Creative new brewers and near enough outrageous flavours have made people, young and old, excited about beer again. The last few years have seen a boom of interest in brewing and different beer styles, and as such, running a Craft Beer Brewery can now be big business. In 2014, it's safe to say the Craft Beer Revolution has taken over the world.

There are now more than 1200 breweries in the UK – higher than at any time for nearly a century with almost a hundred openings each year. Some take over old breweries and some construct brand new venues, but everyone needs certain standard items and facilities which they cannot brew without.

Setting up a brewery is more than just water, hops, malts and yeast. You may need an architect to design the interior and exterior of the building. You need to have several services, including water, telecoms and a power supply installed. You need a plumber to install a drainage system suitable for the disposal of liquor effluent, not to mention the tanks and the valves. And that’s just the start. Savvy price comparison of service providers and tradesmen quickly becomes the best friend of a new brewer.

However, there are now several companies who offer a full installation service for hopeful brewers-to-be, from drains to welded cooling panels on stainless steel fermenting vessels. To name but one, PBC Brewery Installations in Bury, Lancashire quotes an approximate figure of a mere £10K for a 2 tank brewery installation, small enough to fit into most buildings and beer cellars, and large enough to be of serious commercial consideration.

While it is a well known fact that running a microbrewery probably won't make you a fortune, those involved can join a growing, committed community and better still get to play a part in a significant shift within the beer industry, which has been noticed by the big players as well.

A better choice and bolder flavours? We can all drink to that.


Useful links:

• Read how Horstmann motorised central heating zone valves help a micro brewery brew top tipple
• Even flooring is important! Read how Flowcrete’s Antimicrobial Urethane Flooring played a critical role in the delivery of a state-of-the-art brewhouse