Home Super Brewery Build: Hybrid Electric/Gas 3BBL Build

[mrklueber]

I epoxied my three car garage floor right after I bought the house. The garage floor was 11 years old at the time. Cleaned the floor very well per the instructions. Used the Rustoleum brand kit found at Lowes. One kit will do a single car garage and costs ~$65. I did it myself and it took about 1 1/2 days - 1 day to clean the floor and 1/2 day to apply the epoxy to all three bays. I brew in the garage and clean up of spilled wort is a breeze. Much better than bare concrete.

 

[marcb]

I epoxied my three car garage floor right after I bought the house. The garage floor was 11 years old at the time. Cleaned the floor very well per the instructions. Used the Rustoleum brand kit found at Lowes. One kit will do a single car garage and costs ~$65. I did it myself and it took about 1 1/2 days - 1 day to clean the floor and 1/2 day to apply the epoxy to all three bays. I brew in the garage and clean up of spilled wort is a breeze. Much better than bare concrete.

Sounds awesome! Given the timing and work I'm going to most likely have to pay someone to do it.

 

[marcb]

first scale sketch out of the new space, comments?

View attachment ssl.pdf

 

[marcb]

first scale sketch out of the new space, comments?

sorry, just changed to jpg

 

[Monster Mash]

A standard door is about 36" so it looks like the cold room is only about 50" deep?

 

[marcb]

A standard door is about 36" so it looks like the cold room is only about 50" deep?

Yes, basically 4x8.

 

[hillhousesawdustco]

You mentioned somewhere back that you were considering going all-electric rather than using propane- does this change anything with your 100amp panel?

 

[marcb]

You mentioned somewhere back that you were considering going all-electric rather than using propane- does this change anything with your 100amp panel?

Yep. Looks like I'm doing a sub panel with 125a, two 50a and a 25a breaker. The system hasn't changed much, 11Kw per brew kettle. Both strike and sparge water will be coming from a rinnai tankless with a recirc loop.

 

[nvrstck]

I epoxied my three car garage floor right after I bought the house. The garage floor was 11 years old at the time. Cleaned the floor very well per the instructions. Used the Rustoleum brand kit found at Lowes. One kit will do a single car garage and costs ~$65. I did it myself and it took about 1 1/2 days - 1 day to clean the floor and 1/2 day to apply the epoxy to all three bays. I brew in the garage and clean up of spilled wort is a breeze. Much better than bare concrete.

+1! I've done three garages with the kits from Lowes or Home Depot and they are awesome! first I did my dads garage 24x36 about 4 years ago, my garage 22x22 two years ago and my brothers garage 24x26 a few months ago. They have all been bulletproof. It took 2 kits for mine and 3 for the others. You definitely should spend a few extra bucks and get the jar of sand grit to mix in. We didn't use enough on my dads and when you come in from the pool dripping wet, you need to be careful because it is slick. Each one took me 2-4 hours the first day to prep and acid wash then 2-3 hours the next day to epoxy. It's dry about a day later and can drive on it 3 days later. Highly recommended! I spill wort and beer all over mine and it is easy to mop up or hose out. Everyone that sees it is really impressed with how good it looks.

 

[marcb]

+1! I've done three garages with the kits from Lowes or Home Depot and they are awesome! first I did my dads garage 24x36 about 4 years ago, my garage 22x22 two years ago and my brothers garage 24x26 a few months ago. They have all been bulletproof. It took 2 kits for mine and 3 for the others. You definitely should spend a few extra bucks and get the jar of sand grit to mix in. We didn't use enough on my dads and when you come in from the pool dripping wet, you need to be careful because it is slick. Each one took me 2-4 hours the first day to prep and acid wash then 2-3 hours the next day to epoxy. It's dry about a day later and can drive on it 3 days later. Highly recommended! I spill wort and beer all over mine and it is easy to mop up or hose out. Everyone that sees it is really impressed with how good it looks.

Wow, thanks! First quote came in at $1600 for 400sf! So maybe I'll be doing it myself after all!

 

[revco]

first scale sketch out of the new space, comments?

It's a good thing you left all that extra room for kegs. You're gonna need it since that beast could keep a single person in drink with 21 beers per day, brewing once a month. Biggest problem I see is you don't have a drive up window in the plans where I can pull up and have a growler filled.

I just really wanted to keep apprised of this project. Carry on.

 

[marcb]

It's a good thing you left all that extra room for kegs. You're gonna need it since that beast could keep a single person in drink with 21 beers per day, brewing once a month. Biggest problem I see is you don't have a drive up window in the plans where I can pull up and have a growler filled.

I just really wanted to keep apprised of this project. Carry on.

Lol, that just cracked me up.... Might be stilted since I've been enjoying homebrew for hours but hey, drive through or no, any time you are in town there is a growler to go with your name on it ; )

 

[marcb]

Progress!

 

[marcb]

finished demo work! time for a beer!

 

[marcb]

finished demo work! time for a beer!

Some services must remain online!

 

[marcb]

Finished the build late last night, here is a quick pic of the finished system!

 

[daksin]

Ha, I chuckled. Where is that? Copper ornamentation on brewhouses bothers me, but you have to admit, it looks good.

 

[marcb]

Ha, I chuckled. Where is that? Copper ornamentation on brewhouses bothers me, but you have to admit, it looks good.

Deschutes brewpub in Portland. Pure beer porn.

 

[daksin]

Well they can afford it.

 

[Carlscan26]

Ha, I chuckled. Where is that? Copper ornamentation on brewhouses bothers me, but you have to admit, it looks good.

Alright, I'll bite. What's wrong with it?

 

[daksin]

Alright, I'll bite. What's wrong with it?

