brewerys

A brewery is a facility where beer is produced commercially. It encompasses the production site, the brewing equipment, and the business operations that bring beer to market. The standard plural is breweries; brewerys is a common misspelling and should be avoided in formal writing.

Historically, brewing dates to ancient cultures, but modern commercial brewing advanced with steam, refrigeration, and standardized methods in the 18th–19th centuries. The late 20th century saw the rise of craft breweries, followed by a diversification of styles and increasing participation in urban taprooms.

Most breweries follow a sequence from raw materials to packaging. This includes malting, milling, mashing, lautering, boiling with hops, and fermenting. After primary fermentation, beer may be conditioned, clarified, and carbonated before being filtered and packaged in bottles, cans, or kegs. Equipment ranges from small, single-vessel systems to large multi-tank operations.

Brewery operations are subject to regulation on licensing, labeling, taxation, and safety standards. Many breweries operate different business formats, such as microbreweries, regional breweries, contract breweries, or brewpubs that combine production with on-site dining.

Market aspects include distribution through wholesalers, direct-to-consumer sales at tasting rooms, and growing export markets. Sustainability practices, like water reuse, waste fermentation by-products, and energy efficiency, are increasingly integrated into modern brewery design and operation.