Semi - Automatic or Menual Brewery Plant?

michal_gacz · September 30, 2013, 8:21pm

Hello,

I’m owner of quite big restaurant in Poland, and I would like to invest my money in microbrewery.
So from one year I have been tried to figure out how to do it.
I became from research in different sources, I’ve been in many brewery-restaurants, pub’s even I’ve been in few company’s which producing a brewery plant’s. Now I know some People which want to cooperate with me and invest their money in my company.
And I would like to ask some questions in this forum,
The first basis question is:
Which Idea you think is better,
Cheaper menual brewery plant, or
Semi-Automatic brewery plant like Kaspar Schulz, Wachsmann, or SALM?

The point is I want to get unique and really good beer, low producing costs and making good show in restaurant.

Some other questions:
Is menual brewer plant is really cheaper in producing?
Which is cleaner?
And is the type of brewery-plant has any influence on brew quality ?
Is that true that menual brewery plant’s not requiring service such a automatic plant’s ?

Sorry for my English but i tried my best

michal_gacz · September 30, 2013, 8:26pm

I would like to add that I wan’t to get
5 hectolitre (around 130 gallons) brewery Plant

wahoo · September 30, 2013, 11:46pm

Check probrewer, their message board is much more in line with brewpub equipment. Here, we’re homebrewers, 98% of us make 20-40 liters in a batch.

loopie_beer · October 1, 2013, 7:48pm

I would also suggest collaborating and brewing with a well known brewer in your area. This will help with system set-up as well as techniques.

tom_sawyer · October 1, 2013, 8:05pm

For a small brew system like that I would go with manual operation. It won’t be that difficult to hit your temperature targets, which I think is what the automation is most critical for. I’m assuming you can find a brewer who will work for a reasonable wage. Cleaning is going to be similar for either system, and will require the use of chemical cleaners and sanitizers. Both systems will include stainless tanks and kettle, so it will look impressive either way. And I think you can make good beer on either system with practice. Don’t rush the process, thats what I find is a common reason for reduced beer quality. Definitely get some pro brewer help though.

Your English is better than my Polish. I do have some Polish ancestry, grandmother was a Wojcik.

michal_gacz · October 2, 2013, 9:52am

Thank You Guys a lot,

I have been registered on Probewer site and now I’m waiting for activation.

But I have another question about a Pro brewer, do you think is that a good idea to look for brewer in some brewery institutes or universities in Germany ? Germany because it is very close to Poland and they are the one of beast brewers in Europe. In Poland is extremely hard to find a good brewer.
Or,
It’s better to find some good home brewer by forums, or maybe just asking the stuff from restaurant microbreweries?

Tom Sawyer - Thanks for your advices, Wojcik is a very popular Surname in Poland especially in eastern Poland where I’m living.

tom_sawyer · October 2, 2013, 6:42pm

Certainly the more formal training and experience, the better the brewer will be. For a small system I don’t think you need a master brewer though, just someone with experience running a commercial system and also someone who knows beer styles and how to brew them.