My name is David Porter, I am the sole director of Porter Brewing Co Ltd and I have been successfully brewing, training, designing and installing breweries for more than fifteen years. Until November 2007 I operated my own 8 barrel brewery at The Griffin Inn in Lancashire, England. This brewery was run by me to supply my own pub estate of 5 pubs. I no longer own any pubs.

I have installed many breweries worldwide, in the last five years I have designed, installed and commissioned more than 60 in the UK alone, These breweries currently account for more than 1000 Barrels weekly capacity into the UK market.

I offer 3 & 4 day micro brewery training courses Click Here for more details.

If you have any queries regarding the contents of this document do not hesitate to contact me on the above, or on my mobile 07976 845705.

If you send me an email please include the word "brewery" in the ‘subject’ to avoid spam filters.

All the equipment described on this site is designed for the production of English style real ale. Plant for other styles of beer and lager can be manufactured, but the specifications of such plant must be discussed at length with myself before a firm price and installation details can be made. The styles of beer encompassed within English style real ale range from milds through bitters, and stouts to barley wines.

The Bar at The Railway, Portwood, Stockport, CAMRA National Pub Championship Runner Up 2003.
A pub I owned until 2007

I follow some key business philosophies with regard to brewery installations; these will help you understand the way I run the operation.

• Quality beers are brewed by the skill of the brewer and the quality of the raw ingredients, not by how much is spent on the plant.
• I am not scared to tell you on this site how much your future brewery is going to cost you. What you see is what you will get. The only additions to the prices listed here are VAT, delivery costs, a charge for travelling time and overnight accommodation (usually only two nights) if applicable. You can of course add as much or as little to the installations as you want (see Extras), but most additions are usually aesthetic (towards show piece) or little add-ons to make the brewing process even easier. The prices listed here will be held for contracts made before 31st March 2008.
• Brewing beer is really quite a simple process, I provide simple solutions to difficult problems with completely balanced, made to order breweries. I refuse to add any unecessary pieces of equipment to complicate this process. However I do believe in making the equipment as efficient in the use of your resources as possible. Consumption of your time, energy and water are vital in the design of the breweries I supply. By not using any secondhand equipment I do not make compromises to the overall success and efficiency of the installations.

All installations quoted here include*: -

• Hot liquor (water) tank fully insulated and clad in decorative and practical varnished timber, complete with permanent digital temperature display. This vessel is guaranteed to lose no more than 3 degrees centigrade a day, without any additional heat input. This vessel collects the very hot water back from the plate heat exchanger when cooling the beer from the 'copper'.
• Infusion style mash tun insulated and clad in decorative varnished timber and underback
• Copper (boiling kettle) insulated and clad in decorative varnished timber
• Full specification stainless steel plate heat exchanger with wall bracket
• Two fermenting vessels allowing two batches of beer to be produced each week
• 3 identical stainless steel hygienic transfer pumps
• All associated valves, pipes, and fittings
• Additional hop filter and automatic underback and valentine for installations of 8 barrels or greater
• Clean in Place (CIP) system for the fermenting vessel - copper - heat exchanger 'loop'
• Help with negotiations with British legalities and institutions
• Welded cooling panels on stainless steel fermenting vessels on the 6 barrel breweries (or greater) for the addition of cooling water.
• Recipe formulation for many types and styles of beer
• One complete brew demonstrated by me for training purposes and to trouble shoot any problems
• Help line at any time
• One year back up on all installations and equipment including all manufactures warranties
• Small tools, instruments and fermenting vessel heater
• All installations utilize electricity as their power source
• All equipment is made to specification in Stainless Steel or new off the shelf.
• Temperature probe pockets are a standard on all stainless steel fermenting vessels for digital displays. The digital displays are an extra but can be added at a later date.
• Free advice on marketing, sales, business plans and costs. I will also be happy about giving information on utility requirements, legal permissions, site suitability and layout.
• Free training DVD for customers to see how to use the equipment and brew beer before (and after) installation. This DVD covers the complete beer making process in easy to access sections from grist composition to beer cellar management.

  * The specification for the 1 barrel brewery differs slightly from the above.

Having Problems with Your Current Plant or Beer Quality?

I can take commissions to investigate and eradicate your problems

If I do not eradicate your problems, I will give you all your fees back!

36 UK gallons = 1 British Brewers Barrel (BBL) = 163.6 litres = 288 pints = 43.2 US gallons.
All brewery sizes are true plant yields without 'watering down'. Therefore, for example, a 6 barrel brewery will yield 24 nine gallon casks.

