Prefabricated Steel Brewhouse in Chico, California

Sunward Steel Buildings, Inc., had the honor of fabricating and providing this pre-engineered steel brewhouse in Chico, California, in June of 1998.

Currently in use as a barrel brewhouse for Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., a family-owned, California-based craft brewery opened in 1979, the steel building allows the brewer to produce up to 600,000 barrels of beer a year, giving it the ability to accommodate rising demand. The industry’s leading and largest independently owned craft beer maker, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. is known for both its painstakingly crafted brews and its sustainable business practices, going so far as to score a “Green Business of the Year” nod from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2010.

Expanded Production Capabilities 

This particular steel brewhouse became a part of Sierra Nevada’s infrastructure in 1998, as exponential company growth and increased consumer demand warranted expanded production capabilities. Nowadays, the Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. maintains a staff of more than 365, and it produces a broad range of craft beer varieties, including the Hazy Little Thing IPA and the seasonal Summerfest and Celebration Ales, among multiple others.

Often preferred by owners of breweries, distilleries, wineries and similar operations, pre-engineered steel buildings are easily configurable to meet a buyer’s unique needs, and they are also affordable to erect and easy to maintain, saving business owners considerable money in terms of lifelong ownership costs. Part of northern California’s Butte County, the city of Chico sits about 15 miles outside Paradise and about 20 miles outside Butte Valley.

Considering purchasing a prefabricated steel building for use as a brewery, distillery, winery or something else in California or another part of the country? Click here for a price quote.

Building Specifications

Highly sustainable and completely recyclable once it reaches the end of its lifespan, this pre-engineered metal brewery building is comprised of rugged, high-quality steel components, and it stands 55’x110’x14’ once raised. Stone Beige in color, it features a wide clear span and high clearance, freeing up more room for barrels and other brewing equipment, and a corrosion-resistant roof comprised of hardwearing Galvalume steel panels sits overhead and has a 1:12 pitch.

Spacious and multifunctional, the steel brewhouse features (2) 3070 framed openings equipped with (2) 3070 commercial walk door systems with substructures, and it also boasts an 80-mph wind speed rating; a customization made in compliance with local and regional building code requirements. It also has several supplemental features that help prevent moisture from collecting on the roof or near the foundation of the metal brewery building, among them a 220-foot eave gutter and 90 linear feet of downspouts.