Finally building the brew house... Want some advice

[brewswithshoes]

So it's taken several months and dollars to switch from gas to an eHERMs system that I can use to brew indoors. It's also taken a few months to convince the wife to let me dual purpose the laundry room as a brew house. I am starting to plan it out and have some of the basics already in there. Deep utility sink, 240 electric, and some counter space. I'm planning to extend the counter over the washer/dryer and have pretty much a blank space on the walls above everything. All told I will have about 10 feet of counter minus the sink space.

My question to this group is... what would you consider essential or even some dream/wishful items to add in. I have 3 10g sized pots with the eHERMs setup, 2 pumps, several hoses, and a bunch of misc items to store when not brewing.

If you have designed a brew space, could do it over, or are planning one of your own, I'd love to hear some ideas of what you'd want or the "gotta have that" things.

Cheers [emoji482]

 

[brewswithshoes]

Also, wasn't sure which section to post this, so if needs to go elsewhere, plz let me know[emoji16]

 

[MidAtlanticBrew]

Biggest learning for many is ..... don't time share a space your wife uses a lot, it will become a problem

 

[brewswithshoes]

Great advice. That was the major obstacle in convincing her to share. Agreed rule is I have to schedule the brew day minimum 3 days notice. Being in Florida and not having to brew outdoors anymore I could easily concede on that requirement. [emoji3]

 

[wisconsinitebrewer]

I love my deep restaurant style sink. It makes washing much more easier.

 

[kh54s10]

Make a space for all your hoses, mash paddles etc that are easily within reach without having to reach over the pots or anything else. I would also plumb a line to the HLT directly so that all you have to do is turn on the water. Mine runs through a charcoal house filter first.

I want a wall that is dedicated to grain storage. Buckets under and shelves above for my different sized grain boxes.

 

[daveMN]

A decent exhaust fan. Make sure you plan room for a fermentation chamber, if you're going that route, or the keezer, or storage between batches.

 

[applescrap]

So it's taken several months and dollars to switch from gas to an eHERMs system that I can use to brew indoors. It's also taken a few months to convince the wife to let me dual purpose the laundry room as a brew house. I am starting to plan it out and have some of the basics already in there. Deep utility sink, 240 electric, and some counter space. I'm planning to extend the counter over the washer/dryer and have pretty much a blank space on the walls above everything. All told I will have about 10 feet of counter minus the sink space.

My question to this group is... what would you consider essential or even some dream/wishful items to add in. I have 3 10g sized pots with the eHERMs setup, 2 pumps, several hoses, and a bunch of misc items to store when not brewing.

If you have designed a brew space, could do it over, or are planning one of your own, I'd love to hear some ideas of what you'd want or the "gotta have that" things.

Cheers [emoji482]

Sure, brew outside! Haha, no just kidding. I was going to do the same, but the closer I got, we were like eww. Figured clothes would smell and other things. Need ventilation for sure. Its just expensive to recreate outside. I am not a clean brewer and I like stuff squeaky clean, but if you are clean and r.i.p clean then need less. Serious wall treatment(why mess around) and center drain. Picture breweries (kals electric brewery) waterproofed bomb proof areas for cleaning, brewing and drainage. Shelves for storage, stereo, and television. Stools and organization stuff. Best bet is to recreate a picture, that is always my advice. Hope you post pics when you are done, sounds like a nice space.

 

[applescrap]

Working from pics has done me justice, ymmv.

View attachment 1495166804919.jpg

 

[brewswithshoes]

All good info so far. Thanks all. Any one out there have any experience/advice on venting? I am planning to add in a 200CFM exhaust fan that will pipe to my dryer duct in the attic space. I don't think I can go full vent hood type exhaust in the space.

 

[applescrap]

There are lots of solutions that I considered. I think I was just going to put a box fan in the window. And build a makeshift Hood out of cardboard or something like that. They make inline pipe fans and I have also seen people use salad bowls as Hoods. I think I saw one person with a swivel vent ducting. That way you can get it out of the way when you're not using it. Do you have any fear that stuff will stick to the side and maybe smell that pipe up. Thus smelling your clothes up. I think I heard once that Rolling Rock tasted like DMS because stuff dripped back into the kettles from the piping. I can't help but think a direct solution is better, then again I don't really know anything. Just wanted to offer a few ideas I saw.