1 Barrel Brewery
Price £3,200.00 + VAT

Click here for specification

2.5 Barrel Breweries (400 litres, 90 UK gallons)

This brewery should be small enough to fit into most buildings and beer cellars, and large enough to be of commercial consideration.

The fermenting vessels are manufactured in food grade polyethylene and all brewhouse vessels are fabricated new in stainless steel. Concerns about polyethylene? Click Here

Minimum production quantity is about 36 gallons.
Price £7,800.00... €10.500.00

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...................................................................... ....Fancy a brewery in your garage?

Reference contact :- Mr. Roger Green, Beachy Head Brewery, E. Sussex. 01323 733603

4 Barrel Brewery (650 litres 140 UK gallons)

This basic 4 barrel brewery includes all-purpose made Stainless Steel vessels.
This is usually the maximum size of operation that can utilize single-phase electricity supply.

Price £11,000.00... €14.900.00

Reference contact :- Mr. John Fish, Glenfinnan Brewery, Scotland. 01397 704309

5.5 or 6 Barrel Breweries (980 litres 215 UK gallons)

This my most popular installation being of a size that when producing 2 batches a week should produce enough income to support a viable business venture on a full time basis for one person.

I have installed over 20 breweries of this size in the last 4 years.

Prices:-

• £ 10,700.00 ...€14.400.00 as the basic system with food grade polyethelene fermenting vessels (5.5) Reference contact :- Martin Roden and John Baldock, Derventio Brewery, Derby 07816 878129. Concerns about polyethylene? Click Here
• £13,700.00...€18.300.00 as a system built all in stainless steel (6.0) Reference contact:- Gary Walters, Ludlow Brewery, Shropshire 07939 283800
• £21,000.00...€28.000.00 as a showpiece installation with copper topped copper (6.0)
• £23,500.00   € 30.000.00 as a showpiece installation with a copper topped copper and stainless steel cladding.

"You only smile for the first couple of hundred brews or so"

Bob Yates, Tunnel Brewery

8.0 Barrel Breweries (1300 litres)
Prices start from £16,300.00... €21.750.00
Reference contact: Roland Berry, Battledown Brewery, Glos. 07734 834104

The proud team at Howard Town brewery after their overall gold victory at the SIBA awards 2007

10.0 Barrel Breweries (1600 litres)
Prices start from £20,100.00... €27.000.00

There is a significant increase in plant specification from the 8 to 10 barrel breweries.

Reference c ontact:- David McLaren, Spire Brewery, Chesterfield 01246 476005

12.0 Barrel Breweries (2000 litres)
Prices start from £22,500.00... €30.000.00

20.0 Barrel Breweries (3200 litres)
Including in addition to above.

• Malt mill, auger and hydrator
• Cold liquor (water) tank fully insulated and clad in decorative varnished timber and pump
• Refrigeration units
• A total of 3 fermenting vessels (conditioning tanks) fully pressure tested and purpose made

This equipment is capable of producing Lager with the addition of filtration equipment for an extra £4,500.00... €6.700.00

Prices start from £50,800.00... €67.700.00

City of Stirling Brewery
Scotland

40 barrel Breweries (6500 litres)
Prices start from £68,500.00 € 91,400.00
This brewery carries the same specification as the 20 barrel breweries but the malt mill is rated > 1 tonne/hour.

Optional extras click here

There are of course many hybrids of the above systems, and if those listed here seem not to suit your requirements the please speak to me direct. Creating breweries from new materials obviously gives the ability to produce an infinite number of variables in the sizes of the vessels.

Gas and steam fired systems can be quoted separately.

Mirror finish stainless steel cladding on the brewing vessels, can be quoted separately. For mill finish stainless steel cladding add 7% to the prices of the 4, 6 and 8 barrel breweries. Larger breweries will be quoted separately.

Area requirements obviously differ with each brewery. Ideally the brewery should be split into two distinct areas, one for the 'brewhouse' and the other for the fermenting room. Most breweries can be squeezed into suitable areas. If space or access is a problem then please contact me and I'm sure we will be able to come to some configuration to fit.

I have designed and installed small area installations.
For example - the brewhouse vessels (hot liquor tank, mash tun, copper) + heat exchanger, three pumps and pipework into areas

• 3.1m x 1.5m for a 4 barrel
• & 4.9m x 1.7m for a 6 barrel

Please note that these restrictions do not make for an ideal - easy to operate system.

