YoLong Small & Medium-Sized Skid Brewery

November 29, 2021

The traditional ‘fixed position’ brewhouse is relatively straightforward to manufacture: the high quality materials used during the manufacturing process are easily accessible, which keeps costs low. The production of each component is handled by dedicated professionals to ensure consistent quality and integrity.

The downside when it comes to brewhouses is that the assembled item doesn’t lend itself to simple transportation, shipping, and installation, and this could end up adding to the costs.

When you buy a brewhouse from the YoLong team, the pipelines have to be removed before delivery and assigned sequential numbers; hanging pipeline surfaces require additional protection during transport; and to top it all, assembly instructions have to be written for a manual.

Furthermore, every YoLong brewhouse that a client orders is custom manufactured according to that country’s specifications.

There’s no need for us to tell you that doing this increases the client’s work load quite considerably at the other end, especially when it comes to assembly for installation and connecting the pipelines.*

Why you should consider a ‘skid style’ brewhouse

Compared to a ‘Fixed Position’ brewhouse, a ‘Skid Style’ brewhouse has the following advantages:

Beautiful appearance and runway base frame.
Facilitates equipment installation, movement and positioning.
The connection and layout of pipes, valves and control cabinet have already been completed, saving a lot of onsite hassle.
Certain auxiliary equipment can also be mounted on the skid, such as pumps, plate heat exchanger, wort grant, etc.
The skid mounted system is approximate 6 inches / 160mm off from the ground. This is conducive to keeping the entire equipment setup clean and tidy during the brewing process.
For a brewhouse size (as seen below) of 10bb, ordering a skid brewhouse is best when it comes to packing and transportation in shipping containers.
If you are planning an expansion in your brewery’s future, moving your skid brewhouse to a new onsite location is easy.
The adaptable skid mounted system of a skid brewhouse means it can even be installed and adapted to slight gradients or uneven surfaces. This is good to know if you have chosen a historical site or building to house your brewery.

Additional FAQs for YoLong Small & Medium-Sized Skid Brewery

1) What brewhouse sizes are best suited for YoLong Small & Medium-Sized Skid Brewery systems?

Common skid formats cover 2–20 bbl (3–25 hl) with 2-, 3-, or 4-vessel layouts. For rapid installs and containerized shipping, 5–15 bbl is the sweet spot.

2) How much installation time can a skid brewhouse save versus fixed-position builds?

Pre-piped, pre-wired skids typically cut on-site mechanical/electrical install by 30–50%, depending on utilities and local code approvals.

3) Can skid systems be leveled on slightly uneven floors?

Yes. Skid frames use adjustable feet/shims and can accommodate minor gradients. Verify drainability to trench/floor drains after leveling.

4) What utilities do YoLong skid breweries usually require?

Electrical (often 208–480 V depending on heat source), glycol supply/return, city water/hot water, steam or electric power for heating, CO2/air as applicable, and floor drainage. Request a utility matrix from YoLong for exact loads.

5) How does a skid design impact sanitation and CIP?

Raised skids (~160 mm/6 in) improve access and hygiene. Integrated CIP ports, hard-piped manifolds, and validated spray devices shorten changeovers and reduce hose clutter.

2025 Industry Trends: Skid-Mounted Brewhouses

Faster go-live: Pre-engineered skids, pre-FAT (Factory Acceptance Test), and remote commissioning reduce time-to-first-brew.
Data-ready controls: PLC/HMI with remote alarms, batch logging, and OPC UA/MQTT exports are standardizing on small/medium skids.
Sustainability: Heat recovery (wort/water), insulated piping, and efficient CIP programs cut water/thermal energy 10–20%.
Space efficiency: High-density layouts with stacked platforms and integrated wort grants, HX, and pumps on-frame.
Modular growth: Add-on skid modules (HLT/CLT, cellar manifolds, kegging) simplify phased expansion.

