Creating the Perfect Small Scale Cellar Cooling Solution - Client Case Study
Humber Doucy Brewing Company
Client:
Humber Doucy Brewing Company
Location:
Bacton, Suffolk
Project type:
Creating the Perfect Small Scale Cellar Cooling Solution.
Background:
Humber Doucy Brewing Company is a growing family run independent brewery based in the heart of Suffolk, known for its quality craft beers and its commitment to delivering the perfect pint. As demand increased, particularly in the hotter summer months, their traditional Tap Room and shop needed an efficient and compact cooling solution to maintain beer quality and ensure smooth service.
The Challenge:
During peak heat, Humber Doucy experienced a recurring issue: beer fobbing. Fobbing occurs when the beer becomes over aerated and excessively foamy, making it difficult to pour and resulting in product waste and a frustrating customer experience. To address this, the team required a:
- Small cellar cooling system capable of maintaining stable temperatures during the hottest months.
- System that would not expel heat into customer areas, as their existing space was limited and customer comfort was a priority.
- Compact footprint, as space for a cold room was restricted.
- Design that could be configured precisely to fit the available area, both internally and externally.
The Solution
After assessing site constraints and usage requirements, a compact modular cold room was selected as the ideal fit. Several key features made this solution perfect for Humber Doucy Brewing Company:
1. External Condenser Placement
The brewery specifically wanted to avoid a traditional monoblock cold room, which removes heat from inside the cold room and releases it immediately outside the unit. This would have caused heat buildup in the same area where customers gathered, undesirable during warmer months. Instead, the final design included:
- A separate condenser unit mounted outside the building, ensuring that all extracted heat was vented externally.
- Improved temperature stability inside the cellar with no added heat load indoors.
2. Smallest Available Cold Room Footprint
To overcome space limitations, the smallest available cold-room model was chosen. Despite its compact size, it offered:
- Sufficient internal storage for kegs and packaged product
- Efficient cooling performance even at full load
3. Modular Lock Together Design
The cold room arrived in a lock‑together panel system, assembled using a simple allen key style mechanism. Benefits included:
- Quick installation with minimal disruption
- Tightly sealed joints for optimal insulation
4. Optional Features to Match Exact Requirements
The cold room was customised to the brewery’s needs:
- Flooring: Available with or without an integrated floor, depending on load requirements and hygiene standards.
- Shelving: Optional shelving allowed the team to optimise storage capacity and layout.
- Dimensional Planning: - External dimensions ensured the unit fit perfectly within the designated area. - Internal dimensions were checked to confirm it could hold the exact volume of stock required.
The Results
The new cooling solution delivered immediate and measurable benefits:
- Fobbing issues were eliminated, ensuring consistent quality pints even during peak summer heat.
- Customer comfort improved, with no additional heat released into serving areas.
- Beer wastage decreased, supporting better margins and reduced operational frustration.
- The brewery maximised a small footprint, gaining a high performance cellar without sacrificing valuable space.
- Installation was quick and tidy, thanks to the modular lock together structure.
Conclusion
The custom fitted cold room with an external condenser provided Humber Doucy Brewing Company with a reliable, efficient and perfectly sized cooling solution. By avoiding the drawbacks of a monoblock system and selecting a highly adaptable modular unit, the brewery is now fully equipped to maintain product quality throughout the year, no matter how high the temperature climbs.