Madison craft brewer Ale Asylum has been a fan favorite since opening its doors in 2007. Eventually their reputation caught up with their production capacity… and surpassed it. Their 7,500-barrel-a-year capacity paled when compared to public demand.
Working with Transcend Architects and Engineers and general contractors Construction Services, owners Otto Dilba and Dean Coffey unfurled a bold plan to build a 45,000 square-foot facility capable of rolling out 45,000 barrels a year.
DILBA & COFFEY WERE PARTICULAR ABOUT THE AESTHETICS OF THEIR NEW FACILITY.
Fabcon worked closely with the architect to custom mix specific aggregates and develop four custom finishes.
Fabcon’s load-bearing panels eliminated the need for perimeter columns and helped create more usable space and uninterrupted spaces for their brewery equipment layout. In addition, with panel R-values of R-24, heating and cooling costs are kept in check, and wide, potentially harmful temperature fluctuations are avoided.
THE RESULT IS A BUILDING EVERY BIT AS UNIQUE AS THE BEERS THAT ARE PRODUCED WITHIN ITS WALLS.
Dilba and Coffey are particular when it comes to making their beer. They were no less particular when it came to the aesthetics of the new facility. “We essentially developed four custom finishes for this project,” said Fabcon Sales Engineer Joe Dammann.
Custom blends of aggregates, sealers, tints and an unusual aggregate wash process were all used to achieve some very specific visual results. A local graffiti artist contributed an edgy uniqueness with a series of murals on the panel interiors of the taproom.
“The philosophy of this brewery has always been about the beer and nothing else,” Coffey said. “Whenever we made decisions in the construction of this place, we always asked ourselves, which way is better for the beer? So to see the end result, a building that is all about the beer, it really is a true joy.”
