Essential Brewery Equipment List: Equipment Needed to Start a Brewery

The art of brewing has evolved through centuries of honing traditional methods and incorporating new technology. Contemporary brewery equipment, such as fermentation tanks and brewhouse vessels, will have your new brewery pumping out perfectly crisp pilsners and incredible IPAs.

But aside from the heavy-duty beer brewing supplies, you can’t forget the little items.

Many breweries have kitchens that offer food and must invest not only in brewing equipment but also in restaurant equipment. As you write your brewery business plan, make sure you budget for essential pieces of kit that can easily be overlooked.

In this guide, I’ll list everything you need to brew good beer and provide an exceptional customer experience. I’ll focus mostly on what you’ll need to run a brewery and restaurant day-to-day, also explaining how you can source equipment affordably and make the most of your supplies.

What’s in This Guide?

• What Equipment Do You Need in a Brewery?

• How Much Does Brewery Equipment Cost?

• What to Consider Before Buying Brewery Equipment

• Ultimate Brewery Equipment List

• Toast: A Vital Piece of Brewery Kit

• FAQs

What Equipment Do You Need in a Brewery?

For your brewery, you’ll need a wide selection of specialized beer brewing equipment. Think brite tanks, a bottling system, and enough steel and plastic kegs to keep up with production. Below, I’ve compiled a complete brewery equipment list so you can see all the essentials in one place:

• Brewing System

• Pilot System

• Yeast Propagation Tank

• Brew Kettle

• Fermentation Tanks

• Heat Source

• Canning Line

• Brewing Accessories

• Bottling System

• Kegging System 

• Safety Equipment 

• Gloves

• Aprons

• First Aid Kit

• Date Labels

• Sani-Buckets

• Bar Rags

• Food-Grade Cleaning Supplies

• Chemical Safety Data Sheets

• Sinks

• Restaurant Point-of-Sale System

• Serviceware

• Glasses

• Coasters

• Table Service Essentials

• Paper Boats, Plates, or Clamshells

• Utensils

• Napkins or Linen

If you also plan to operate a restaurant kitchen to serve food alongside your beer, there are a few other essentials to add to the list:

• Ovens, Ranges, and Grills

• Ventilation

• Microwaves

• Freezers and Refrigerators

• Food Prep Surfaces

• Food Prep Equipment

• Knives

• Cutting Boards

• Pots and Pans

• Mixing Bowls

• Food Processors

• Blenders

• Storage Containers and Shelving

• Kitchen Display System (KDS)

How Much Does Brewery Equipment Cost?

The cost of opening a brewery can be anywhere from $500,000 to $2 million. Commercial breweries are expensive operations, especially if you’re investing in a kitchen or bar space as well. Even small breweries can rack up costs upon opening. That’s why it’s important to create an accurate and carefully considered business plan.

To ensure you’ve got plenty of room in the budget for everything you need, it can be helpful to explore different restaurant financing options. You can also hire an interior designer or specialist brewery planner to help you with things like layout and storage.

What to Consider Before Buying Brewery Equipment

Investing in the right brewery supplies is critical to the success of your business. Decide which pieces to prioritize and which you might compromise on when budgeting for all the equipment you’ll need.

In this section, I’ll outline five key factors to consider when buying commercial brewing equipment. You must take each one into account if you want to open a successful brewery and give yourself the best chance of brewing high-quality beer without blowing your budget. 

1. Quality of Equipment

The quality of your brewery equipment can directly impact the taste of your product and the success of your brews on the market. Even if you’re an experienced brewer, you must always carefully examine the quality of certain equipment before you buy it.

Select equipment that’s high-quality and durable, researching large purchases before making any major decisions. Also, it’s worth planning who will maintain the equipment to ensure they are comfortable with the upkeep processes.

2. Space Available

The capacity of your brewery is limited to the space in which you operate. Many breweries operate in warehouse spaces to enable them to brew beer over a large scale. Consider the space you will need for a bar and/or kitchen, and account for working space for your brewmasters and bartenders. After all, you need to fit in things like sanitary construction, a heat exchanger, and separate vessels for all your beers to brew.

It might be worth consulting an expert kitchen planner, as they can offer advice on your brewery floor plan and help you optimize the layout and efficiency of your brewery space. The ideal space will be accessible for both customers and employees, and allow your business to operate at peak efficiency.

3. Long-Term Use & Cleaning

Stainless steel brewery equipment will last a long time if properly and regularly cleaned. For example, constant upkeep of your brewing tanks will ensure they can maintain fermentation temperatures and yield the exact flavors you desire.

In my experience, it’s a good idea to establish a relationship with a local specialized repair person. It can also help to learn how to maintain and clean your equipment yourself. Look out for the NSF symbol on food equipment which ensures that it meets food safety certification standards.

4. Brewery Suppliers

It’s likely that your local city has a restaurant supplies wholesaler that you can become a member of to buy premium commercial brewery equipment at affordable prices. Great suppliers often also offer installation, maintenance, and repairs.

