Where would I start if I wanted to buy a 5 or 7 barrel system and open a brewpub? I’d like to look at new equipment only at first, just to get a “water mark” on what the stuff is going for.
Also as a second question, what parts and pieces would be mandatory? The terms like “bright tank, serving tank, etc” are foreign to me.
Just a few vendors off the top of my head:
Any of them should be able to give you a quote. Be prepared for 10-20 questions about exactly what it is you want. The “mandatory” components should be familiar to you from home brewing: HLT, MLT, kettle, fermenter(s), serving/brite tank(s) (think corny kegs). There are a couple dozen other things you’ll need, but those are the vessels, generally.
This may help out also
http://www.brewersassociation.org/pages/directories/Supplier-Directory
If you want a great system for not a lot of cost, look up Stout tanks and kettles. The biggest system he makes is a 7 bbl and will customize it anyway you want.
Thanks for the info guys!
Here is one more place you could check
I got a quote from premiere stainless and stout tanks. However lucky me I just found a company 2 miles from my house that manufactures brew systems. Sharpsville Container is there name. I will post prices after my visit to the factory with them June 1st
Do not mean to rain on your parade but get ready for sticker shock.
Nowadays prices are very high.
I wish I had manufacturer like that close by.
I was having a conversation with John Maier last week, just after he had returned from CBC. He was commenting about the fact that 1000 new breweries have been licensed to open next year and that with the hop shortage many of them won’t be able to get hops. He said that between all that new competition and no hops, in about 3 years you should be able to buy brewing equipment real cheap.
OMG! There’s a hop shortage? 8)
I might need some big fermenters in three years…
Does anyone remember after the last “hop shortage” people saying that hop prices won’t come down, there’s not enough crops, yada, yada, yada? Hop prices not only dropped, but I’m paying less now then I did before the shortage. Perceived shortages happen with hops, sugar, coffee, oil, you name it. The market is strained a little and prices goes up for a while, but the supply always comes back and the prices go back down. Unlike things such as crude oil, this is a renewable source.
You can buy all of the Willamette or Galena that you want. Citra, Simcoe, Amarillo - not so much.
Hops don’t seem cheaper at all to me. I just order some whole hops for my randal last week - $2.99 an oz. seems like I used to get them for $1.29 back before the first shortage.
And Denny is right, the hop market was tight last year and I expect it to become even tighter in the next couple years. I opened a brewery in Oct. of 2010 and had no problems getting simcoe, Amarillo or simcoe. Last year I was lucky to get centennial.
Also, once this brewing bubble busts again, which it pretty much has too, there will be so many used fermenters on the market people will be giving them away.
And lots of cheap hops. 
“Pro Brewer” paying $48 a pound for hops??? What do you charge for a pint, $20?
Lol. No, this was a one time expense of whole hops for a Randall event. I pay between 5 and 10 per lb though, depending on variety.
Glad to hear that.
Buying hops by the ounce at a LHBS, is like buying your weekly groceries at the quickie mart.
Yeh I wont be ready for my system until mid 2014.
Dunno if its appropriate to post but I did get my quote from Premiere Stainless and Stout tanks. Sticker shock on the Premiere stainless system to say the least. 139k for a full 7 bbl system with training and setup. Stout was a good bit cheaper. Hopefully Sharpsville container is cheaper yet, plus the advantages of much cheaper shipping costs if any and if something goes wrong they are right up the street.
Maybe by the time Im ready I will be able to get a used one real cheap, or atleast get fermenters much cheaper.
Crystal, also. John said that if they weren’t growing their own Crystal, there would be no Brutal this year.
I’ve heard that the Centennials will be in short supply this year, too.
Why is that Denny? Did the excessive rain and snow this past winter have anything to do with that?
edit: got it…I just read your previous post about the increasing demand.