Nano/Pilot Brewery Build

[lancon]

Thanks for that. Yep I'm aware there are some hurdles. I know two larger micro breweries with 500 litre systems that are running out of their garages/out buildings of their property. They had to jump through a few hoops, but mainly, for them, because they lived in rural locations and their drainage ran directly into a river they had to ensure their run off was treated before going into the river. I'm not so fortunate to live in such a nice rural location and drainage is connected into the system along with a thousand other homes so shouldn't be an issue for me, or at least they didn't seem to think so, due to dilution effect of all the other homes run off water before the water ends up in a natural waterway....but we'll see. For me this is just a small enterprise I can run at my own convenience so doesn't' make sense if I'd have to do it off site in a unit or something. However I've been offered to cuckoo brew off either of their two systems if I wanted or needed. But I don't think I'll need 500 litres for supplying a couple of crates of bottles to a small restaurant a month and a keg to the local pub every now and again.

Extraction shouldn't be an issue and my kettle already has a condenser lid. I've also already run water into the garage so can fit a sink...luckily I have a toilet the other side of the back wall of the garage. Just need de-cluttering as it's currently also a workshop, bike storage, old paint tin storage and for storage for a host of other odds and sods I've forgotten about. Need to decant that lot into another location or chuck half of it.

But absolutely worth doing, good luck, it is very satisfying in the end.
Another problem I had was neighbour, cost £400 to go through planning to be told that my application had failed, but as system small didn't need planning!
And then neighbour put in a complaint re smell.
Neighbour would complain about anything.

I just hope my DIY controller build doesn't need some sort of certificate of safety or something or I'll be truly scuppered

Only problem would be with house insurance? PAT certificated £20?

 

[hoppyscotty]

Once the hlt is done I may have a brew day maybe a simple smash beer. The hlt elements I have are rather manky so will be binned.

At the moment plans to sell are a long term goal and may not happen but the system doesn't take up much space in the garage and I like a project was either this or a motorbike restoration.

I got a couple of nice stainless steel elements from Dark Farm to replace the manky non-stainless steel central heating elements that came with mine. reasonable price and with proper triclamp fittings.

 

[Rugby Fan.]

I just hope my DIY controller build doesn't need some sort of certificate of safety or something or I'll be truly scuppered

That'd be more a concern for your insurance company I'd say

 

[hoppyscotty]

That'd be more a concern for your insurance company I'd say

True, but I never leave things unattended when brewing so if there were something that went wrong then I'd be on it immediately. Not as if my HLT is so large I have to heat it up overnight, It takes about 40 mins to an hour to heat the water in the HLT so can do that within a brewday as I'm prepping and setting other things up.

I'm not that inept at electrics and have built in some additional circuit breakers, but ultimately all I've doing is wiring up off the shelf components and have been careful to size wire gauges correctly and make sure everything is earthed so though it may not be a tidy and professional looking build it is functional and (should be) safe. A PAT test sounds like a sensible idea though.

 

[MashBag]

If the poster at post 15 wants to supply pub then legal necessary

That is easily got around. Either as employee or they purchase the ingredients and/or "services".

Don't get me wrong, I am not against doing it legally, but people use the term quite blasé without fully understanding what a proper PITA it can be, and once you have put your head above the parapet how difficult it is to reverse.

 

[lancon]

That is easily got around. Either as employee or they purchase the ingredients and/or "services".

Don't get me wrong, I am not against doing it legally, but people use the term quite blasé without fully understanding what a proper PITA it can be, and once you have put your head above the parapet how difficult it is to reverse.

Surely if beer is being made for selling then someone must register HMRC/EHO (and if reselling to trade AWRS) ?

 

[hoppyscotty]

Still going around what’s required but I’ve not managed to find a ‘way around it’ some pub landlords are more willing rhan others to bend the rules for one off’s like charity events or beer festivals. Our homebrew club were planing a competition with the prize that the winning beer would be brewed by the pubs brewery but it would have been under their brewery and produced by them.

Also hmrc don’t take kindly to people trying to circumvent the system so just easier to do it properly. Not much of an issue to create a company and register with hmrc. And as a very small producer you will be subject to a lower duty rate anyway or might fall under any duty at all.

 

[PilloryBrewingCo.]

Sorry, not been on for a while. Not much of an update to be honest, more cleaning and measuring up the HLT, My order from my favourite aliexpress seller has arrived in the country so should be landing soon on my doorstep.

 

[PilloryBrewingCo.]

I got a couple of nice stainless steel elements from Dark Farm to replace the manky non-stainless steel central heating elements that came with mine. reasonable price and with proper triclamp fittings.

I have a Dark Farm System, all seems good quality so far. Ordered my bits from Aliexpress to save some money, but shipping times are rather slow...

 

[PilloryBrewingCo.]

Well I had a parcel turn up today, some 3 piece valves, tri clamp bulkhead fittings, heating element, whirlpool bits and rather nice sight glass.

 

[hoppyscotty]

Looking pro!!

 

[Steven Thompson]

Interesting thread. I am just starting to think about doing something similar - How are things going in 2024?