Although the rapid expansion of the craft or microbrew industry topped off a few years ago, the United States remains on pace to add thousands of breweries across the country, according to the Brewers Association. HVAC plays a key role in these operations, and breweries can provide good customers for HVAC contractors with the right skills.

HVAC first comes into play after brewers turn the grains used to make beer into wort. This is the liquid created by the mashing process. Breweries cook the wort in vats and add hops at this time. The heat comes from a coil wrapped around the vat. These coils fill with steam from a boiler. This is the greatest area of need for brewers and also the hardest area to find skilled tradesmen.