.

Kal

 

[SimonHucko]

whoa, I'm not suggesting you go in during dinner or something and start asking a ton of questions. go in at a slow time (Saturday afternoon), order a beer and chat up the bartender. tell them you're interested in the brewing process and see if you can get an email address for the brewer. send an email outlining what you want to do and wait for their response.

it's true that brewing is essentially the same on a larger system, but there are a lot of nuances and extra work (mostly cleaning) that you don't have to deal with on a homebrew scale.

 

[bja]

see if you can get an email address for the brewer. send an email outlining what you want to do and wait for their response.

I'd be pissed if someone gave my email address out to someone I don't know.

 

[Tinhorn]

I'd be pissed if someone gave my email address out to someone I don't know.

what's your email address ? Haha heck leave yours most folks are happy to talk about them selves and their passions I have found

 

[sweetcell]

I'd be pissed if someone gave my email address out to someone I don't know.

hopefully the brewer has a professional email address used for just such type of enquiries (along with dealing with supplier, receiving notices from government, etc).

 

[ishkabibble]

so that's how everyone does it then? face-time and hands-on experience? that's how all of you did it?

there really ought to be some kind of technical reference for the budding brewmeister. it's like this esoteric thing you can't get close to unless you have the luck to get close to someone with the equipment.

i've found a few blogs that highlight particular processes, but nothing about the host of products and systems out there and their specs. heck, i'd hire a consultant if one existed.

 

[sweetcell]

there really ought to be some kind of technical reference for the budding brewmeister.

how big of a market do you think there is for a "brewpub 101" technical reference? i'd say a few hundred copies might sell each year. no publisher is going to print that.

it's like this esoteric thing you can't get close to unless you have the luck to get close to someone with the equipment.

i think you are making a false distinction between brewpub brewing an any other type of brewing. brewing is brewing. the size of the brewhouse doesn't change the fundamentals. an education from a brewing school will serve someone regardless of where they brew.

 

[limulus]

If you have $2500, some frequent flyer miles and some hotel rewards points, you can go out to Colorado for four days and take Tom Hennesy's Immersion Course at Colorado Boy Brewery. He also has a book that has sold quite a few copies. He is booked until October, but they are now teaching the course at another brewpub close to Denver and it has a manufactured 7bbl system instead of the 'Frankenbrew" system they have at Tom's brewery in Ridgeway. Obviously, working in a brewery for a few months or years is the absolute best way to learn, but this is an option.
http://coloradoboy.com/brewery/immersion

 

[BrewCanuck]

heck, i'd hire a consultant if one existed.

There are a number of consultancies you can find with a good web search.

 

[ishkabibble]

If you have $2500, some frequent flyer miles and some hotel rewards points, you can go out to Colorado for four days and take Tom Hennesy's Immersion Course at Colorado Boy Brewery. He also has a book that has sold quite a few copies. He is booked until October, but they are now teaching the course at another brewpub close to Denver and it has a manufactured 7bbl system instead of the 'Frankenbrew" system they have at Tom's brewery in Ridgeway. Obviously, working in a brewery for a few months or years is the absolute best way to learn, but this is an option.
http://coloradoboy.com/brewery/immersion

hey, that's great! hopefully their site works again soon. this actually might be just the ticket. many thanks!

 

[ishkabibble]

If you have $2500, some frequent flyer miles and some hotel rewards points, you can go out to Colorado for four days and take Tom Hennesy's Immersion Course at Colorado Boy Brewery. He also has a book that has sold quite a few copies. He is booked until October, but they are now teaching the course at another brewpub close to Denver and it has a manufactured 7bbl system instead of the 'Frankenbrew" system they have at Tom's brewery in Ridgeway. Obviously, working in a brewery for a few months or years is the absolute best way to learn, but this is an option.
http://coloradoboy.com/brewery/immersion

hey, that's great! hopefully their site works again soon. this actually might be just the ticket. many thanks!

 

[limulus]

it could just be my link. It was working when I posted it. Just search for Coloradoboy brewing and you'll find their site.

 

[photogscott]

Ive worked in a mid sized 15bbl brewery. Understand that it takes about 1 person to do the actual brewing. Its all cleaning, stacking kegs, cleaning, pouring beer if you have a taproom, cleaning, hauling spent grain, cleaning... But hey, its good exercise! Just remember to lift with your legs

 

[aludwig]

The aforementioned book, "Brewery Operations Manual" is a good resource.

It doesn't go into great depth on equipment, but there is a fairly good outline of what equipment a brewpub uses and what it's for. He outlines a typical brew session, then later in the book goes into some details of the business aspect as well. I would highly recommend it.

 

[ishkabibble]

The aforementioned book, "Brewery Operations Manual" is a good resource.

It doesn't go into great depth on equipment, but there is a fairly good outline of what equipment a brewpub uses and what it's for. He outlines a typical brew session, then later in the book goes into some details of the business aspect as well. I would highly recommend it.

Reading it right now. It's an excellent intro into brewery ops. This is a must-have for anyone looking to develop professionally. I knew I'd strike golden advice on this forum.

 

[Nightshade]

Get a job at a brewpub.

Absolutely this.

Like said doesn't have to be a brewpub but any scale operation will do and learn everything you can and take lots of notes on daily operations...especially problem areas so you can avoid them yourself (right).

I have been working in a brewpub now for the last two years and have an entire binder dedicated to nothing but daily operations plans. I figure another 3 years doing this and I may be ready to make the slow leap to starting to consider looking at paperwork