Finance Assets arranges brewery and drinks equipment finance for UK businesses buying brewhouses, fermenters and bright tanks, distillery stills, cider presses, soft drinks production equipment and the utilities that keep them running.
Brewery and drinks equipment finance spreads the cost of production equipment over 3 to 7 years, so a brewery, distillery, cidery or soft drinks maker can add capacity, move to a bigger site or bring contract production in-house without a large cash outlay. We arrange hire purchase and leasing for new and used equipment, including installation. For bottling, canning and kegging lines, see our packaging machinery finance guide.
Written by Marcus Wright, founder of Bolton Business Finance Ltd, in financial services since 2008 and a commercial finance broker since 2019. Last reviewed October 2026.
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The short version
- Brewery and drinks equipment finance spreads the cost of brewhouses, tanks, stills and production equipment over 3 to 7 years.
- Stainless steel tanks and brewhouses hold their value well, so lenders fund them readily, new or used.
- Installation, glycol chilling, CIP and steam or hot water systems can usually go on the same agreement.
- Lenders look at your sales channels, from pubs and wholesalers to supermarkets and direct sales, and how steady they are.
- Finance Assets arranges brewery and drinks equipment finance for limited companies and LLPs, and for sole traders and partnerships on agreements over £25,000.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Equipment covered | Brewhouses, fermenters, bright and conditioning tanks, stills, cider presses, soft drinks mixing and carbonation, and production utilities |
| Deal sizes | From a few extra fermenters to a complete brewhouse or distillery fit-out |
| Terms | Usually 3 to 5 years on used equipment, and up to 7 years on new stainless steel equipment |
| Paid upfront | Hire purchase: often a 10% deposit plus VAT. Leases: usually 1 to 3 rentals in advance |
| New or used | Both, from UK and overseas fabricators, dealers and other producers |
| Who we help | Limited companies and LLPs, plus sole traders and partnerships on business agreements over £25,000 |
Brewery and drinks equipment we finance
Lenders will fund most drinks production equipment, provided it comes from an identifiable fabricator or maker on a clear, itemised quote.
| Equipment group | Examples |
|---|---|
| Brewhouses | Mash tuns, lauter tuns, kettles and whirlpools, hot and cold liquor tanks, mills and grist cases |
| Fermentation and conditioning | Conical fermenters, unitanks, bright beer and conditioning tanks, and glycol chillers |
| Distilling | Copper pot stills, column stills, gin baskets, washbacks and spirit receivers |
| Cider, wine and soft drinks | Fruit mills and presses, wine tanks, syrup mixing, blending, carbonation and pasteurisation equipment |
| Utilities and cleaning | Steam boilers, hot water systems, CIP sets, filtration, water treatment and compressors |
Tanks, kegs and capacity
A few points about drinks production equipment change how lenders look at it.
- Stainless steel holds its value. Tanks, fermenters and brewhouses have a steady second-hand market, because breweries buy used kit when they expand. Lenders fund them readily, including used tanks bought from other producers.
- Installation and utilities. Pipework, glycol chilling, steam or hot water and electrical work can usually go on the same agreement as the tanks, as long as equipment makes up most of the cost. Building work and drainage usually sit outside it.
- Kegs and casks. Keg fleets can be funded, but lenders are cautious because kegs leave your site and some never come back. Tracking systems and a record of keg losses help.
- Capacity and duty. Small Producer Relief reduces alcohol duty for smaller producers, but the relief tapers as volumes grow. Check how extra capacity changes your duty bill before you size new equipment.
Finance options for brewery and drinks equipment
Most producers buy brewhouses and tanks on hire purchase, as they run for decades. Our types of asset finance guide covers each option in more depth.
| Type | How it works | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Hire purchase | A deposit, then fixed monthly payments. You own the equipment after the last one | Brewhouses, tanks and stills you will run for many years |
| Finance lease | Rentals with VAT added to each one. The lender owns the equipment | Spreading the VAT on a full brewery or distillery fit-out |
| Operating lease | Lower rentals set around the equipment’s expected resale value. Hand back at the end | Extra capacity for a fixed-length contract brewing deal |
| Type | VAT | Tax treatment |
|---|---|---|
| Hire purchase | VAT on the full price is paid at the start, and a VAT-registered business usually reclaims it on its next return | The business is treated as the owner, so it may be able to claim capital allowances, such as the annual investment allowance, or full expensing for companies buying new equipment |
| Finance lease | VAT is added to each rental and reclaimed as normal | Rentals are usually deductible as a business expense |
| Operating lease | VAT is added to each rental | Rentals are usually deductible, and the lender claims the capital allowances |
Your accountant can confirm how each option works for your tax position.
Hire purchase for brewery production equipment
Hire purchase for brewery production equipment suits a brewer that will run its brewhouse and tanks for many years. You pay a deposit, often around 10% plus the VAT, then fixed monthly payments, and the equipment becomes yours after the final payment and a small option fee. Because stainless steel holds its value, a balloon can lower the monthly cost on newer equipment.
Finance lease for drink manufacturing equipment
A finance lease for drink manufacturing equipment spreads the VAT across the rentals, which helps on a new site where tanks, utilities and installation all arrive at once. It suits distilleries, cideries and soft drinks producers as well as brewers. The lender owns the equipment, and at the end you can usually carry on at a small secondary rental, or sell it for the lender and keep most of the proceeds.
