Executive Summary
Urban Alley is an incredible example of the humble home brewer doing his homework and teaming up with Bespoke Brewing Solutions to build a unique and innovative brewery.
The key goals of this project were to build a brewery that gave Urban Alley the flexibility to experiment and express their creativity, while adhering to sustainability benchmarks, to ensure they are environmentally responsible.
The end result is a stunning 24 hectolitre brewery, allowing versatility and catering to a wide variety of palates. Their brand has built a reputation for reliability – they can be trusted to produce a quality brew, everytime.
âFrom homebrewing to a commercial 2400L turnkey brewery with awards.â
Urban Alley
Located in the heart of District Docklands – Urban Alley Brewery is home to a craft beer brewery – with only windows separating it from patrons.
They have built a solid base of regulars in their two years in operation, but their distinctive location underneath the Melbourne Star Observation Wheel positions them as an ideal tourist destination.
While they have a fantastic core line, their drive to constantly experiment and find the next great taste is what sets them apart. Their passion is evident, and their love of craft beer is contagious.
âBespoke saw our potential - and we saw so much potential in them as a partner going forward. We had several other quotes from other companies, all of whom had strong names in the industry, with more experience. We went with Bespoke because of the trust factor. There was much less bureaucracy of people to deal with and other projects that took precedence. It was a very personal relationship, and John was just as invested in the outcome as we were. He said âwe want to make it the best it can be, just like you doâ and he really meant it, you could see he was incredibly genuine.â
THE CHALLENGES
Urban Alley had been contract brewing, building connections in the industry and developing their core line. When it was time to build their own production brewery, they needed a system big enough to support their distribution and future onsite sales.
Generally, anytime you put a brewery in a retail setting – there is usually a battle for floor space between the two sides of the business. This results in a compromise, but more often than not, the brewery area gets the small side of the square meter.
Melbourne is known for its trendy eateries and the craft beer scene is thriving, with so many different options on offer. We needed to hit the sweet spot between the right amount of space to provide an experience and atmosphere – and the right space needed to make great beer.
To be specific, our task ahead was to fit a 3-vessel, 2400L brewhouse, 5000L HLT, 5000L CLT, 6 x 4800L FVs, 2 x 2400L FVs, keg washer, steam generator, air compressor, brewerâs desk and glycol tank – in less than 100 square meters. Yep – it was fun.
But the challenge didnât stop there. We also needed to make sure the flow worked for brewing tasks, as this can make a real difference in efficiency.
After some brainstorming, measuring and trial and error drafts – our layout drawings were complete. This was probably the most important part of the process – they were a downscaled representation of exactly how the brewery would turn out. So they needed to be spot on. Any error in accuracy could have cost us, big time.
Weâre not gonna lie, there were some nerve racking times during unloading, standing up, and positioning of the equipment. But – we brought it home. Everything came together nicely in the end.
Urban Alley was able to find an amazing team of tradies that all worked together to make sure the plans became a reality. This project really demonstrated the importance of those layout plans – with so many people involved, each with their own responsibilities, we all had a specific and detailed plan to work off. This ensured we were all on the same page.
And really, the results speak for themselves.
The Solutions
As is the case with every project we do, the initial layout file we received from the local teamâs architect was critical in the success of the project. In some instances, we were millimetres away from columns or ceilings.
But, like most projects – the drawings were rock solid.
We worked with Shaya and their tradies to make sure that not only the equipment fitted into the space, but there was an agreed solution on the utilities – which would be zipping around the brewery area.
Getting the equipment in position is only a portion of the process – as without utilities, they are just shiny vessels!
Iteration after iteration was made to the layout until everything was locked in. We then worked to finish the design of the equipment by looking at port locations to make sure they made sense.
One of the really exciting outcomes of this project were the Nano FVs, which were included to allow the team to split off some of the brew and do side by side experiments!
This means if they want to do a small batch trial they can ferment it in these with different raw materials until they get it right – without excessive waste. The fermenters are the exact same geometry as the larger tanks, which means the yeast will behave in the same way.
The key to the success of this project was communication. Despite coordinating on different continents – regular meetings and constant check ups meant nothing slipped through the cracks.
âIf youâre building a brewery, you of course want to focus on quality. This shouldn't be limited to the quality of your equipment - quality service could be the make-or-break difference for your project - and thatâs what Bespoke provides. Absolute top quality service. John was our biggest asset in the building process. He responds immediately to any issues and he goes above and beyond to make your vision come to life. The bespoke service is unbeatable - and so are their prices.â
Results
The results of the teamwork of this project are evident by Urban Alleyâs ability to produce quality products at a rate which kept up with their demand.
The space is stunning, offering a real, well-rounded craft beer experience to customers. You really feel in amongst it, like part of the process.
Shaya went from âhome brewerâ to award winning commercial brewer, in a very short space of time.
Urban Alley has been up and running for two years and have won several awards at the Indies (Australian’s largest independent beer competition) as well as the Australian International Beer Awards, which is the largest annual beer competition in the world.
âThe equipment and features that Bespoke designed has given us the ability to be versatile with our recipes and our line. We are not limited to one style of brewing. We can get really artistic - and we can recreate historic beers from the past.â
Our Own Experience
This was one of the first semi-automated brewhouses we have designed, so we ourselves learned a thing or two along the way – which is always fun! Working with Shaya meant we were able to make changes to the HMI menu structure for a fully customized solution.
Shaya was also a big part of the development of the smaller FVs which he uses for yeast brinking, propagating and test batches. Since this we have continuously sold these smaller vessels with our systems because of their versatility in the brewery.
But the best part of our experience on this project was the beginning of a lifelong friendship. Shaya is part of the Bespoke family now, heâs stuck with us for life.
The Bespoke Brewing Solutions Advantage
Yes, we designed, supplied and helped install all the equipment.
But our work on this project was about so much more than that. It was our ability to comment and provide assistance on all aspects of the brewery – and work with Shaya and the team to provide a well rounded solution that met all their needs.
This is where Bespoke Brewing Solutions excels and strives to separate ourselves from other manufacturers. This was not an easy project, but working as a team with all the stakeholders is why we love what we do.
Not only did we provide an end to end solution, consulting from start to finish and beyond – we were able to be the coordinator for all the teams involved.
During the first brew we were helping with the testing and troubleshooting issues (thereâs no denying, they do happen). But it was training Shaya that came to represent how we envisioned brewers would use the kit for a brew.
Over time it has been great to watch Shaya develop his own style of brewing and provide feedback on how we can make the equipment better. We are always looking for continuous improvement – and long-term relationships. So that we can continue to help down the track, as breweries expand or develop their line.
