If you could design your perfect brewery...

I thought this would be about the the design of the brew house and tank farm. Never mind.

 

That's what I was thinking, too. Hence the picture -- which doesn't show the 10 horizontal lagering tanks around back...and the fact that it is located within the Weyermann maltings, ensuring that your malt is as fresh as possible.

 

In all honesty, in a perfect world, I'd be able to brew whatever I want no matter the cost. I might go with one or two flagship beers and then just brew whatever suits my fancy. But this isn't a perfect world so I can't have a perfect brewery. But boy would I love to have a load of lagering tanks in there. And I'd have to mix a steinbier in there every once in a while. And still I'd brew plenty of ales that suited my fancy. Everything would be on tap for people to come and enjoy it with friends.

 

General philosophy of local and sustainable; as many ingredients as possible (food and brewing) sourced from the local area, windmills on the roof and all that hippie bullshit I like. Smallish brewpub with canning line. Regional distribution at most. Flagships would be a subtle, citrusy pale ale and a mellow, chocolatey porter. Rotating lots of European-style session beers. Wits and lagers in the warmer weather; rye IPA, English barleywine, and a MASSIVE stout in cooler weather. Weird flights of fancy every now and then. Some small-scale barrel aging for brewery-only bottles. The occasional hop bomb, but only for the ratings. Food would be the secondary draw, but still high quality. Little snackies more than steaks and fried cheese and whatnot. A few sandwiches and some flatbread/pizza contraptions. Music will be awesome, but low to moderate volume. No TVs. Fuck a damn TV.

 

As a homebrewer I have often daydreamed about this...
I'd focus on american versions of several styles. My flagship would be an american pale I've brewed several times and have won gold with I competition. Probably have a cream ale, an amber, a brown and an american farmhouse on tap as well. I would havve two or three rotating seasonal taps for my multigrain stout, maybe a prter or barley wine as well in the winter, and an ipa or saisoon in the summer. Typical brew pub, maybe some bar food done well, nachos, stuffed jalapenos, green chile with tortillas. No music, maybe a fooseball table or two, some shuffle board. rustic feel, maybe some beetle kill woodwork for the bar and tables. Probably have a small barrel room for a couple of experimental brews.