System Sizing

The sizing and selection of a system is critical to the operational efficiency and overall profitability of a brewery. Use this information as a basic guideline to system configuration. For further information contact the skilled staff at Specific and they will be pleased to assist you in optimizing your brewery for productivity, performance, esthetics, and economy. Use the information request page if you would like to use a submission form to request information.

Calculation of Annual Production

System Size (Brewhouse Size) x Number of brews per week x 50 weeks per year = Annual Production

Example :10 Barrels (bbls) x 3 brews/week x 50 weeks/year = 1500 bbls/year

Calculation of No. of Fermenters Required

Desired Annual Production = No. of Fermenters (to meet desired annual production)
(Brewhouse Size x Vessel Cycles/year)

Sizing for a Brewpub - Example

Parameters:
"1000 barrels per year; 75% Ales, 25% Lagers"
50 brewing weeks / year
14 Day Ales / 28 Day Lagers with full fermentation in fermenters
Ales - 25 cycles / fermenter / year (50 brewing weeks / 2 week fermentation)
Lagers - 12.5 cycles / fermenter / year (50 brewing weeks / 4 week fermentation)
6 beers on tap

Calculate system size and number of fermenters

For example
3.5 barrel system 1000 barrels / year / 3.5 barrel system / 50 brewing weeks/year = 5.8 brews per week
7 barrel system 1000 barrels / year / 7 barrel system / 50 brewing weeks/year = 2.9 brews per week
10 barrel system 1000 barrels / year / 10 barrel system / 50 brewing weeks/year = 2 brews per week
15 barrel system 1000 barrels / year / 15 barrel system / 50 brewing weeks/year = 1.3 brews per week

Comment - One must look at the labor component in selecting a system size.
Most properly sized brewpubs brew 2 - 3 times per week in their first couple of years of operation.
"Brewing less than twice a week, the system may have been oversized to start with."
"Brewing more than 3 times a week, the system may have been initially undersized."
"For this example, either the 7 or 10 barrel system is recommended."

Number of fermenters required
Projected: 750 bbls Ales (75%) & 250 bbls Lagers (25%)

For 7 barrel system
Ales ------> 750 bbls / year / (7 bbls x 25 cycles/year) = 4.2 = 5 Fermenters
Lagers ----> 250 bbls / year / (7 bbls x 12.5 cycles/year) = 2.8 = 3 Fermenters
Total -----> 7 - 8 Fermenters to produce 750 bbls Ales and 250 bbls Lagers

For 10 barrel system
Ales ------> 750 bbls / year / (10 bbls x 25 cycles/year) = 3 Fermenters
Lagers ----> 250 bbls / year / (10 bbls x 12.5 cycles/year) = 2 Fermenters
Total -----> 5 Fermenters to produce 750 bbls Ales and 250 bbls Lagers

Number of Serving Vessels ; Equals number of desired beer styles one wishes to serve via tank to tap.
Note number of beer styles may increase through kegging and/or bottling.

System Recommendation : 10 barrel system with 5 x 10 barrel fermenters and 6 x 10 barrel serving tanks.
Selecting the 10 barrel system over the 7 barrel system has the following benefits:
-good utilization of manpower (2 brews per week)
-reduced floor space (5 fermenters vs. 8 fermenter)
-better priced / more economical (fewer fermenters)
-better expansion capabilities
-meets all system requirements

**Note: Double sized fermenters (and conditioning tanks) may half the number of vessels required to meet annual production.
**Note: All calculations assume 50 brewing weeks per year**

To use this chart pick the size of brewery you are looking for then choose how many brews per week you wish to do and correspond that with the barrels per year on the left hand side of the chart.