Theakston’s Brewery

What a treat this brewery is. Best tour ever, no really, ever. The brewery was brewing all around us. Got to see a lot of old equipment, still in use.

IMG_6622

 

IMG_6623

 

IMG_6624

A pano photo of the brewery. The tall building is where will be in photos in a few.

Back yard area. Tall tower is the brewery

Back yard area. Tall tower is the brewery

Bar in visitors center

Bar in visitors center

A rake for floor malting

A rake for floor malting

A rake for floor malting

A rake for floor malting

IMG_6669

This is a tower brewery meaning that it is built in a tall building and uses gravity to move liquids. We start at the top. This contraption is a big motor and was used to move supplies up to the top of the tower.

Old part of the brewery. Top floor. Mill is at the other end

Old part of the brewery. Top floor. Mill is at the other end

Chain used to move stuff to the top floor. Notice the hatch in the floor

Chain used to move stuff to the top floor. Notice the hatch in the floor

IMG_6642

 

Tour guide. Knew a lot

Tour guide. Knew a lot

Opposite the caged contraption above, our guide told us about the ‘things’ that go into making beer. Below is the mill.

Mill. Made in 1911, purchased used in 1919. Still in use

Mill. Made in 1911, purchased used in 1919. Still in use

Mill

Mill

This part of the mill moves crushed grains to the grist hopper.

Mechanism to move crushed grain to the grain/grist hopper above the mash tun

Mechanism to move crushed grain to the grain/grist hopper above the mash tun

Grist tank above Mash Tun

Grist hopper above Mash Tun

Notice the red hopper above the mash tun. Mash tun dates to 1875. Still in use

Top of mash tun

Top of mash tun

mash tun

mash tun

Cleaning the mash tun

Cleaning the mash tun

Looking into the copper (boil kettle)

Looking into the copper (boil kettle)

Oh, want to see the copper in video?

Then the mash is dropped into the hop back. Here it is empty.

Empty Hop back

Empty Hop back

Here is a video of it being filed and flowing it into the fermentor.

Did I mention open fermentors?

Open fermentation tanks

Open fermentation tanks

Fermentation tank cranking at full ferment

Fermentation tank cranking at full ferment

Here’s an empty one.

Empty Fermentation tank

Empty Fermentation tank

Here’s a semi open one.

IMG_6661

Here’s where they clean and till the casks.

Cask cleaning/filling area

Cask cleaning/filling area

They have a cooper on staff to build wooden barrels.

Cooper's workshop (barrel maker)

Cooper’s workshop (barrel maker)

Then off to the tasting room.

IMG_6677

 

Here are a few old rakes for turning floor malted grain on display.

IMG_6626

A rake for floor malting

A rake for floor malting

IMG_6625