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Subtitle: From nano to regional – a capacity planning guide for brewpub owners and procurement managers

One of the most common searches we see from new brewery owners is: “What size brewhouse should I start with?” The answer is never just a number. It depends on your taproom footfall, distribution ambitions, and how quickly you plan to rotate fermenters.

Question: “Is it better to start with a 5hL or a 10hL system?”

Most advisors will say “buy as large as you can afford.” That is risky. A 10hL brewhouse that runs half-empty wastes energy, increases cleaning frequency, and ties up capital that could have bought two extra fermenters. A smarter approach: size your brewhouse for your average weekly sales volume, not your peak. Then add extra unitanks for lagering or seasonal releases.

For a brewpub that sells 1,000hL per year, a 5hL brewhouse running two turns per day is often more efficient than a 10hL system running one turn. Why? You gain flexibility in recipe switching and reduce wort holding time.

Question: “What if I plan to grow from brewpub to regional in three years?”

This is where modular design saves you. A brewhouse with removable extension collars, standardized port sizes, and a scalable automation cabinet allows you to increase batch volume by 30–50% without replacing the main vessels. We have helped breweries in Austria and New Zealand double their output by simply adding a second mash kettle and a larger hot liquor tank – keeping the original lauter tun and control panel.

Question: “How many fermenters do I really need?”

A common rule: for every 1hL of brewhouse capacity, you need 3–4hL of fermentation volume to maintain a weekly cycle (7–10 days fermentation + 3 days cold crash). So a 10hL brewhouse should have 30–40hL of fermenter space. Many cost-cutting quotes only include two unitanks – that forces you to brew and package on a tight, stressful schedule.

What the smart procurement manager asks before signing

“Does your brewhouse allow me to add a second whirlpool later?”

“Are your fermenters stackable (vertical configuration) to save floor space?”

“Can I use the same glycol chiller if I double the number of tanks?”

We answer each with technical drawings and performance curves – not marketing fluff.

Your capacity is a living number
Do not guess. Tell us your planned weekly pints sold, canning line speed (if any), and distribution radius. We will calculate a brewhouse + fermenter matrix that fits today and flexes for tomorrow.

→ Leave a message with your target annual production (in hectoliters). Our brewing engineers will reply with a tailored vessel list and a 3D layout sketch – free, no obligation.