The 7 Silent Killers in Brewery Equipment Purchasing

Purchasing brewery equipment is one of the most critical and expensive decisions in any brewing project. Unfortunately, many costly mistakes do not appear immediately. Instead, they quietly erode efficiency, increase operating costs, and limit growth over time.

At DEGONG, we have supported breweries at different stages — from startups to expanding commercial operations. Based on real project experience, the following seven “silent killers” are the most common reasons why brewery equipment investments fail to deliver their expected value.

1. Designing Only for Today, Not for Growth

One of the most common mistakes is purchasing equipment sized strictly for current demand. While this may reduce initial investment, it often becomes a major bottleneck once sales grow.

Breweries that succeed typically outgrow their original capacity much faster than expected. Without space, utility connections, or modular design, expansion becomes disruptive and expensive.

Best practice:
Plan equipment layout with future growth in mind. Reserve space for additional fermenters, allow extra capacity in glycol and electrical systems, and choose modular solutions that can scale with demand.

2. Ignoring Building and Utility Compatibility

Equipment that looks perfect on paper may be incompatible with the actual facility. Common issues include:

• Insufficient ceiling height for tanks

• Doorways too small for installation

• Floors unable to support full tank loads

• Lack of three-phase power or proper drainage

These problems often appear only after equipment arrives — when changes are most costly.

Engineering approach:
Before purchasing equipment, confirm building dimensions, floor load capacity, ceiling height, and utility availability. At DEGONG, we strongly recommend completing a detailed layout and utility checklist before finalizing equipment specifications.

3. Choosing Price Over Engineering Quality

Low-cost equipment often hides long-term risks. Poor weld quality, rough internal surfaces, and low-grade components can lead to sanitation problems, contamination, and premature equipment failure.

While these issues may not be obvious at installation, they often result in:

• Inconsistent beer quality

• Increased cleaning time

• Higher maintenance costs

• Shorter equipment lifespan

Key principle:
Evaluate equipment based on total cost of ownership, not just purchase price. High-quality fabrication, sanitary design, and reliable components protect both product quality and long-term profitability.

4. Underestimating the Cost of Manual Operations

To reduce upfront costs, some breweries rely heavily on manual operation. Over time, this leads to excessive labor requirements, process variability, and operator fatigue.

Manual systems often consume skilled labor for repetitive tasks that could be automated, reducing time available for quality control and recipe development.

Smart investment:
Selective automation — such as fermenter temperature control or CIP systems — significantly improves consistency and reduces labor costs. Even partial automation often delivers a strong return on investment.

5. Overlooking After-Sales Technical Support

Equipment purchasing does not end at delivery. When technical issues arise, lack of support can cause extended downtime and production losses.

Common risks include:

• Long response times

• No spare parts availability

• Lack of remote troubleshooting capability

Supplier evaluation should include:
After-sales service structure, spare parts support, and technical response commitments. At DEGONG, after-sales support is treated as a core part of the equipment solution — not an optional extra.

6. Buying Used Equipment Without Proper Evaluation

Used brewery equipment may appear cost-effective, but it often carries hidden risks such as:

• Internal corrosion

• Worn jackets or insulation

• Outdated control systems

• Hidden weld defects

These issues can require expensive retrofits or limit performance.

Risk control:
Any used equipment should undergo professional inspection, pressure testing, and functional verification before purchase. Without this, cost savings can quickly disappear.

7. Treating Packaging as a Secondary Concern

Many breweries focus heavily on brewhouse and fermentation equipment while postponing packaging decisions. This often creates a serious bottleneck at the final stage of production.

Beer that cannot be packaged efficiently ties up tank space and limits sales.

Integrated planning:
Packaging should be considered part of the overall system from the beginning. A well-designed brewery aligns brewing, fermentation, and packaging capacity to ensure smooth workflow and predictable output.

Conclusion

The biggest risks in brewery equipment purchasing are rarely obvious at the start. They emerge quietly through poor planning, incompatible facilities, underestimated operating costs, and lack of long-term thinking.

Avoiding these seven silent killers requires an engineering-driven approach — one that balances current needs with future scalability, operational efficiency, and reliable technical support.

At DEGONG, we believe successful breweries are built on well-integrated systems, thoughtful planning, and long-term reliability, not short-term cost savings.