Details

Category: Brewery

Published: 06 April 2016

Hits: 1654

[sigplus] Critical error: The Graphics Draw (gd) or ImageMagick (imagick) image processing library has to be enabled in the PHP configuration to generate thumbnails.

As promised, sitting here cruising along at 28,000 feet, I am updating a few of these pages.  the brewing area/Bar is coming along very nicely.   I was originally planning on a different spot in the basement and at the last minute decided on using the corner I am using - hence all the extra crap that is pushed off to both sides at the moment.  Reason for that is the other spot that everything would get moved to is home to another project at the time, so space is very tight.

So far I have the front and side framed out, as well as the work surface on the side finished.  The working surface is two layers of 1/2 inch OSB that has been sanded and had four coats of polyurethane applied.  I went with two 1/2 inch pieces to add a little thickness over a single 3/4 piece.   The final coat will be applied once all surfaces are down - either another poly to seal all the seams etc.. or a coat of epoxy.

I mentioned the front of it was framed.   I had hoped to get the top work surface on it before this trip but ran out of time.  I had been leaving it open while I decided on what was going under the counter.   Most of the under counter area is going to be the keg cooler, most likely with room for bottles, as well as cooling for the soda gun system we are adding.   I am thinking that a water bath, cooled by the forced cold air, might work.  I would arrange it so the cooling air hit the water bath first, keeping it a bit cooler than the rest of the air.   My other alternative would be a DIY Glycol system, with the soda cold plate in the glycol bath and a heat exchanger/radiator to cool the beer-cooling-air. So, with all of those decisions up in the air, I kept it open - only to decide that I could finish the top and just build the cooler area from the inside.  Oh and to minimize the risk of damage, the bar top is going to be last.  I have decided that it will be a layer of caps under epoxy bartop finish.  I have approximately 1200 of the 2000 caps that I need to complete the surface, and will order the rest within a few weeks.

The last construction phase will be to get the "back" work area built up, probably after the rest is 100% complete. Under that section I will leave space for a dishwasher, for glassware and sanitizing bottles.

Somewhere in there, probaby between the bar top and the back section being built, the brewing parts need to be built - vent hood being the biggest part of that, followed by the electrical controls for the boil coil - and of course installing the coil into the kettle itself.

{gallery}brewarea1{/gallery}

Details

Category: Brewery

Published: 07 February 2016

Hits: 2816

Pictures soon...

This past weekend we got most of the area cleaned out a much as needed - and hoping to wrap that up this weekend and with a little bit of luck get the lumber we need dropped off so we can get started.

Design is mostly decided on.  Along the back wall will be a 6 foot section, with a lower roll-away base on the far left end - this will be for the filled fermenter, to roll it down to the fermentation chamber.   On the right end we are going to have the smaller sink right in the corner, and from there it will extend out into the basement.  From here we have one of two options. It will either end there, out 9 feet from the back wall, or alternatively it will wrap back around in a horseshoe shape.  Possibly just a 4 foot section.

Or my third option is to move the the opposite wall and set up so that with your back to the front wall the work area follows the wall to your left side, out the same 8 feet, then turns into the room for 8 feet again.   Benefit to this is we would have a window behind the work area, and it is more out of the way.  Also closer to the electric panel.  Downsides are that water, drainage, and ventilation would need to run all the way across the basement. But it would be a "cleaner" work area as far as obstructions go, and it could theoretically morph into a brew/bar area.... Decisions, decisions.

Details

Category: Brewery

Published: 03 March 2016

Hits: 1481

OK really quick update for those following along - Decision has been made, it will be a U shaped workspace.  Standing with your back to the basement corner - to the right will be a 6 foot workbench plus 2x2 low roll away dolly, for transporting full carboys.  To the left there will be an 8 foot section or workbench, and straight ahead there will be an 8 foot work/ bar aree.

On either the bar or the left end work area there will of course be a sink.  Underneath will be room for  a minifridge for two kegs, plus space/power/water for a dishwasher.  Under all three sides, except fridge an DW area will be shelving, set back about 8 inches so not banging legs into it...

Bartop I am going back and forth on still; it will either be bottle caps or bar coasters under an epoxy poured surface.