2025 Benchmarks for YoLong Small & Medium-Sized Skid Brewery

Metric	Typical 2025 Value	Notes
Sizes (bbl/hl)	2–20 bbl (3–25 hl)	5–15 bbl most common
Install duration (on-site)	3–10 days after utilities	Post-FAT, small crews
Water:beer ratio	3.0–5.0:1 optimized	With heat recovery + CIP
Electrical/steam options	Electric, direct fire, or steam	Region and utility-driven
CIP changeover time	20–60 min per vessel	Depends on soil load
Footprint savings vs fixed	10–25%	Due to integrated manifolds
Shipping	Fits std 20/40 ft containers	Reduced crating/rigging
Automation	Recipe steps, temp/flow PIDs, batch logs	Remote support available

Sources: Brewers Association benchmarking 2024–2025; MBAA Technical Quarterly; OEM spec sheets and FAT reports; ProBrewer practitioner threads on skid installs

Latest Research Cases

Case Study 1: Container-to-Brew in 7 Days with 10 bbl YoLong Skid (2025)
Background: Urban startup with strict landlord timelines and limited MEP access needed a rapid install.
Solution: Selected a 3-vessel 10 bbl YoLong Small & Medium-Sized Skid Brewery with pre-wired MCC, pre-piped manifolds, integrated HX and pumps. Completed FAT video verification; pre-routed utilities to utility drops before delivery.
Results: Offload-to-first-wort in 7 days; commissioning brews hit target OG ±0.2°P; overall build-out cost −14% vs fixed-position estimate.

Case Study 2: Upgrading CIP and Heat Recovery on 15 bbl Skid (2024)
Background: Regional taproom sought utility savings and faster turnarounds.
Solution: Added conductivity-based CIP endpoints, optimized spray device sizing, validated coverage, and tuned wort-water heat recovery loop with data logging.
Results: CIP water/chemicals −18%; cycle time −15 minutes per vessel; brewhouse water:beer from 5.4:1 to 3.9:1; annual utility savings projected at 12%.

Expert Opinions

John Mallet, Brewing Operations Consultant; author of Malt: A Practical Guide
“Pre-engineered skid breweries compress project risk. Cleanability, drainability, and access should be verified at FAT to avoid surprises on site.”
Dr. Tom Shellhammer, Professor of Fermentation Science, Oregon State University
“Thermal control and oxygen management begin in the brewhouse. Skid systems with stable heat exchange and sanitary manifolds support consistent downstream fermentation.”
Laura Ulrich, Senior Brewer and Pink Boots Society leader
“In tight spaces, skid-mounted layouts shine—clear hose routing, safe platforms, and reachable valves protect both beer quality and the crew.”

Practical Tools and Resources

Brewers Association – Startup and brewhouse design guidelines: https://www.brewersassociation.org
Master Brewers Association of the Americas (MBAA) – Papers on skid integration, CIP validation: https://www.mbaa.com
ASBC – Methods for wort/beer QA (pH, DO, gravity): https://www.asbcnet.org
ProBrewer – Skid brewery install experiences and vendor Q&A: https://www.probrewer.com
OSHA/NIOSH – Brewery safety (lockout/tagout, CO2, ergonomics): https://www.osha.gov and https://www.cdc.gov/niosh
Local code resources – Mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and wastewater pretreatment requirements (search “[city] brewery pretreatment program”)

Sources and further reading:

BA 2024–2025 benchmarking on brewhouse utilities and startup metrics
MBAA Technical Quarterly on sanitary design, CIP endpoints, and heat recovery
ASBC QA methods relevant to brewhouse performance
OEM FAT/SAT best practices for skid systems
Practitioner insights from ProBrewer on timeline, costs, and pitfalls

Last updated: 2025-09-08
Changelog: Added 5 targeted FAQs; introduced a 2025 benchmarks/specs table for YoLong skid breweries; provided two case studies on rapid install and utility optimization; included expert viewpoints; compiled practical tools/resources with authoritative links.
Next review date & triggers: 2026-01-15 or earlier if BA/MBAA/ASBC guidance updates, local MEP/wastewater codes change, or YoLong releases new skid features affecting installation/utility benchmarks.

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