John Bedard has had a long career as an architect, but he's found a whole new audience and passion in the last few years: breweries. He's become the go-to brewery architect in Brooklyn and the architect of choice for many of the city's celebrated breweries. From the award-winning Threes, to Kings County Brewing Collective, to Grimm, Bedard has designed nearly half of his current portfolio for these industry titans. So take a deeper look into how this talented architect found his niche in the brewery business.
John Bedard, New York’s leading brewery architect, has been making a splash in the Big Apple’s beer-brewing world thanks to his expertise and specialization in creating breweries and taprooms. From Threes Brewing to Kings County Brewing Collective and Grimm Artisanal Ales, Bedard has become the go-to brewery architect in Brooklyn, with projects from those breweries making up nearly half of his portfolio.
The interest in brewery architecture is growing as micro-breweries, brewpubs, and taprooms have grown in popularity over the years. This is in large part due to the increasing demand for craft beer, meaning that not only are more craft breweries launching, but those already established are engaging in expansion projects.
It’s a trend that has been sweeping the US, with a variety of breweries popping up in cities across the country, and in New York, Bedard has been at the forefront of this trend. Bedard, who is a registered architect in the RIBA, has built up a wealth of experience in brewing that helps him stand out from the pack.
Bedard has been working in the brewery and taproom building industry since the early 2000s. His first project was Threes Brewing’s taproom in Brooklyn, and since then he has gone on to create a range of notable breweries and taprooms in the Big Apple.
Bedard’s success in the brewing market is down to his knowledge of infrastructure and the way he builds breweries that suit each individual client. Bedard takes the time to really get to know the businesses he’s working with, understanding what their needs are and how he can tailor a design to make the process of brewing beer more efficient.
His success can be seen in the cases of Threes Brewing and Kings County Brewing Collective, where Bedard has managed to design comprehensive breweries for them. The two projects offer different examples of how Bedard has used his expertise to build something that fits the business’s needs.
For Threes Brewing, Bedard was given the challenge of creating a four-story brewery and taproom. He used his knowledge of infrastructure to find the perfect space for the brewery, while also considering the scale of the project, the way the brewing is done, and the kind of beer the company wanted to produce.
For Kings County Brewing Collective, Bedard’s challenge was to create something on a smaller scale. In this case, Bedard had to create a design that allowed for 15-barrel mashing and boiling operations, a glycol system, two warehouses for storage and distribution, and an area for cold storage. He was also tasked with creating a tasting room and a space for the brewing team to experiment with new recipes.
Since his starting project at Threes Brewing, Bedard’s work has been in high demand in the brewing industry. He has managed to design breweries and taprooms for a variety of businesses, including Grimm Artisanal Ales, Finback Brewery, and Sorachi Ace Brewing Co.
Bedard’s extensive knowledge of brewery architecture has been crucial in his success. He is able to create breweries that are tailored perfectly to each of his clients, leading to successful projects and a growing list of breweries and taprooms that he has built. Bedard’s experience also means that he is able to consider every aspect of the brewery, from the brewing process to storage and equipment, to ensure that each project is successful.
Bedard’s infrastructure expertise has also enabled him to be able to participate in the planning process from the very beginning, to ensure that the most cost-effective option is identified. This is essential for more complex projects, as it allows Bedard to create a design that maximizes the use of resources and minimizes the costs for the business.
As the interest in brewing continues to grow in New York and across the US, Bedard is sure to remain a sought-after brewer architect. His extensive knowledge has set him apart from the competition, helping him build one of the most impressive portfolios of brewery architecture in the country.
With John Bedard’s expertise and experience, the future