 

[NeoBrew]

All good info so far. Thanks all. Any one out there have any experience/advice on venting? I am planning to add in a 200CFM exhaust fan that will pipe to my dryer duct in the attic space. I don't think I can go full vent hood type exhaust in the space.

I think you are going to want more than 200cfm. I am just putting together my own indoor (gas) brewhouse. I went with a 900 cfm hood. I have not had a chance to test it out yet.

I would also avoid combining it with your dryer vent. They tend to gather dust and lint that would get saturated with condensation. You would also want to be careful not to have the exhaust blower pressurize the duct and blow back into the dryer while you are brewing.

 

[applescrap]

Seems like everybody buys the weed fans

View attachment 1495299306129.jpg

 

[02RedWS6TA]

Above anything else my trench is the favorite thing in my brewery. Big sink is nice, trench is irreplaceable.

 

[mongoose33]

Above anything else my trench is the favorite thing in my brewery. Big sink is nice, trench is irreplaceable.

I've never heard that term--trench--used in this context before. What's a "trench"? Pic?

 

[brewswithshoes]

Wow. Those ipower inline ducting fans look powerful. Looks like something too big to mount but may be a better solution even if I had to drag it out each time and lay the ducting out to the window. 8" inch version of this does 744CFM and it's about what I was going to pay for the in ceiling one. Got me thinking I could deal with the portable aspect of this.

So I just set the filter on the counter, fan on top, then ducting line to the window? Almost seems too simple. Any one have pictures of this/similar setup??

 

[02RedWS6TA]

I've never heard that term--trench--used in this context before. What's a "trench"? Pic?

Hole cut in floor going back to a drain, makes clean up and spills easy to clean. Just spray floor down and squeegee into trench.

To the left under my kettle

 

[brewswithshoes]

That trench looks awesome. Not sure the wifey would allow me to start cutting into the floor. But that thing does look like it makes cleanup a breeze. [emoji16]

 

[Brownalemikie]

Hole cut in floor going back to a drain, makes clean up and spills easy to clean. Just spray floor down and squeegee into trench.

To the left under my kettle

Man, that looks like the "cats meow" of home brewing. Very nice set up.

 

[Brownalemikie]

Btw, what's all this chit chat about exhaust fans? IMO, there's nothing better than the aroma that fills the house while brewing beer

 

[Jtk78]

Hole cut in floor going back to a drain, makes clean up and spills easy to clean. Just spray floor down and squeegee into trench.

To the left under my kettle

The amount of awesome in that pick is mindlowing. Sweet mash paddles, love the sign on the wall, not only do you have a freaking trench, but you have custome trench covers too. Nice set up.

Cafe is delicious. I have been drinking coffee for a long time, that's great, but to find a good cup of coffee to suit my taste is very difficult

Ooookayyyy.

 

[02RedWS6TA]

The amount of awesome in that pick is mindlowing. Sweet mash paddles, love the sign on the wall, not only do you have a freaking trench, but you have custome trench covers too. Nice set up.




Ooookayyyy.

I have a CNC plasma and do work on the side for fun money. Sometimes I take advantage and do stuff for myself, the sign, and the trench covers. They also say reaction Brewing Company. I need to clean them up and powder coat them though so they pop a little more.

Thanks for the compliments, it's a work in progress with a lot more to come.

 

[brewswithshoes]

02RedWS6TA - does "work on the side" involve creating logos for others' walls? If so, PM me as I'd like to get a quote on what something like your sign (or one slightly smaller) would cost.

 

[BrewKaiser]

That trench looks awesome. Not sure the wifey would allow me to start cutting into the floor. But that thing does look like it makes cleanup a breeze. [emoji16]

Having a trench is definitely ideal. If I could have done that I would have, but I could not so instead I designed and fabricated a brew sink to go under my kettles. Works great and makes clean up a snap. Did require some creative bracketery to hang the kettles, though. Also needed to tie into a sewer drain line.

If starting from scratch I would also want:
Good utility sink
Spigot for hose
Dedicated electrical panel
Good ventilation
Dedicated fermentation space
Counter space and storage