Opening a commercial brewery is an exciting endeavor—but also a capital-intensive and detail-heavy project. Whether you’re transitioning from a home brewing setup or launching a new craft beer brand, your choice of equipment will directly impact your beer quality, production efficiency, and scalability.
In this article, we’ll walk you through the ultimate brewing equipment checklist for starting a commercial brewery. We’ll explain what each piece does, offer sizing and selection tips, and help you avoid costly oversights. Plus, we’ll recommend Micet Craft as a trusted supplier for high-quality brewery systems.
1. Brewhouse System (Mash Tun, Lauter Tun, Kettle, Whirlpool)
The brewhouse is the heart of your brewery. It’s where malt is mashed, sugars are extracted, and wort is boiled. A commercial brewhouse generally consists of 2–4 vessels:
- Mash Tun – Converts starches into fermentable sugars using hot water.
- Lauter Tun – Separates wort from the spent grain.
- Boil Kettle – Boils the wort and sterilizes it, also where hops are added.
- Whirlpool Tank – Separates solids post-boil.
Micet Craft offers 2, 3, and 4-vessel brewhouse systems from 5BBL to 50BBL+, with high-quality stainless steel construction, automation options, and precise temperature controls.
Considerations:
- Batch size (in BBL or HL)
- Brewing frequency
- Heating method: steam, electric, or direct fire
- Floor space and layout
- Hot Liquor Tank (HLT): Heats and stores hot water for mashing and cleaning.
- Cold Liquor Tank (CLT): Holds chilled water used to quickly cool wort during transfer.
2. Hot Liquor Tank (HLT) & Cold Liquor Tank (CLT)
These tanks help optimize your brew day and improve energy efficiency. For larger breweries, integrating them with a heat exchanger system reduces water and energy waste.
Micet provides HLT/CLT systems with fully insulated, stainless steel bodies and built-in pumps for seamless circulation.
3. Fermentation Tanks (Unitanks or Fermenters)
Fermenters are where the magic happens—yeast converts sugar into alcohol and CO₂.
Commercial breweries typically use unitanks, which can both ferment and carbonate beer. Look for conical fermenters with:
- Glycol jacketed cooling zones
- Sample valves
- CIP spray balls
- Pressure-rated builds (if used for carbonation)
Micet’s fermentation tanks come in sizes from 3BBL to 100BBL, with custom configurations based on your brewery needs.
Tip: Always plan for future growth—having more fermentation capacity than brew capacity is standard practice.
4. Brite Beer Tanks (Serving Tanks)
Brite tanks are used to clarify, carbonate, and store beer before packaging or serving. These are essential if you’re running a taproom or kegging directly.
Key features:
- ASME-rated pressure tolerance
- Built-in carbonation stones
- Insulated body and glycol jacket
Micet offers horizontal and vertical brite tanks with excellent cooling efficiency and polishing capabilities.
5. Glycol Chiller System
Fermentation requires precise temperature control. A glycol chiller circulates cooled glycol through jackets around your fermenters and brite tanks.
Chiller system includes:
- Glycol reservoir
- Chiller unit
- Circulation pumps
- Piping network
Micet offers integrated glycol systems tailored to your brewery size, with modular designs that allow for future expansion.
6. Heat Exchanger
This is a crucial piece of equipment used to rapidly cool the boiled wort to yeast-pitching temperature (typically ~18–24°C / 64–75°F) using cold water or glycol.
A plate heat exchanger is the most common type and is easy to clean. Micet supplies stainless steel heat exchangers with excellent thermal efficiency and food-grade construction.
7. Pumps & Piping
Pumps move liquid between vessels—wort, water, beer, and cleaning solutions. You’ll need:
- Transfer pumps
- CIP pumps
- Hot water recirculation pumps
Micet provides sanitary centrifugal pumps built to withstand hot temperatures and resist corrosion. Don’t forget high-quality stainless-steel piping, valves, and tri-clamp fittings for easy disassembly and cleaning.
