Choosing a brewery site: water, power, drains and neighbours
A brewery is a small factory. This checklist covers the things to test in a building before you commit to it.
Water supply
A brewery needs a reliable supply of water at a decent pressure. The quality of that water matters for the beer. Get a water report. Ask about hardness, chlorine or chloramine and seasonal changes. Check the size of the pipe and the meter, because filling tanks and cleaning draw a lot of water in a short time.
See water use per litre of beer for planning.
Ask who owns the water pipes and meter and whether you can have a separate supply for the brewery if the building is shared. A shared meter can lead to arguments over bills.
Drains and effluent
Wort, yeast, spent cleaning solutions and rinse water all go down the drain, often hot and with a low or high pH. Check drain size, falls and the connection to the public sewer. Ask the utility about limits on temperature, pH and load. Ask too whether you will pay a trade effluent charge. A floor with no drains is a poor start.
Check where the drain goes. A floor drain that joins a grease trap or a small private pipe may block quickly when yeast and trub enter it. A simple catch basin or screen keeps solids out.
Power, gas and steam
Electric brewhouses and chillers draw significant power, often three-phase. Ask an electrician about the supply, the cost to upgrade and the time it takes. If you will use gas or steam, check the supply and the safety rules for the building. A boiler needs a flue and a place for it.
Check ventilation too. Boiling releases a lot of steam and a brewery needs extraction above the kettle and fresh air in the fermentation room. Carbon dioxide from fermentation is heavier than air and can pool in low places, so a CO2 alarm in cellars and tank rooms is a sensible safety measure.
Floor, height and access
A full fermenter is heavy: water weighs 1 kg a litre, so a 1,000 litre tank holds a tonne of liquid before you count steel. Check that the floor can bear it, slopes to a drain and has a finish that is easy to clean. Fermenters and brewhouse vessels are tall, so measure ceiling height, beams and door sizes.
Plan how malt, kegs and pallets come in and how beer goes out. A loading bay or a level doorway saves a lot of lifting.
Check the surrounding streets. A delivery truck that cannot turn, or a street that closes for markets, will cause trouble every week.
Think about the route a keg takes. A keg of beer weighs a lot, so a trolley, a ramp or a pallet truck on a level floor beats stairs. Count the kegs you will move in a week and picture each one going out of the door.
Neighbours, noise and smell
Boiling wort makes steam and a sweet, cereal smell. Deliveries make noise. Ask about zoning, opening hours and neighbouring uses such as homes and schools. A site in a mixed area needs more care than one in an industrial estate. Talk to neighbours before you open.
Think about customers as well if you will have a taproom. Footfall, parking, public transport and nearby businesses matter more for a taproom than for a production unit. See pricing a pint in a brewpub for how location feeds into price.
Licensing and the lease
The premises must be approved for brewing and, if you serve, for selling alcohol. Check zoning, fire, health and building rules before you sign. Ask the landlord for a lease that allows the use and a break clause if approvals fail. See brewery licensing: the steps most countries share.
Look at starting a hard seltzer brand and starting a kombucha business if you plan other drinks on the same site, since their rules may differ.
Insurance and fire approvals can also decide a site. Ask a broker whether the building type and the alcohol stored in it change the premium. Ask the local fire service what it expects around exits, extinguishers and storage of gas cylinders.
Room to grow
Ask what happens if sales double. Is there floor for more tanks? Can power and drains cope? Can you take the next unit? Moving a brewery is expensive, so choose a site that gives you a second stage without a second building.
Common questions
How much space does a small brewery need?
It depends on the brewhouse size, the tanks, the cold room, the storage and any taproom. Ask your equipment supplier for a layout drawing.
Do I need three-phase power?
Often yes for electric brewhouses and chillers, but it depends on your kit. Ask your supplier and an electrician.
Can I brew in a residential area?
Zoning and neighbour rules vary. Check with the local authority before you sign a lease.
