Dalkita has been designing distilleries for over 10 years. We have identified these main aspects to look out when laying out a distillery. Here we will learn about Distillery Layouts- Flow, Adjacencies, and Views:
Flow and Process Flow
The most important consideration when layout out the distillery is that the process flows in a sensible manner. The typical flow / order for a distillery is:
1. Receiving
2. Milling
3. Mash
4. Fermentation
5. Distilling
6. Bottling/ Barreling/ Bulk Storage
7. Shipping
Every distillery process flow will be a bit different. The important thing is that it all flows in a line. This process line is usually not straight, usually snaking its way through a building. It is extremely inefficient if the flow is not in line-process material will be going further and more complex distances.
Adjacencies and Proximity
The main adjacencies we see involve mechanical equipment being adjacent or within proximity of the equipment they serve. Boilers want to be relatively close to stills and other equipment they may serve. Chillers as well. A mill wants to be close to the location that grain comes from. Collection vessels may want to be hard piped to a bottling line and proximity should be a consideration.
Views
Many distilleries want a nice view from a tasting room to view the still. This is may be an important factor in laying out some distilleries. At the same time, you may want to consider keeping some things out of view, such as bottling which may be a messier look. You may also want an office or lab to have a view of certain areas- a mezzanine/ partial 2nd level can often achieve a birds eye view of the whole facility.
Summary
There are many other factors that will go into layout of a distillery, such as code considerations and any existing building elements you may be working with. Distillery Layouts- Flow, Adjacencies, and Views are the main considerations that you’ll want to consider in a distillery layout.
Check out some of the many distilleries we’ve worked on for inspiration:
https://dalkita.com/project-category/commercial
If you’re in the early stages of planning a distillery — or even just kicking the tires on a space — our Distillery Design Guide is a great place to start. It covers the key design and code considerations you’ll face before you’ve spent a dollar on design fees.
And if you’re ready to dig into the specifics of your project, reach out to us directly. We work with distilleries across North America and we’re happy to talk through what you’re building.
Article Written By: Matthew Taylor-Rennert
