Brew Tour
The Art of TBBC Beer, from start to finish...
All our beers are handcrafted by our brewmaster David Doble and his assistant brewers on a regular basis on the premises of our brewpub.
Tampa Bay Brewing Company operates a 10-barrel brewing system. Our brewhouse consists of a combination mash/boil kettle, lauter tun, hot liquor tank, cold liquor tank, three 10bbl fermenters and one 20bbl fermenter.
STAGE 1:
Our brewers’ day begins early in the morning with the milling of the grains. Each sack contains 50 to 55 pounds of malted barley.
Tampa Bay Brewing Company typically uses 600 to 800 pounds of grain for each 310-gallon batch of brew. Our malted barley comes from the U.S., Britain, Germany and Belgium.
STAGE 2:
As the grains are being carried by auger to the mash tun, the brewers check that the desired combination of water and grain is achieved.
The Tampa Bay Brewing Company brewhouse was designed by the Criveller Company.
STAGE 3:
Brewmaster John checks the grain as it drops into the mash tun. The grain should be cracked, but not crushed. After the milling is complete, the mash ‘rests’ for one hour at a temperature of 148 to 151 degrees.
Tampa Bay Brewing Company brewers also utilize single-temperature infusion step-mashing and traditional decoction methods.
STAGE 4:
The interior of the stainless steel mash/boil vessel. The mash is regulated in temperature by steam jackets and mixed by mash paddles. Note the oatmeal-like consistency of the mash.
STAGE 5:
When the mash is complete, it is transferred in its entirety to the lauter tun, where the sweet liquid wort will be filtered from the grains utilizing a sprinkler-type system. Brewmaster John inspects the mash tun for cleanliness. This vessel will be used to boil the sweet wort once extracted from the lauter tun.
STAGE 6:
A typical Tampa Bay Brewing Company boil lasts for 90 minutes. During this time, the brewers weigh out palletized hops. Combinations of domestic hops are used for bittering, flavoring and aromatic qualities.
STAGE 7:
Time and temperature are monitored to assure a vigorous boil that will maximize the extraction of hop oils. Brewmaster John performs the time-honored tradition of shoveling the spent grains from the lauter tun.
STAGE 8:
Near the boil’s end, brewers complete a sanitizing regime on the fermenter and heat exchanger. The second floor of the brewhouse contains three 10bbl fermenters and glycol chilling reservoir.
STAGE 9:
Brewmaster John enjoys the aroma of a fine wort... IPA perhaps? A system of hoses and pumps push the wort to the second-story fermenters.
STAGE 10:
Tampa Bay Brewing Company brewers pitch 3-5 gallons of yeast into each brew. Just before the wort is cooled and transferred, the yeast is pitched into a freshly sanitized fermenter.
STAGE 11:
After the wort is transferred, a hydrometer sample is taken from the vessel. This hydrometer sample provides a gravity reading that can help determine how efficient the brewing process has been. At the end of fermentation, it will be used to determine alcohol strength.
STAGE 12:
Weeks later, the Brewmaster enjoys the fruits of his labor.
Read about our founder John Doble >
