The desire to brew American craft or micro brewed beer is growing in the US, both among consumers and among American beer making suppliers. To start your own commercial brewery, it is necessary to buy the right commercial beer brewing equipment that can help you establish your micro or craft brewery.

Some of the main staples are brewing systems, ingredients for the beer itself and bottling equipment. Fortunately, there is more than one beer making supplier that is able to help your company get started. Use this checklist to get you started.

1. Buy commercial brewery equipment

2. Add ingredients to your beer equipment list

3. Include bottling equipment in your beer brewing supplies

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The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Purchase commercial brewery equipment supplies

Tank fermenters, kettles and calandrias for boiling are some of the staples in supplies for commercial brewing.

I recommend: One of the suppliers of beer making equipment that is able to provide all of the above as well as set up your company's microbrewery for you is Specialty Products International. This company also sells ingredients for several types of beers, including everything from pilsner to stout. They also have beer meisters for sale. Another company that specializes in commercial brewing equipment such is AAA Metal Fabrication. This company offers turnkey brew house services, which allow your company the option of having your commercial brewery equipment set up for you.

Tally up your ingredients when you buy commercial beer equipment

Add flavor to your beer so your customers will want more. Commercial brewery supplies must include hops, malt extract and yeast. These are the basic ingredients found in most beer recipes. Once you have these staples, you have the platform from which you can add other specialty ingredients such coffee beans, chocolate, berries and more to personalize your micro brewery's beers even more.

I recommend: One of the American beer making suppliers that sells hops is Hopunion. It offers a wide selection of hops, ranging from raw hop bales, hop powder pellets and base extracts. Another beer making supplier that sells necessary ingredients such malt extract and yeast is Perfect Brewing Supply. This company can be a great resource when your company seeks to open a commercial brewery.

Buy bottlers for your beer because they're necessary commercial brewing equipment

Once you brew your beer, you need to bottle it so you can ship it across the country, and perhaps the world. After you bottle your beer, put on a label that reflects the spirit and creativity of your micro brewery. Remember: a good label can translate into wonderful graphics for T-shirts, hats, coasters and other items that can help bring in even more money for your commercial micro brewery.

I recommend: If you plan to sell your micro brewed beer to a wide market, then your company needs to be able to bottle large quantities of beer. Busch Machinery is a supplier of beer making equipment that can provide your brewery with bottling equipment. Along with this necessary commercial beer brewing equipment, Busch Machinery offers case erectors and case sealers that will make the shipping of your micro brewed beers easier. Creating a label is one of the important commercial brewery supplies. Rely on companies like Randy Mosher Design to handle all your label needs.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Because of the rising interest in micro brewed beer, and the frustration of many with the foreign ownership of once-American beers, now is a good time to start a micro brewery. Contact beer making suppliers, like the ones listed above, for help getting started.

The only things you need to make your own beer is the right beer equipment and supplies. Microbrew beers have become all the rage in the restaurant and food industry. You can find microbrew beer (something in between homemade beer and commercial beer) at restaurants, pubs, taverns and ale houses. For those individuals who are interested in making microbrew or other types of beer for commercial sale, it boils down to the right beer making equipment.

Commercial beer brewing equipment is sold to a wide range of beer makers, from small local breweries to larger brewers who ship their beer all over the country.

Commercial beer brewing equipment covers every stage of beer making from selecting the right kind of hops and yeast to pouring the perfect pint. Here are the different areas of beer making equipment:

1. Brewing
2. Storing
3. Serving
4. Marketing

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The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Buy the freshest ingredients through beer making suppliers

The basic ingredients of beer are hops and yeast. However, not all are created equal. Different hops and yeast produce different kinds of beers, from lagers to Guinness. Consulting a professional as to which kind of beer would best suit your brewing style will save you a lot of time and money in the long run.

I recommend: Consult the professionals at The Brew Hut, a beer-making supplier who carries all the supplies you need to brew your own beer, either commercially or for personal use. The company carries a large line of beer brewing supplies, including yeasts, hops and malt extracts and flavoring agents. Beer-Wine.com sells a nice brewing kit with all you need to make 2 cases of 12 oz bottles.

Keep beer fresh and great tasting after production

Once you have brewed your beer, you will store it in kegs to keep it tasting fresh. Beer should always be stored and served cold. There are a variety of different beer meister systems that will keep beer chilled, both for restaurant bars and parties. A kegerator (yes, that's its real name) is another piece of beer making equipment that allows you to pour beer directly from the keg without having to set up a beer tower and beer lines. CO2 and nitrogen air tanks are another important factor in keeping beer fresh and free of foam.

I recommend: Beverage Factory carries everything you need to properly store and serve beer. They carry beer coolers, CO2 and nitrogen air tanks, beer check gas analyzers, kegerators and keg adapters. You can also find beer meisters for sale at BeerMeister.com.

