[MrNate]

Well, I finally got my sink/brew area in the garage somewhat organized. I put up some wall cabinets my brother-in-law gave me up above my commercial sink (which I still haven't hooked up yet). I put the random crap in the cabinets, cajun cookers underneath the drainboard, and kettles in the tubs. Added a few hooks for tubing, and then mounted bin storage for plumbing parts on the adjacent wall. Opposite the sink I have my fridge with taps and crap piled up on top that I need to deal with.

For my grain storage/milling/lagering area in the basement I'm still planning on building a dual chamber fermentation/lagering cabinet with bulk grain storage above. Everything else will go on a rack opposite that.

This, sadly, is about as organized as I get.

[chezteth]

I agree that shelving is definitely a good idea.  When we moved into our house there was a shelf in the basement with each shelf tilted slightly toward the back.  I am able to fit my carboys on it 3 per shelf.  Unfortunately, I am not able to fit the 6.5 gal carboys as the shelves are not spaced far enough apart.  We also have another shelf with some tupperware containers for storing bungs, airlocks, chemicals, etc.  I stack the corny kegs in a corner of our brewing room.  Items that I use often for brewing I keep in a bucket that I can just grab and take up to the garage when I am going to brew.

Good Luck,
Brandon

[tankdeer]

Congrats. I just bought my first house and still haven't set up my brewing area yet.

But I can tell you a little from past experience, that Denny is 100% right on. Shelves are the way to go. And specifically along those lines with regards to cornies and carboys, empty ones at least, is that they do especially well on their sides. So like a long narrow shelf along the top of your storage can hold lots of empties. The handles point forward, so they are easy to grab. And nothing is hidden behind anything else, so you can grab any one you want.

Another thing, if you've got the space, instead of putting a shelving unit with it's back against a wall, think "isles" and put it's side against the wall. Do that with several and you've at least doubled your storage space in roughly the same footprint.

[dcbc]

I have a spot in the corner of the garage for the brew stand.  Kettles are stored in place.  I have shelving next to it with the mash tun and two plastic storage boxes full of hoses, worth chiller, and various gear.  In my closet, in the house, I have another storage box with things necessary to make starters (flask, stir plate, extra specialty grain) and deal with kegging, cleaning.  Iodophor and oxyclean are under the sink since that's where they get used.  I also have a small toolbox that contains all of the little stuff, stir bars, grommets, thermometers, gaskets, servomyces, lactic, etc, etc.

I don't do bulk grain storage, but may some day.  I need to relocate my grain mill and motor/table over by the stand since my old summit kegerator is going to be positioned next to my other storage fridge on that side of the garage.

[dbeechum]

Hey gang, wanted to bump this topic back up and talk it through a little more thoroughly, get some pictures, etc, because this is looking like a possible Zymurgy piece. Here's your chance to get immortalized for at least an issue, while helping your fellow brewers bring peace and harmony to their brew spaces!

[Mikey]

I have a dedicated brew room. Kegs are kept high and hoses are hung on the wall. All of my test equipment, sample jars etc. are kept close by. Everything else is kept on or in the sink until ready to use.

Before I had this space, I was brewing out of my garage. It worked, but this is so much better. If you can ever swing it, go for it. If you're organized, it doesn't really take up all that much space.

[MrNate]

Hey Drew, when's your deadline for pictures?

[euge]

Hey Drew, when's your deadline for pictures?

I have a feeling no-one's posting pics cause it ain't pretty... Seen some impressive setups posted elsewhere. Mine isn't.

[MrNate]

Yeah, I feel the same way, but I'm trying to use it as my reason to clean up that corner.

[tubercle]

VCS = Visual Control System

Color coding and shadow boards.

Set min/max levels so you don't end up with and over abundance of supplies or ingredients and don't run out of critical stuff either.

For example, I have a space on a shelf for starsan concentrate. As soon as I get a new container I mark a line 3/4 empty with a sharpie. When I get to that level I order more. That way I don't have 2 or 3 laying around but the order point is soon enough to make sure I don't run out.

 I order a large coil of beverage line and cut to length and hang these coils on a peg. I keep the now individual coils together with a green twist tie on each except one, which has a red twist tie. I use the green ones first and when I get to the red one...time to order. 

 All kinds of little ways....

[dbeechum]

My deadline is around mid-November, so that would be ideal for photos.

Totally bring the ideas guys.. you'll help everyone out!