BELL’S BREWERY

The $8 million project is a newly constructed 45,000-square-foot, three-story brew house, which increased the production capacity by 400%. The project also included a new visitor’s center, employee care area, and space and equipment for new specialty fermentations.

The exterior of the new facility was designed with pre-cast insulated panel exterior walls, structural steel framing and membrane roofing for long-term cost efficiency. This new facility also included a laboratory, featured a green roof and utilized light tubes. The interior of the building was designed with finishes that facilitate a sanitary work environment and are strong enough to withstand the weight requirements of forklifts in the bottling area.

The inherently high humidification generated in the beer-making process brought challenges to the design of both the mechanical and electrical systems. A desiccant dehumidification system was installed to limit the fermentation room’s relative humidity to 35 percent. Aluminum ductwork and light fixtures for high-moisture areas were also specified. The raw barley and oat ingredients storage rooms were considered “explosive,” and specialized light fixtures were utilized accordingly.

The project designer was Slocum Architects.