Commercial Architecture January 2018 - 26

plumbing

PROJECT

Brewhouse Cuts
Water Consumption
Craft-brewing entrepreneurs demand
the best for facility drainage.

hen three buddies traded

invites patrons' canines to join in on the fun,

in their corporate jobs for

and with outdoor heaters, the beer garden is

craft beers and their suit-

open year round.

and-tie ensembles for beards, they never
expected that four years later they would be

COMMUNITY IS KEY

co-owners of a 50,000-sq.-ft. brewery in the

According to Mike Stuart, MadTree's direc-

heart of Cincinnati.

tor of people and social strategy, MadTree

Kenny McNutt, Brady Duncan, and Jeff

focuses on three pillars: beer, people, and

Hunt began this adventure as home brewers.

community. "Beer quality and consistency is

Weekends were spent huddled in their base-

extremely important to us," Stuart explained.

ments-the byproduct of which was a malty

"People-our employees-are treated with the

aroma that permeated carpets and curtains

utmost respect, and we firmly believe in sup-

and small quantities of their now well-

porting the community that supports us."
Kenny McNutt adds, "Beer gives you an

respected beers.
Eager to ditch their corporate gigs for

opportunity to discuss many things. It's a cat-

something they were passionate about, they

alyst for conversation; it drives and fuels

also knew Rome wasn't built in a day. And

community spirit. We've settled on a phrase

neither are craft-beer empires.

that's comfortable and realistic: 'Beer builds

So the trio refined their mission and

community and community builds beer.'"

worked on a business plan-and recipes-for

In fact, the majority of MadTree employ-

two years, with family and friends acting as

ees were once passionate patrons themselves,

willing guinea pigs. After countless recipe al-

so enthusiastic about the atmosphere and

terations, they perfected their product and on

end products that after time and many in-

January 22, 2013, the first official batch of

depth discussions about beer and business,

MadTree beer was brewed.

they were brought on board.

With a humble beginning, the first

"Aside from my office job, I used to write

MadTree brewing facility was a 10,000-sq.-ft.,

a local beer blog," Stuart explained. "So after

15-barrel/batch brewhouse with the capacity

getting to know Kenny, Brady, and Jeff

of brewing as many as 22,000 barrels a year.

through that outlet, I decided to burn my

Today, the finishing touches are being ap-

suits and ditch the corporate world."

plied to the company's new brewhouse. Located less than a mile from the original brewery, the new 126-barrel facility covers 50,000
sq. ft., with a 20,000-sq.-ft. production area
that has the capability of brewing as many as

From top right.
MadTree's new 126-barrel brewhouse facility covers
50,000 sq. ft, with a 20,000-sq.-ft. production area that has
the capability of brewing 180,000 barrels of beer/year.

180,000 barrels of beer a year.
The two facilities don't have much in
common aside from the location and the
beer. The new brewhouse could swallow the
old one whole and still have room for several
more. A 10,000-sq.-ft. outdoor beer garden
26

COMMERCI A L A RCHI T EC T URE

JANUARY 2018

Head brewer Ryan Blevins takes water samples to check
temperature and clarity before the mashing process begins.
Sanitizing solution is emptied to prepare for keg filling.
Matt Duddey, MadTree packaging manager, sanitizes kegs.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Commercial Architecture January 2018