PRACTICE AREA
ALCOHOLIC
BEVERAGE
WE DESIGN PURPOSE-BUILT BREWERY, WINERY AND DISTILLERY FACILITIES.
Industrial Performance + Public Experience
Our work in the alcoholic beverage industry combines industrial performance with public experience. These projects are a specialty within our broader manufacturing expertise, with the added layer that your product isn’t just made—it’s tasted, shared, and remembered. We’ve been immersed in this world since our first distillery project in 2011, and we continue to enjoy learning from each client’s recipe, process, and brand story.
Navigating Regulatory Complexity
We bring deep understanding of complex building and fire code requirements around these facilities, including dust hazards, flammable and combustible liquids, hazardous occupancy classifications, and industry guidelines prepared by organizations like DISCUS. We understand how local zoning and land use regulations apply to alcoholic beverage facilities and can navigate the real-world challenge of permitting – especially when authorities have conflicting expectations. Our goal is to keep the path clear: de-risk early decisions, anticipate review hurdles, and coordinate a consultant team that supports both performance and compliance.
Systems Coordination
In production areas, we’re coordinating the building’s real drivers: process equipment, utilities, material flows, and future growth. While we’re not process engineers, we routinely coordinate equipment layouts and Process & Integration Diagrams so that tanks, lines, drains, power, ventilation, building components, and safety systems align. We also help clients develop master plans for phased buildouts, recognizing that successful beverage brands evolve quickly and need adaptable facilities.
Compounding Value
Similar to our other manufacturing work, we consider alcoholic beverage facilities holistically through three fundamental components:
Leg One: Brewing, distilling, and winemaking production areas where beverages are made, aged, bottled, stored, and distributed—here we focus on process efficiency from raw materials through finished products using LEAN manufacturing principles.
Leg Two: Office & workplace areas where R&D teams work, executives run the company, and marketing teams build the brand—here we apply our extensive workplace design experience.
Leg Three: Tasting rooms and retail spaces where customers experience the brand – here we draw from our years of retail and hospitality design expertise to be sure the customer’s five senses are engaged, and the brand story is on full display.
COMMON QUESTIONS
How can alcoholic beverage production facilities be designed for human comfort?
We care about the human experience on both sides of the bar—employee wellbeing and guest experience. Daylight, air quality, thermal comfort, noise control, hygiene access, and ergonomics aren’t “extras”; they’re business fundamentals that improve retention, reduce injuries and absenteeism, and strengthen culture. Paired with strong brand storytelling in the customer areas, the result is a facility that works harder—operationally, financially, and experientially.
What trends are you seeing the alcoholic beverage facility industry?
The era of rapid growth is over, prompting a focus on efficiency and brand building. Many breweries are adding distillery operations to diversify revenue, capitalizing on faster growth of craft spirits. Consumers demand authenticity and sustainability—local sourcing, unique stories, eco-friendly practices, and artisanal spirits influence our design and material choices. We’re navigating a market that has seen sharp reductions since the COVID pandemic, especially due to heightened awareness of health and wellbeing, with 2025 surveys showing the lowest number of adult alcoholic beverage drinkers ever recorded. This shifting landscape requires thoughtful, efficient facility design that helps our clients adapt and thrive.
Who are the other technical consultants involved in alcoholic beverage production facilities?
Our extensive team of structural, mechanical, plumbing, and electrical engineers ensures that facilities properly connect to and support process equipment. Wastewater design consultants are becoming critical team members, as are LEED and environmental consultants. Further, we frequently partner with general contractors and cost-modeling specialists to understand current market trends and costs.
”We toured distilleries in Washington and Oregon looking for smart layouts and hoping for inspiration. We found it when we toured a Mark's work at Westland Distillery in Seattle. An appealing mix of creativity and humility in the design of their tasting room really appealed to us.
Kim KarrickOwner, SCRATCH Distillery