Wow your customers with commercial brewing equipment

Beer equipment includes marketing wares, such as tap handles, coasters, pint glasses and other retail merchandise. Show off your beer with tap handles that feature your custom logo. Pint glasses, tee shirts and ball caps are also popular ways to market your beer.

I recommend: Taphandles.com is a beer equipment vendor who specializes in custom-made tap handles. You can pick from wood, metallic and even custom beer tap “sculptures.” Taphandles.com also does signage for your brewery logo.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Don't forget to clean your beer lines, if you have a beer tower. You can purchase beer line cleaners through most vendors of beer making supplies.

Microbreweries are growing in popularity, as evidenced in commercial brewing news and trends. They represent not only America, but also the brewing communities. Since their inception back in the late 1970's, one has only to judge their effect by looking in the cooler case at your local grocery store. There you’ll find a variety of locally brewed beer, and you will see the commercial breweries trying to play catch-up with their "craft" beer selections. History shows that Americans love American beer, and the next big trend could come from your microbrewery. Use these tips to find commercial brewing news and trends to help you out.

1. Use commercial brewing news and trends to establish your microbrewery.

2. Let beer news and trends help you buy beer making equipment.

3. Employ beer news and trends to create your microbrewery’s identity.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Use commercial brewing news and trends in your microbrewery

Use beer news and trends to your advantage when establishing your microbrewery. If you research microbreweries, you will find that they are becoming more than just a place where you brew beer. They reflect their communities. Before even looking for a beer making supplier to help you establish your microbrewery, do some research into what people would like to see in a microbrewery. Conduct polls at grocery stores, poll people on the street and familiarize yourself with neighborhoods where you are thinking of establishing a microbrewery.

I recommend: A membership to The National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) ensures you'll receive the beer news that matters to you. I Love Polls allows you to add polls to your website so you can accurately track trends and quickly put them to use in your microbrewery.

Use blogs for instant feedback on beer making suppliers

Blogs are instant, and sometimes aren't censored like advertisements and newsletters might be. You get instant feedback on your question, and you can talk to other people in the commercial brewing industry to find out what news and trends work for them.

I recommend: Mississippi Brew Blog promotes craft beer in Mississippi, but they also feature beer meister information from other states. Pacific Brew News Blog addresses issues from beer equipment to beer brewing supplies.

Join brewing associations for commercial brewing news and trends

Networking with other commercial brewers opens doors for you to talk about everything regarding your brewery.

I recommend: For up to date industry information, check out the Master Brewers Association of the Americas. There, you can network with other commercial brewing business owners to find out the information you need regarding commercial beer brewing equipment, beer meisters for sale and commercial brewery supplies. You can also find commercial brewing news and trends when you join the Brewers Association. Check out one of their events about craft brewing for a lot of valuable information.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Commercial brewing news and trends can help you establish a microbrewery that will last for years. With time and effort, you can create a company that has a loyal following for not only the contents, but also what the company represents.

Whether you work for a large brewery or are interested in starting your own home business, it's important to know what each piece of equipment can do. Knowing the four main components, which are water, hops, malt extract and yeast, is the first step in outfitting your business with the best beer equipment. You should seek out the best companies to provide your equipment, but before you do, arm yourself with some specific brewery equipment terms.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Yeast

This single-cell fungus feeds on the sugars produced by the malt extract, resulting in alcohol and carbon dioxide. Many in the beer industry consider yeast to be the most essential ingredient in making beer.

I recommend: Read more about the powers of yeast at BeerScribe.com.

Hops

The main purpose of hops is to produce beer. Harvested from a cone-like flower, hops provide the bitterness, aroma and flavor to beer, and each manufacturer uses a different type and amount to make its beer unique. The hops also have antibacterial properties, which can extend shelf life and ward off spoilage.

I recommend: Learn about the history behind hops at Hopunion.

Malt extract

Malt extract comes in two forms: syrup or dry powder. The liquid form, referred to as LME, is about 20% water. The dry powder, called DME, has little, if any, water content. As a result, LME has a shorter shelf life than DME since it ages faster.

I recommend: Learn more about the types and brands of malt extract at Homebrew Zone.

Kegs

Kegs are the typical containers for storing beer once all the ingredients have been mixed together. These were originally made out of wood but are now made out of stainless steel. Kegs come in several sizes, with the most popular ones 2.5, 5, 7.75 and 15.5 gallons. Kegs that come from overseas are normally 13.2 gallons, or 50 liters.

I recommend: Learn about draft beer dimensions from Micro Matic.

Hydrometer

This instrument measures the density of liquid compared with water. This can come in handy for breweries as you can determine the percentage of alcohol in a completed beer by comparing the original gravity and final gravity.

I recommend: Read more about how to properly use a hydrometer at How to Brew.

Fermentation tank

The fermentation tank is where all the magic happens to make beer. The process of fermentation, which is when yeast breaks down the sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide, requires a large container. Depending upon the amount of the brewed alcohol, you might need one that can hold several hundred gallons.

I recommend: Learn all about beer fermentation and the tanks required at HowStuffWorks.