Minimum production quantities of all the breweries specified here is about 30% of total capacity.

...................................4 BBL Brewery..... ...... .............................

There will also be a requirement for additional areas for cask washing, malt store, cold room (optional), and empty cask storage.

If your requirement is for the 'boutique' style installation as seen in many continental and North American brew pubs then I will more than happy to review your specification and submit a quotation for the work.

Breweries commissioned for the Capital Pub Company, London

Export Orders

Export orders can be installed by one of two ways:-

1. The brewery is assembled fully in the UK and then broken down and shipped at the customers expense. I can then easily re-assemble the equipment with the customer supplying a basic tool kit. Therefore I can fly out, install the plant and do training (usually) in less than two days. Flight costs, flight time, and additional days training are chargeable extras. Kit packing the brewery in this manner will have a 3% additional cost to cover the extra work involved.
2. We can pack and deliver the brewery in the usual manner and we can drive to install as normal. This method will only really applies to mainland Europe. 'Distance charge' (traveling time costs) could obviously be quite large.
   

For details of the range of Optional Extras available click here

Cask and keg washers can be supplied for £1,600 for a single head, £2,200 for a twin head or £2,800 for the triple head plus VAT, delivery and training. New full brewery customers have delivery, installation, and training costs included in the price.

Twin head cask washers

Twin head.

Cold chemical wash, all stainless steel frame with stainless steel rotating heads. Capable of cleaning stainless steel and plastic casks of 9, 18, or 36 gallon sizes.

The washer pictured should be capable of cleaning 14 units an hour

If not already specifically included above (20 and 40 BBL Breweries), my standard installations do not include:-

• Refrigeration
• Air conditioning systems
• Casks and cask washing facilities
• Delivery vehicle
• Building work including exit holes for the copper chimney
• Wall, floor coverings and drainage
• Electrical works
• Stock

As a general guidance the minimum set up cost you should expect for the total installation of a potential brewery will be about two to two half times the costs itemised above.

On the plus side you should be able to produce a quality 4.0% ABV ale for about £0.28p a pint duty paid.

Full costing will be give upon any request for further information.

Before you can become operational in the UK you will need:-

• Permission to brew from Customs & Excise
• Permission to brew from environmental health. Equipment specification has never been a problem with any EHO, but you will need to clear the external environmental impact and the building specification.
• Permission to dispose of trade effluent, usually provided by you water suppliers.
• Consent from planning authorities, if necessary.
• Assistance will be given with the above bodies but rest assured that negotiations are not as onerous as you may think, especially with proper guidance
• Adequate single-phase electricity supplies and points, preferably waterproof sockets that must be protected with RCDs
• 3 phase electricity supply for greater than 4BBL installations
• Adequate site drainage to mains. It is the customers complete responsibility if mains drainage is not available
• Adequate access to atmosphere for an exhaust chimney for fumes and steam
• Adequate (volume & quality) mains water supply
• Suitable collection of spent malt, (this usually involves some income)
• Suitable collection of spent hops, (these can usually be biodegraded for plant mulch)
• Adequate ventilation
• Completely sealed and/or drainable floors, + adequately sealed walls
• Competent person/s dedicated to become your brewer/s

What you will need to buy/source:-

• Additional hydrometers/ sacchrometers. (You will break them with annoying regularity)
• Stock of malt & hops
• Clarification agents
• Casks and a device for cleaning them
• Cask closures
• Good yeast supply. (There are many quality national sources even if a local supplier can not be found)
• Sterilising solutions
• Qualified electrician to prepare the brewery site and be there for the first day of installation. All electrical appliances are supplied without wiring.
• Safety equipment for you and/or brewer i.e. chemical proof gloves, goggles, eye wash station, capped wellingtons etc

Many of the above supplies can be brought to site in order to complete the first brew. All consumable stock will be invoiced at cost.

For further information and assistance – The Micro Brewers Handbook by Ted Bruning www.navigatorguides.com  ISBN 978-1-903872-22-2 priced at £7.95.

Site visits are not normally required (therefore avoiding the cost) as most breweries can be installed by me if the customer supplies detailed photographs and scale plans.

PBC customers will also be given unique access to a brewery customer contact page to:-

• share your views
• exchange ideas
• exchange success stories
• buy and sell
• or just have a good moan in confidence.
  

