

freddie paul’s beer tree celebrates the craft of home brewing

all images courtesy of freddie paul

according to freddie paul, ‘traditional home-brew kits are ugly collections of plastic barrels and a mess of hoses, usually stored in a user’s garage out of sight.’ driven by this observation, the london-based designer has developed his own contraption called ‘beer tree’ for his final project at london south bank university.

the system is meant to strengthen the bond between craftsman and product. removable vessels, detachable hoses, and stainless steel tubes are inserted into a laminated plywood base to create an honest and raw appearance. the amount of attention that has been paid towards the aesthetic is meant to encourage users to keep the ‘tree’ out in open for visitors of their home to enjoy. furthermore, the connection is strengthened by the ability to follow the entire process as liquids flow from piece to piece.



laser etched user interface

working from top to bottom, the gravity-fed kit features transparent vessels that allow the user to observe every aspect of brewing chemistry. after treated water is heated to 80°C in the liquor tank, it flows to the mash tun, where grains must be mixed into the hot liquor. once a porridge-like consistency has been achieved over the course of 90 minutes, practitioners refer to the concoction as ‘wort’. this liquid is then transferred to the kettle, where it is boiled for 60 to 90 minutes with hops added for bitterness and aroma. the final step occurs in the fermenter with yeast to begin the fermentation process. the kit is capable of producing ten liters of craft ale in approximately ten days: four hours brewing, two days fermenting, one day chilling, and then several days conditioning in bottles.



bottle syphoning area



grains must be in the mash tun for 90 minutes



industrial and functional aesthetics for user input



grains are added through the hopper



borosilicate glass vessels sit on stainless steel rings



details of the final product



construction photos of the design



the ‘beer tree’

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.