Sourcing equipment is half the battle. The first step is to make a comprehensive list of your fully-equipped brewery, then start shopping around. You can choose between buying new and second-hand brewery supplies. 

New equipment might always seem like the best choice, but your budget and requirements may not allow it. If you’re opting to provide food at your brewery, your kitchen operations will likely not be your main focus. In this case, consider finding second-hand cooking appliances that have been well-maintained over the years – you’ll save a lot both in the short and long-term. Just make sure you’re buying from a reputable source. 

If you’re buying new, head to local restaurant wholesalers. Reach out to them to see if they can equip your business. Even if you only have a hobby brewers supply store near you, they may be able to point you in the direction of a large-scale brewing equipment supplier. Alternatively, they may be able to help you lease equipment from a reputable online retailer.

5. Equipment Costs

The cost of brewery supplies likely won’t fluctuate much between suppliers. However, it’s still a good idea to shop around a little bit and ensure you’re getting the right price, especially for major investments.  

Financing or leasing equipment can be a good option to get your business started and take on less risk until you’re sure the model will succeed. You can also apply for loans through Toast Capital, where you can receive quick and flexible funding of up to $300,000!

The Ultimate Brewery Equipment List

Brewing Systems

Commercial brewery equipment will be your biggest investment. These stainless steel pieces get more expensive as they scale up, and they require regular maintenance and cleaning to keep producing beer that’s delicious and safe to drink.

Here are some examples of the various types of specialized brewery supplies you can buy:

• Pilot System: A pilot system is a small, contained brewing system that lets you brew small batches quickly to test recipes or send microbrews to market. 

• Brewing System: A brewing system includes a heat source, hot liquor tank, and fermentation tank for the various stages of the brewing process. Some commercial brewery equipment manufacturers sell and maintain full, ready-to-brew systems engineered for optimal performance and efficiency.

• Brewing Accessories: Your budget should also include PH test strips, malt mills, hot wort storage, filters, valves, and carbon monitors, among other little necessities. Be sure to plan for replacements of small, fragile, or easily misplaced items and keep backups of essential equipment on hand.

You might also decide to design and engineer your own brewing systems. This could save you money as long as you do the proper research.

Bottling & Kegging Systems

A bottling system or canning line will let you deliver your brews to market. Invest in a bottling system that can handle the amount of production you plan on doing so that there are no slowdowns. Also, consider how you want to label products for the market to both attract customers and adhere to legal labeling guidelines for alcohol.

Meanwhile, kegging equipment and storage will let you fill and charge kegs to send to local restaurants and tap houses. It will also get you one step closer to tapping kegs for guests in your brewery space. Invest in a quality kegging system and enough space to keep kegs cold while they wait for distribution. 

Safety Equipment

All restaurants are held to food safety standards and must have certain equipment on hand. Here is a list of all the safety equipment you need in your brewery: 

• Gloves

• Aprons

• First Aid Kit

• Date Labels

• Sani-Buckets

• Bar Rags

• Food-Grade Cleaning Supplies

• Chemical Safety Data Sheets

Sinks

Sinks are crucial in breweries. They help you prep food and drink, clean, and dispose of waste. Kitchen and bar sinks must be dedicated for use, so you’ll need to equip your brewery with several sinks to avoid restaurant health code violations. Here are the different types of sinks you ened:

• Compartment Sinks: You’ll need at least three compartment sinks to meet food safety standards for washing and sanitizing cutlery, service ware, and kitchen equipment. The correct cleaning process is to wash, rinse, then sanitize.

• Disposal Sinks: Disposal sinks, also called bar sinks, are conveniently located to catch any liquid you need to throw out from washing or discarded drinks.

• Handwashing Sinks: Dedicated handwashing sinks with hot and cold water must be available for employees in a kitchen or bar space so that employees can maintain safe food and beverage handling standards.

Serviceware

Provide brewery guests with all the necessities to make their experience excellent. Choosing pieces that capture the aesthetic vibe and convey your brewery branding will create a memorable experience. Also, consider which types will be most durable for consistent use by employees and customers. Here are your options:

• Glasses

• Coasters

• Table Service Essentials

• Paper Boats, Plates, or Clamshells

• Utensils

• Napkins or Linen

And If You’re Adding a Brewery Kitchen…

Ovens, Ranges & Grills

You’ve got several types of cooking appliances to choose from to add to your brewery kitchen. These are:

• Convection Ovens: Convection ovens circulate heat to ensure that your food cooks consistently, which helps speed up bake times. 

• Combination Ovens: Combination ovens circulate heat and create steam, perfect for baking crusty bread or steam roasting vegetables and aromatics.

• Induction Burners: Induction burners heat up using an electromagnetic current, and they can be used to heat glass or other surfaces. Induction is a sustainable and cost-effective option, especially if your brewery menu won’t require enough sautéing or simmering to warrant multiple burners. 

• Gas Ranges: A gas range will likely be your first choice for a heat source, as it’s efficient, easy to control, versatile, and reliable.

• Flat Ranges: Flat ranges are sustainable, requiring very little electricity to operate for a long time, and are perfect for cooking certain kinds of food. For example, they’re ideal for finishing burritos and sandwiches or cooking eggs, pancakes, and bacon.