It serves no purpose and is difficult to keep looking that shiny, so you spend even more time keeping that thing clean and looking good and it doesn't even do anything. As if brewers didn't have enough things in the brewery to clean, now they have to polish the brewhouse to a shine when they're done with it?

Expensive, useless, time consuming. Pretty though.

 

[JayMac]

It serves no purpose and is difficult to keep looking that shiny, so you spend even more time keeping that thing clean and looking good and it doesn't even do anything. As if brewers didn't have enough things in the brewery to clean, now they have to polish the brewhouse to a shine when they're done with it?

Expensive, useless, time consuming. Pretty though.

But copper is cheaper, easier to weld, and draws attention!

I agree it doesn't make much sense, but I'm always attracted to the copper tanks! It's probably good for business, provides the bling factor!

 

[marcb]

But copper is cheaper, easier to weld, and draws attention!

I agree it doesn't make much sense, but I'm always attracted to the copper tanks! It's probably good for business, provides the bling factor!

Funny enough, these were behind a door where all the stainless ferms and brights were in front of a huge window.

 

[JayMac]

Funny enough, these were behind a door where all the stainless ferms and brights were in front of a huge window.

Well then, that's a waste of shiny brewery!

 

[marcb]

Back in town and ready to get back cranking on the build. Demo is done, cleanup tonight and begin framing tomorrow.

 

[MadGus]

Subbed! Can't wait to see this.

 

[marcb]

Phew! Thanks to Chamuco for an awesomely productive day! Went from zero to cold room in one day ; )

 

[marcb]

More pics of this weekends progress. Basically cold room is framed out and should be mostly stitched up tomorrow night. Trying to source the LG A/C unit is not easy as its not quite hot season. I'm going with a 15a Lg 15,000 BtU window unit for the cold room.

 

[trip2hard]

Looking good!! This is what we did for a walk in cooler for my nano build. It runs 240 window unit hooked to a cool bot. We got used cooler panels for a good price total cost we around 800 bucks but that was for a room 1080 cubic feet 15x8x9 and including the A/C unit. Gets to 32-35 pretty easily.

 

[marcb]

Looking good!! This is what we did for a walk in cooler for my nano build. It runs 240 window unit hooked to a cool bot. We got used cooler panels for a good price total cost we around 800 bucks but that was for a room 1080 cubic feet 15x8x9 and including the A/C unit. Gets to 32-35 pretty easily.

sweet! Wow, I should have probably gone that route as building it cost considerably more given the cost of materials alone is twice what you paid for everything. It was fun as hell to build out though.

 

[Monster Mash]

Too bad you couldn't vent the AC to the outside, it's going to get pretty hot in your garage.

 

[marcb]

Too bad you couldn't vent the AC to the outside, it's going to get pretty hot in your garage.

Interesting, hasn't thought of that. I'll take a look tonight, I'm sure I can duct that out... I want to keep the garage cool and was even thinking about putting an AC system in the garage wall as well.

 

[nvrstck]

sweet! Wow, I should have probably gone that route as building it cost considerably more given the cost of materials alone is twice what you paid for everything. It was fun as hell to build out though.

I'm just going to throw this out there as an additional source of inspiration... There are auction sites that frequently have commercial walk-in coolers or freezers that sell for under $1,000. Here is a "Kolpak Walk In Freezer 7'X7'X8' Remote compressor" that just closed tonight for $850.00 http://www.rciauctions.com/cgi-bin/mnlist.cgi?rci27/26 These retail for $6,000 to $10,000. In the last few months I've seen them go for cheap in NJ, NC, OH, VA, TX, etc.

 

[marcb]

I'm just going to throw this out there as an additional source of inspiration... There are auction sites that frequently have commercial walk-in coolers or freezers that sell for under $1,000. Here is a "Kolpak Walk In Freezer 7'X7'X8' Remote compressor" that just closed tonight for $850.00 http://www.rciauctions.com/cgi-bin/mnlist.cgi?rci27/26 These retail for $6,000 to $10,000. In the last few months I've seen them go for cheap in NJ, NC, OH, VA, TX, etc.

That's awesome! Throw it out! This is all about sharing information!

 

[fastev]

Too bad you couldn't vent the AC to the outside, it's going to get pretty hot in your garage.

This would actually be very easy to do. Marc mentioned it as we were finishing up the plywood on the walls tonight. We could build a soffit that would directly vent outside. Nice thing is, it would be easy to add later if we determine if it is needed. Good call!

 

[Carlscan26]

This would actually be very easy to do. Marc mentioned it as we were finishing up the plywood on the walls tonight. We could build a soffit that would directly vent outside. Nice thing is, it would be easy to add later if we determine if it is needed. Good call!

Definitely don't cool the garage if you're not venting this thing's heat directly to the outside - it'll be terribly inefficient to double cool that...

 

[marcb]

Definitely don't cool the garage if you're not venting this thing's heat directly to the outside - it'll be terribly inefficient to double cool that...

Nah, we'll just put another AC in to cool that one ; )

 

[fastev]

Definitely don't cool the garage if you're not venting this thing's heat directly to the outside - it'll be terribly inefficient to double cool that...

Should have clarified-- We can build a soffit that will be a chase to vent the cold room A/C unit to the outside. The heat produced would not enter the rest of the garage at all.

 

[Carlscan26]

Should have clarified-- We can build a soffit that will be a chase to vent the cold room A/C unit to the outside. The heat produced would not enter the rest of the garage at all.

Ahh makes more sense and I'm not as tired this morning reading this so that could be it too. :cheers:

 

[marcb]

More pics. Still insulating and finishing up the cold room. AC unit showed up today smashed to hell so it needs to be replaced. Tankless showed up today as well, meeting with Plumber and electrician tomorrow. Construction is coming along nicely!