Five Tips for Storing Your Brewery Equipment and Supplies in Commercial Storage
Posted on: 8 September 2016
If you own a brewery, there could be multiple reasons why you may need to put your brewery supplies in storage. In some cases, you may have a seasonal brewery that's only open part of the year, and in other cases, you may need to put your supplies in storage while you look for a new location or simply because you don't have enough storage space at your brewery. Regardless of the reason, you need to store your supplies carefully. Here are some tips to help:
1. Opt for climate-controlled commercial storage.
Beer, as you know, relies on precise temperatures during the brewing process. Similarly, the ingredients in beer are also affected by the temperatures and humidity around them. Namely, if you are storing malted grains, you need to ensure that the facility is climate controlled.
If the storage unit is too humid, the grain may attract mold or become mildewy. Conversely, if the storage unit is too dry, the grains may become overdry or cracked, ultimately affecting the flavour of your brew.
2. Use air-tight plastic containers.
The other big issue to consider when storing grain for your brewery is animal infestations. To keep animals away from your grains, you want to use air-tight containers -- they lock in the odours, reducing the chances that mice or rats will be drawn to your grains. Additionally, use plastic containers as they are more difficult for rodents to chew through than paper bags or cardboard boxes.
3. Look for commercial storage with refrigeration.
When looking for a commercial storage facility, consider looking for a facility that offers refrigeration or freezing. In most cases, packages of malted grains can be stored as explained above. However, if you have open cans of liquid malted grains, those need to be stored in a refrigerator, as does your yeast. Additionally, hops should be stored in a freezer and kept away from light.
If the storage unit does not offer refrigeration services, see if they have electrical outlets in the units. Then, ask if you can store your own freezer in there. You may need to pop into the storage unit on a regular basis to monitor the temperature of the freezer to ensure it is holding the temp you need.
4. Store foods in sanitised containers.
Whether you are storing your supplies on a shelf or a freezer, make sure that the cleaners you use have been sanitised. If germs or bacteria are in your containers, they could infest the grains, hops or yeast that you are storing. If possible, sanitise the containers by dipping them in boiling water. Then, let them air dry. Finally, fill them with the item you are storing and place the lid on them, taking care not to touch the inside of the lid.
5. Use creative storage solutions to organise everything else.
A well organised storage unit makes it easy to find what you need in the unit. This can be invaluable if you have to grab some supplies for your business quickly. To keep your unit organised, consider hiring a unit that comes with shelves included.
If that is not possible, get creative about the storage solutions that you use. For example, hang a pegboard in the storage unit. Then, hang your mixing and stirring spoons, bottle cleaning equipment and other tools of the trade on the peg board. That keeps these items organised, visible and easy to find. For small items, including bags of spices, use a compartmentalised storage container like an old tool box that has been thoroughly scrubbed. Finally, make sure that you thoroughly scrub every tool or piece of equipment that you store. If there is residual yeast, hops or grains on your equipment, those flecks of food may rot or mold on your equipment.
For more tips on how to store your brewery equipment or supplies, contact a commercial storage company.
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