Summer 2017 is almost in the books and even more fans of your craft beer found you. That's great news!  

If you want another explosive year in 2018 you should start planning  for that extra capacity now, so the equipment you need will be in place, on time and ready to brew. Expanding a brewhouse or even building individual tanks requires a lot of upfront thinking, design work and communication before welding equipment is ever fired up.  And be wary of manufacturers that promise unrealistic lead times.

When the O'Fallon Brewery team in St. Louis, Missouri dreamed of growing from a 4,500 BBL to a 10,000 BBL per year facility, they knew exactly what they wanted - how to get there was another story.  What started with a drawing on a paper napkin at the Craft Brewer's Conference has now moved O'Fallon from a microbrewery to a regional craft brewery in charge of their own destiny.

What are Hops

Hops are harvested once a year, starting in mid-August and ending in early September. Hops are used in the brewing process to add aroma and bitterness.  Typically, all beers contain at least one hop variety, in order to balance the sweetness of the malt with the bitterness of the hop. The strength of the hop character can be determined by the quantity of hops put in and at what point during the brewing process it occurs. In general, the later hops are added the more aromatic the beer becomes, but it takes ample trial and error to find the perfect time to add the perfect hop in order to create your desired flavor. 

Although it is impressive how fast you can implode a tank, no one wants to lose a fermenter or bright tank to vacuum failure.  The good news is you can prevent vacuum failure with minimal effort.   You just need the right size and type of vacuum relief valve for your situation.

There are several different types of relief valves to choose from.  Ashton Lewis, Master Brewer-in-Residence for Paul Mueller Company, gives us a quick rundown on the main differences.

Many states now allow self-distribution for beer.  It's a great option for smaller producers just getting off the ground and it can be the intermediary step before partnering with a distributor.  .

For those already working within the three-tiered system, any chance to stand out from the crowd and motivate your distributor to push your brand is crucial.  

When it comes to a business model and brand for your brewery, the sky is the limit for creativity.  By choosing a unique personality and living it out with your products, staff, and structure you can stand out from the pack.  Plus according to industry insiders we talked to in the craft beer distributor's guide- brand and culture are two of the most important aspects they consider when taking on a new craft partner.

 Here are 5 breweries doing the marketing differently. 

 "Expand your brewery" -  it's such a vague term.  What kind of expansion? You can expand your actual space.  You can expand your brewing capacity.  Heck, you could be expanding to distribution outside your brewhouse for the first time! ()  

This infographic tackles all the elements of expansion in a topline way by using the “20/20 Hindsight” of brewery experts. These brewery leaders are offering up their most noteworthy hurdles with aspiring brewery owners. The information shared is a frank discussion about, “What they wish they had known.” We invite you to learn O.P.E. Style (Other People’s Experience).  

It is going to feel like the universe is caving in on you if one of your fermenters ever collapses from vacuum failure.  That is why it is important to understand all the scenarios leading to vacuum failure and how to prevent them.

One common scenario is right after fermentation, when your fermenter is filled with carbon dioxide.  If you use caustic soda to clean your fermenter and do not have adequate vacuum relief, you run the risk of imploding your tank.  

Ashton Lewis, Master Brewer-in-Residence for Paul Mueller Company, demonstrates just how quickly vacuum failure can happen when you clean a fermenter full of  carbon dioxide with caustic soda.

Vacuum failure is a hidden danger in your typical brewery operation that can quickly turn into a costly mistake. The causes of vacuum failure are wide and varied and can strike during the most normal of  tasks - like filling a bright tank too full, using caustic soda in a tank that is still full of carbon dioxide, and rinsing a tank with cold water too soon after a hot clean-in-place cycle.  

Ashton Lewis, Master Brewer-in-Residence for Paul Mueller Company, shows us how quickly you can ruin a tank that doesn't have the proper vacuum relief while performing a hot CIP.  

You put your reputation on the line every time someone drinks your beer.  The best way to make sure every pint you pour is worthy of putting your brand on it is to have a consistent and thorough cleaning regiment.  Clean-in-place (CIP) systems are an important component of every cleaning program.  

There are a lot of parts to a successful CIP program so lets start from the beginning.