“It really takes it to the next level,” he said.ĭuring the basement renovation, Hoffman also added a bar for enjoying the fruits of his labor. Having a brew room also improved the beer’s taste, he said, because the equipment he uses now regulates the temperature. Wallner is an electrical engineer who designed a brewing system for himself that he now sells online at .ĭan Hoffman, who started making beer with friends about five years ago, estimates they make about 40 batches a year now - roughly six times more than they did before he added a brewery to his basement in Shorewood, Illinois. Provided by Kal Wallner,/Kal Wallner’s home bar and brew room, background, in his home brewery in Ottawa, Canada. “I find I’m a lot more interested in using it when I don’t have to tear down and set up.”

“The movement from gas to electric has been the biggest game changer” in the industry, said Kal Wallner, an electrical engineer who designed a system that he sells online at With an electric system, “you can brew indoors in your flip-flops,” he said, an important consideration for the brewer from Ottawa, Canada.Ī dedicated space makes brewing more convenient, Wallner said. Many entail little engineering to set up, but they often require a higher voltage socket, similar to a clothes dryer. In recent years, a growing number of companies have begun to manufacture electric brewing systems for indoor use, he said. It’s not safe to brew indoors with propane. A floor drain is helpful for spills and general cleanup.Īnd for many brewers, creating a brew room means moving from a propane setup - commonly used outdoors or in garages - to an electric one, Glass said. On the online photo-sharing forum Pinterest, the number of users saving “brew room” ideas jumped 200 percent during the first six months of this year, according to a Pinterest spokeswoman, Lara Levin.Ī hood or source of ventilation is necessary to remove the water vapor that forms during the boiling stages of beer-making. “If you’re a homebrewer, to some degree you’re a do-it-yourselfer.” “People are constantly posting pictures of things that they’ve built,” he said. Having a space to bring your friends in to share the experience - that’s a major incentive,” Glass said.ĭedicated brew spaces are a popular topic on the association’s website, Glass said. A dedicated brewing space also makes it easier for friends to join you in preparing or sampling the beer, he said. And it often leads to moving the process inside, allowing for year-round brewing.

It eliminates the need to take down and set up equipment for every batch. Digital Replica Edition Home Page Close Menuĭo you have what it takes to be crowned Beer Drinker of the Year?ĭesignating a space for brewing solves a number of issues for homebrewers, said Gary Glass, director of the American Homebrewers Association, in Boulder.

Home brew set up