How small can a brewery be built? A guide to building a small craft brewery

1. What counts as a "brewery"? The definition can be flexible

Traditionally, a brewery is usually a large-scale production facility with an annual output of more than 10,000 tons, equipped with multiple fermentation tanks, canning lines and refrigeration

 systems. However, with the development of the times and the advancement of technology, in the modern craft brewing wave, a small workshop with an annual output of 500L can also be

 called a "brewery."

The scale of a brewery does not necessarily have to be large, but it must meet three basic conditions:

Independent brewing system (even a home craft beer brewing kit)

Clear product process and hygiene standards

Production license that complies with local regulations

In fact, from using a desktop beer brewing machine for home to installing a complete set of professional beer making equipment, a small brewery can adapt to a variety of spaces and budgets

 and the budget will not be very high, and it can also bring some profits.

2. How small can the smallest brewery be? Look at these extreme cases

In our research, we found that many very small but well-functioning breweries have appeared around the world:

A couple installed a 50-liter fermentation system in their RV, which can produce two batches of beer per month for camping activities; this 50L equipment was purchased from tonsen and is

 very convenient to use because tosen provides complete operating instructions.

A Japanese cafe installed a mini saccharification tank and a small cooler behind the operating table, using standard beer making equipment stainless steel materials to create an exclusive

 menu; it increased the cafe's attendance rate and also attracted some customers who checked in.

Some entrepreneurs in the United States used garage space to build small breweries and purchased "micro brewery equipment for sale" projects to start low-cost trial operations.

These cases show that as long as the space planning is reasonable and the equipment selection is appropriate, you can build a "brewery" in a space of less than 10 square meters.

3. What equipment do you need to build a micro brewery?

Equipment is the core of a small brewery. Even if you don't pursue high automation, you should ensure that the brewing process is complete. Only complete processes and equipment can 

brew good beer. Tonsen Company has listed a typical small brewery equipment list for everyone:

Saccharification pot/cooking pot: used to convert maltose into sugar.

Fermentation tank: It is recommended to use food-grade stainless steel for easy cleaning and temperature control.

Cooling system: ensure that the fermentation temperature is controlled in the ideal range.

Packaging equipment: such as bottlers, cappers, small filling machines, etc.

Cleaning and CIP equipment: keep the brewing process hygienic and compliant.

You can choose a complete set of equipment for making beer, or you can purchase components from multiple suppliers in batches and assemble them in combination with beer brewing 

equipment installation parts supply services.

Starters can consider looking for "craft brewery equipment for sale" or second-hand equipment platforms to reduce starting costs. Moreover, beer equipment now has a long service life and

 good safety. If funds are insufficient, second-hand equipment can also achieve the purpose of first-hand equipment, while also reducing the budget.

4. Site requirements: How small a place can brew?

A standard small brewing space can be very compact and does not require a large space to complete. Taking a system with an annual output of about 1000L as an example, the recommended

 site area is: Brewing operation area: 10-20 square meters Packaging area: 5-10 square meters Storage and refrigeration area: about 10 square meters (can be replaced by cold storage or 

refrigerator) A total of only 30-40 square meters is needed to build a fully functional micro-brewery. If you are in the city center or an area with expensive rent, you can consider renting a

 shared brewing space, or using the workshop model combined with e-commerce channels to maximize space utilization. 

5. How to start your brewery? It is not that complicated from  conception to licensing.

 Many people don’t know how to start the brewing journey. In fact, from 0 to 1 is not as complicated as you think. Tonsen has listed a simplified version of the "how 

to open up a brewery" process reference for us: Planning goals and budgets Make it clear whether you want to open an experiential brewery, a brand trial workshop, or just do mass 

production. Choose equipment and suppliers Find the "professional beer making equipment" or "beer making machine for home" that suits you. Find a site and apply for a permit

Different countries/cities have different health, fire and registration regulations for food and beverage facilities. It is very important to communicate with local industrial and commercial and

 food regulatory departments in advance.

Find "beer making supplies near me"

Including raw materials, bottle caps, label paper, etc. Some suppliers can provide one-stop services from formula to brand design.

Installation and debugging, start trial brewing

It is not recommended to directly mass produce in the early stage, and 3-5 small batches can be tested first.

Brand online, sales

It can be launched through multiple channels such as bar cooperation, e-commerce platforms, and self-media marketing.

6. who is a small brewery suitable for? These scenarios cannot be ignored

You may ask: What groups and business models are suitable for a mini brewery?

Tavern owner: create customized flavors for your own store to increase added value;

Coffee shop owner: use a "simple machine brewing company" style small system to enrich the night menu;

Catering entrepreneur: turn brewing into interactive content or traffic entrance;

Craft beer enthusiasts: have a long-term interest in brewing and hope to sell products legally;

Brands/distributors: no longer rely on OEM after having the ability to develop their own products.

No matter what kind of person you are, a small brewery opens up the possibility of "productivity upgrade" for you.

7. Recommendation of small equipment: kits, units and systemized products

Entry-level users can start with home craft beer brewing kits and learn while playing;

Commercial users are advised to start with the configuration of beer making equipment stainless steel material;

Users with a certain foundation can search for the keywords "micro brewery equipment for sale" or "craft brewery equipment for sale" to find equipment that supports automatic temperature 

control and batch fermentation;

When you are not sure how to configure the equipment, it is recommended to ask the supplier whether it includes "beer brewing equipment installation parts supply" support.

8. Conclusion: Small does not mean weak, micro breweries can also make big business

Under the current business trend of "personalization, customization, and decentralization", small breweries are no longer just the dream of enthusiasts, but a new productivity weapon in the hands of brand owners, e-commerce players and alcohol entrepreneurs.

You don't need to have a factory building of thousands of square meters, nor do you need to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in assembly lines. As long as you have a small and 

compliant space, a set of suitable brewing equipment and a heart that loves beer, it is enough to start your own brewing brand.