Operating lease for brewery and drinks equipment
An operating lease for brewery and drinks equipment suits a producer that needs extra fermenting or conditioning capacity for a fixed period, such as a contract brewing deal. The rentals are set around what the equipment should be worth at the end, so they are lower than a finance lease, and you hand it back when the lease ends.
Brewery equipment finance costs: a worked example
A new brewhouse with four fermenters, two bright tanks, a glycol chiller and installation at £150,000 costs about £2,802 a month on a 5-year hire purchase, or about £2,405 a month with a 20% balloon.
| Item | Standard | With 20% balloon |
|---|---|---|
| Price (excl. VAT) | £150,000 | £150,000 |
| Deposit (10%) | £15,000 | £15,000 |
| VAT paid upfront | £30,000 | £30,000 |
| Monthly payment (60 months) | £2,802.38 | £2,404.63 |
| Final balloon payment | None | £30,000 |
| Total interest | £33,143 | £39,278 |
The balloon lowers the monthly payment by about £398 but adds around £6,135 of interest.
Illustration calculated in October 2026, assuming an interest rate of 9% a year. It is not a quote. Your rate depends on your trading history, credit profile and the equipment.
What lenders look for in brewery and drinks equipment finance applications
Lenders look at the usual financial documents, plus a clear quote and how you sell what you make.
- Accounts and bank statements. The last two years of accounts, recent management accounts and three to six months of business bank statements, which show how seasonal your sales are.
- Supplier quote. An itemised quote showing tanks, brewhouse or stills, utilities and installation separately.
- Sales channels. How you sell, through pubs and free trade, wholesalers, supermarkets, your own taproom or online, and how much depends on any one customer.
- Owner or director history. Lenders check the credit records of the directors, partners or owner, and may ask for personal guarantees on newer businesses or larger fit-outs.
Related guides
- Packaging machinery finance, for bottling, canning and kegging lines
- Asset finance for pubs and bars, including brewpubs
- Food manufacturing equipment finance
- Catering equipment finance, for taprooms and kitchens
- Commercial refrigeration finance, including cellar cooling
- All food, drink and catering finance
- Types of asset finance
Who we can help
We arrange brewery and drinks equipment finance for UK limited companies and LLPs, and for sole traders and partnerships on agreements over £25,000 that are for business purposes. We are not authorised by the FCA, so we cannot arrange agreements of £25,000 or less for sole traders or partnerships of two or three partners, or finance for personal use.
Brewery and drinks equipment finance FAQs
Can I finance brewery equipment?
Yes. Lenders fund brewhouses, fermenters, bright tanks, glycol chillers, mills and the utilities that go with them, new or used. As an illustration, a £150,000 brewhouse and tank package costs about £2,802 a month over 5 years on hire purchase at 9%, after a 10% deposit and the VAT paid upfront.
Can I finance used brewing equipment?
Yes. Used stainless steel tanks and brewhouses from other breweries and dealers are widely funded, because they hold their value well. Lenders look at the age, condition and maker, and may ask for photos or an inspection. Relocation and reinstallation can usually be included.
Can a distillery get equipment finance?
Yes. Copper pot stills, column stills, washbacks, mash tuns and spirit receivers can all be funded, along with installation. Lenders look at how the distillery earns money while spirit matures, such as gin, a visitor centre or contract work, because aged spirit can take years to sell.
Can kegs be financed?
Sometimes. Some lenders fund keg fleets, but they are cautious because kegs leave your site and some are lost. A keg tracking system, a record of losses and a mix of other equipment on the same agreement all make it easier.
Can a new brewery get finance?
Yes, although lenders look harder at businesses with less than two years of trading. They may ask for a larger deposit, personal guarantees, a business plan or evidence of agreed outlets. Brewers moving up from a smaller kit with a sales record are usually easier to fund.
Can I raise cash against brewery equipment I already own?
Yes. Through a sale and hire purchase back, a lender buys equipment you own outright and sells it back to you over a fixed term, so you keep brewing. The amount depends on the equipment’s value, age and condition. Producers use it to fund a canning line, more tanks or working capital.
Get a brewery and drinks equipment finance quote
Tell us about the equipment
Send us the supplier quote and a few details about your business. We will come back with the options that are realistic and what they are likely to cost.
About the author
Marcus Wright is the owner and founder of Bolton Business Finance Ltd, which trades as Finance Assets. He has worked in financial services since 2008, beginning his career at Santander, and has been a commercial finance broker since March 2019.
He founded Bolton Business Finance in 2020 to give businesses access to the whole lending market rather than one bank’s own product range. The firm is a member of the National Association of Commercial Finance Brokers and works with a panel of 135+ lenders. Call 0161 546 9128.
Finance Assets is a trading name of Bolton Business Finance Ltd, an independent commercial finance brokerage, not a lender. We are not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority and can only complete non-regulated introductions. All lending is for business purposes only. Registered address: Westgate House, 1 Westgate Avenue, Bolton, Greater Manchester, BL1 4RF. Company number 12495909.