8. CIP (Clean-in-Place) System
Sanitation is non-negotiable in brewing. A CIP system allows you to clean tanks, pipes, and heat exchangers without disassembly. A basic CIP skid includes:
- Caustic and acid tanks
- Hot water rinse
- Recirculating pump
- Spray balls in tanks
Micet offers integrated CIP skids with programmable cleaning cycles, ideal for breweries aiming to reduce manual labor and improve safety.
9. Grain Handling System
This includes:
- Malt mill or roller mill: Grinds malt to the proper crush.
- Grist case: Temporary storage before mashing.
- Auger system: Transfers grain automatically to the mash tun.
Proper grain handling ensures consistent sugar extraction. Micet’s mills are precision-engineered for uniform crush and built to integrate with automated systems.
10. Keg Washer or Packaging Line
You’ll need equipment for filling kegs, cans, or bottles. Common choices:
- Manual keg washers (small scale)
- Semi-automated keg/can fillers (medium scale)
- Fully automated packaging lines (large scale)
Micet can assist with sourcing and integrating packaging systems based on your production volume and container preferences.
11. Control Panel & Automation
Even a 10BBL system benefits from automation—especially for temperature control, pump cycles, and safety alerts.
Micet’s control panels range from manual to PLC-based touchscreen systems, with remote access and process logging features.
12. Lab & QA Equipment (Optional but Recommended)
To ensure consistent beer quality, consider:
- Hydrometer/refractometer
- pH meter
- Yeast microscope
- Oxygen meter
- CO₂ analyzer
You can start basic and scale your QA lab over time, but having at least a pH meter and hydrometer on day one is recommended.
13. Brewery Furniture & Infrastructure
Don’t overlook:
- Stainless steel worktables
- Hose reels
- Drainage systems
- Pallet jacks or forklifts
- Flooring with anti-slip coating and proper slope for drainage
Micet offers layout design consultations to ensure your equipment and infrastructure work together seamlessly.
Micet Craft: Your Trusted Brewing Equipment Partner
Micet Craft is a globally recognized manufacturer of premium brewing systems, with clients across North America, Europe, and Asia. Whether you’re launching a 5BBL taproom brewery or a 30BBL production facility, Micet provides:
- Custom-designed brewhouse systems
- Certified food-grade stainless steel tanks
- CIP-ready automation
- Professional installation and training support
Their turnkey solutions help new breweries launch faster, reduce risks, and improve long-term operational efficiency.
Final Thoughts
Investing in high-quality brewing equipment is one of the most important decisions when opening a commercial brewery. Each component—from your mash tun to your keg washer—affects your beer quality, efficiency, and operating costs.
By choosing reliable manufacturers like Micet, you ensure your brewery is built on a solid foundation. Start with the essentials, plan for scalability, and keep quality control at the forefront.
FAQs
Q1: What size brewhouse should I start with for a new commercial brewery?
It depends on your production goals. A 5BBL to 10BBL brewhouse is common for small taproom-focused breweries, while 15BBL to 30BBL systems are suited for regional distribution. Consider how many batches you plan to brew weekly and future expansion needs. Micet can help you model your batch economics and growth trajectory to select the right brewhouse size.
Q2: How much does it cost to equip a commercial brewery?
Initial equipment costs vary by size:
- Nano brewery (1–3BBL): $50,000–$100,000
- Microbrewery (5–15BBL): $150,000–$350,000
- Production brewery (20BBL+): $500,000+
This includes tanks, brewhouse, chilling system, control panels, and installation. Micet offers modular systems to reduce upfront costs and support phased expansion.
Q3: Can I buy all brewing equipment from one supplier?
Yes, and it’s often advantageous. Suppliers like Micet Craft offer complete turnkey solutions—from brewhouse systems to fermenters, chillers, and packaging lines. This ensures compatibility, easier installation, and streamlined support.
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Company Name: Micetgroup
Contact Person: George Thompson
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City: New York
Country: United States
Website: https://www.micetgroup.com