Ususal steps to a successful and trouble free installation:-

1. Visit me in north Manchester or visit one of my customers in your area (or both)
2. Enter into negotiations about specification and installation date
3. Send detailed photographs and scale plans
4. Receive full specification, detailed plans and price
5. Agree delivery / installation date and pay a deposit (usually £1000.00 + VAT)
6. Receive and have your brewery installed and tested
7. Study the detailed training DVD.
8. Continue successfully Brewing
   
   

Usual Payment Terms

• Deposit of £1,000.00 + VAT payable when final terms and conditions have been agreed and provisional installation date has been set. Cheques made payable to Porter Brewing Co. Ltd.
• 1/3 of the contract price one week before the scheduled installation or upon receipt of any vessels.
• 1/3 at the end of the first day of installation by banker's draft or banker's direct transfer.
• Remainder at the end of the brewing and training day + extras +value of any stock left or consumed.

Terms for 1 barrel and export orders are different from the above

Owing to an excessive workload, current lead times are running at 3 to 5 months.

If your knowledge of brewing is based on little to none, then do not worry, I have taken many virgins whose only understanding of quality ale has been how to drink it! Then gently brought them to the understanding of the mysteries of ale production. They are now happy brewers unleashing quality wares on the greatly receiving world?

For a full list of my UK customers then visit the quaffale website http://www.quaffale.org.uk/php/search.php?search=PBC

Useful Contacts

Specialist Brewery Insurance - Towergate Partnership 0870 909 6950

Pump Clips
Inn Print - 01202 605166 info@innprint-design.co.uk
Colour Scan - 01527 510262 www.lemonpress.co.uk
Chris Aston Ceramics Tel: 01777 838391 http://www.chrisastonceramics.co.uk/beer

Pump Clip Design Services - Mr Martin Wood - 07624 305264 mar10wood@msn.com

Casks
Plastic - Cypherco 01432 343340 email info@cypherco.com about £19.00 each
Stainless Steel - Hereford Casks - Chris Strange - 01432 890602 about £60 each
You could try Kammac - Burton-u-Trent 01283 743734
You could try Maisonneuve (French) UK agent 01446 795686

Shives & Keystones - Rankin Bros - 01844 203100, www.rankincork.co.uk

Small Scale Bottling - Mr. Adrian Corke - 01538 361919 leekbrewery@hotmail.com

Brewing Additives & Clarification Agents
AB Vickers - 01283 563268
Murphy's - 0115 9785494 (know what you want before you speak to them)

Cleansing Chemicals & Sterilants – Holchem, 01706 222288, www.holchem.co.uk

Hops - C Faram & Co - 01905 830734 www.wellhopped.co.uk

Malt - Muntons - 01449 618300 www.muntons.com

Scientific Analysis of Beer - Claywood Consultants - 0114 2366924

Fungicidal Wall Paint - Liquid Plastics - "Steridex" - 01772 259781 info@liquidplastics.com

Air Conditioning installations - TRAC 0161 406 8995 trac_ltd@hotmail.com

No commission, fees, or discounts have been taken for any of the above recommendations.

PBC Brewery Installations Customer Conference 2006

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2006 Speakers

Paul Corbett - Charles Faram Hops
Garrett Oliver - Brooklyn Brewery
David Porter - Porter Brewing Company
Dick Venes - Saffron Environmental Associates

PBC Brewery Installations Customer Conference 2007

2007 Speakers

Adrian Corke - Leek Brewery
Dr. Nigel Davies - Muntons Malt plc
Steve Holt - Vertical Drinks Ltd www.verticaldrinks.com
Barrie Pepper - Author
Myles Pinfold - WPA Pinfold www.wpa-pinfold.co.uk
David Porter - Porter Brewing Co Ltd

Including Delegates From:-

Allendale Brewery
Appleford Brewery
Atomic Brewery
Battledown Brewery
Bridestones Brewery
Derventio Brewery
Edale Brewery
Fuzzy Duck Brewery
Glenfinnan Brewery
Hoggleys Brewery
Hopstar Brewery
Howard Town. Brewery
Jacobi Brewery
Keld Brewery
Leek Brewery
Little Valley Brewery
Ludlow Brewery
Nailsworth Brewery
Naylor's Brewery
Red Rock Brewery
Red Rose Brewery
Severn Vale Brewery
Spitting Feathers Brewery
Tollgate Brewery
Tunnel Brewery

© Porter Brewing Co Ltd 2007