industrial arts brewery

Garnerville, NY

Industrial Arts Brewery is a state of the art brewery situated in a former Civil War-era uniform factory. Brew master Jeff O’Neil hired River Architects to develop the 30,000 square foot production brewery spread out over several buildings. The centerpiece of the brewery is the 3,400 sf brew house, housed in the former power plant of the old mill complex. Under the heavy roof trusses and the long shadow of the now abandoned smokestack is the state of the art BrauKon racked brewhouse, where the brewing process begins. Ranged around the brew house are tasting areas that provide different settings, from the newly created archway that connects the tap room to the tasting area and cafe style seating, and the more spacious picnic benches bathed in the light from the tall, restored arched windows. The roll-up garage door and storefronts expand the seating to picnic benches outside for a beer garden feel.

The restoration of the former power plant was thorough but subtle- the restored windows and opened archway, and natural flow of spaces gives the space the feel of always being that way, which of course it was not. Abandoned cars, a maze of concrete block partitions, and cracked concrete gave way to openness and light, new custom tiles, and modern amenities like compliant bathrooms and thermal comfort. The new space provides both the heart of the brewing process as well as a gathering place for friends, art exhibits, and performances.

The fermentation and clarification tanks, as well as the canning line, keg filling and washing, and storage- the workaday processes familiar to production brewing is remotely connected by a 100-meter pipeline that brings the wort from the brew house down an alley and over the Minnesceongo Creek to a separate building. This separation provides the terrific combination of keeping the brew house and tasting room clean and uncluttered and production moving without interruption from the public.

Photos by Brad Dickson