Floors are done!

I like weeks like this.  I finished up the floors…finally.  I gave them a simple, inexpensive acrylic-polyurethane clear coat with a 1/4″ nap roller.  This took two coats and I used about a gallon and a half.

Walk-in cooler

Now that the floors are done (for the fermentors coming in soon), I need to start building the walk-in cooler.  This involves a lot of math so I right-size it the first time and don’t run out of room.  Essentially I have to figure out the maximum throughput I will have with three 3.5 bbl fermentors given my current brew cycles and my best guess at lager/ale percentages.  I do have room for another 1-2 fermentors so I have to keep that in mind.

I want to have the option to stack three high and this will also be where I dispense too.  With a 8′ x 15′ cooler, I will have the room for about 70 kegs max, well within my maximum monthly capacity.

The build

I found some online plans from a similar build using a ‘cool-bot’ so that I don’t need any expensive, large HVAC unit – just a regular window air-conditioning unit since the cooler is not that big.

Spec’ing out the parts list I need:

• 6 – 2×8’s
• ~55 2×4’s
• 36 pieces of 4×8 2″ thick foam insulation board
• 15 rolls of 2×4 rolled insulation
• 15 sheets of 4×8  wash-down acrylic paneling
• 4 sheets of 5/8″ 4×8 wood subfloor

Retail value of this is about $2200 at Lowe’s.  This is still far cheaper than buying a used one but I need to get this cheaper.  The 36 sheets of 2″ foam insulation board is about 60% of the cooler expenses.  I found via Craigslist Akron’s ‘Insulation King’.  He had the foam I needed – used and for 40% of retail – that’s a lot of savings!  Since I have been recycling nearly everything (drywall screws and 2×4 nails included) I want this brewery to be green…at least as green as a brewery can be so recycled foam board was perfect.

The 4×8 sheets of acrylic paneling that will line the inside is something I want to get cheaper too or find another alternative.

Wall paneling

Lastly I started work on seeing if I can restain and varnish’ the current ‘red-stained’ wood paneling – something more brown.  The testing is still a work in progress.  I would rather not tear it down and replace  just due to color.

Liscensing

I continued work on my Ohio liquor license…about 1/3 done.

Security/phone/cable/internet

I met with several people from local firms.  I picked a security company, ADT and will be going with Time Warner for the other stuff.  This is going in in a few days.

Next week

• Finish Ohio license
• Finish getting cooler materials
• Rent a forklift
• Receive fermentors
• Finish security installation