• Microwaves: Great for reheating or quickly steaming, microwaves are powerful kitchen tools. Plan and budget for your brewery’s microwaves even though they’re inexpensive. 

Make sure that, alongside your cooking equipment, you have enough ventilation to ensure that the space, and your brewery, don’t get filled with the heat and smoke from ovens and ranges. 

Plan the size and space of your kitchen and ensure that your ventilation system has enough power to keep smoke and hot air out of the space you or your cooks work in. Ventilation is crucial for providing a safe kitchen environment.

Freezers & Refrigerators

While freezers might not be necessary for a brewery operation, they are essential for storage in a bar or kitchen. Refrigerators, however, are hugely important in any brewery as they keep brews cold before serving to visitors. Refrigeration units, like all equipment, require regular maintenance to keep working at peak performance.

Food Preparation Items

If you’re serving food, you mustn’t forget all the small appliances, utensils, mixing bowls, microplanes, and the like. Here are the various food prep equipment pieces you’ll need for your brewery kitchen:

• Food Prep Surfaces: Your brewery and kitchen will both need clear counter space for your employees and cooks to work. Stainless steel is the most popular option in restaurant kitchens because it is durable and easy to sanitize.

• Knives: Knives are critical prep and cooking tools. Invest in a high-quality set of knives and learn how to keep them sharp for both safety and efficiency in the kitchen. You’ll also want to purchase a sharpening stone to keep your investment in good condition. 

• Cutting Boards: Cutting boards are a vital part of the food prep experience and will keep you and your workspaces safe from cuts. Buy boards with lips around the edges to prevent liquid from spilling or boards with handles for easy storage. Kitchens often have color-coded plastic cutting boards to avoid cross-contamination. 

• Pots and Pans: The kinds of pots and pans you use will likely be decided by your menu and your cooks’ preferences. Pots and pans are valuable essentials that last a long time when maintained properly.

• Mixing Bowls: Mixing bowls come in a variety of materials that each have benefits and setbacks – plastic, stainless, ceramic, or glass. Decide which combination works for your brewery equipment list.

• Food Processors: Food processors are great for creating soups, sauces, and smoothies. They’re great pieces of kit but might not be absolutely essential to your brewery operations.

• Storage Containers: Storage is always a must for safety and organization, but the cost of boxes and shelving can add up quickly. Dry ingredients like flour, sugar, spices, hops, and grains have specific storage needs. Consider storage for small appliances and accessories, too. Keeping things organized will help your brewers and cooks work efficiently.  

The Rest: This is probably the most important category – the rest. All the utensils and little food prep equipment add up, so it’s crucial to plan and budget for them. And when thinking about tiny items that are easily misplaced, buy backups.

Kitchen Display System (KDS)

Kitchen display systems send orders from a server’s handheld or central terminal to the kitchen or the bar. They’re integrated with your brewery’s point-of-sale system to keep everything in order and maintain smooth, efficient service, letting your chefs know when orders come through in real time.

Restaurant Point-of-Sale System 

Restaurant point-of-sale systems provide a technological solution to many of the complexities of operating a brewery or any restaurant business. 

They can integrate inventory management, budgets, sales reports, and communication between the front and back-of-house operations. This keeps everything running smoothly with cutting-edge interfaces for service staff and convenient logistical solutions.

Toast: A Vital Piece of Brewery Kit

As you can see, there are plenty of items you need to put on your brewery equipment shopping list. From heavy-duty items like fermentation tanks and stainless steel kegs to easily forgettable small items like knives and cutting boards, you must plan for everything.

Something that’s also often overlooked - but that’s equally important, if not more - is restaurant technology. We’re talking handheld point-of-sale systems, kitchen display systems, and other modern tech that can revolutionize the way your brewery functions.

With Toast, you’ll find everything you need in one place. Try the Toast demo today to test out our wide range of products for your brewery!

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FAQs

What equipment do I need to start a brewery?

Brewing equipment is arguably the most important piece of kit when starting a brewery. Without the beer, you have no product to sell. Without beer, you’re not really a brewery. Prioritize high-quality brewing supplies before you buy anything else. Then, you can start to turn your attention to the smaller things: seating, glasses, napkins, and serviceware (if you’re serving food).

How do I start a microbrewery?

Although they are generally cheaper to run than full-scale breweries, microbreweries can still be a fairly expensive venture. As such, you’ll need to plan your vision and equipment carefully. Start by prioritizing the brewery equipment you need to brew beer: fermentation tanks, brew kettles, kegs, a canning line, etc. Then, think about how you’ll serve your customers at your venue.

What equipment is used in the brewing process?

To brew beer commercially, you need a range of specialist equipment. There are plenty of unique machines and items that will be on your list, including a fermentation tank, a yeast propagation tank, a malt mill machine, a brew kettle, a pilot system, a wort pump, a steam generator, and a heat exchanger. You’ll also need hops, wheat, yeast, and any other ingredients you want to add to flavor your beers.