Andrew Fabry, Sam Yanda and Mike Servi were just three guys with a dream when, in 2013, they opened Badger State Brewing Co. Working out of part of a building built in the 1960s on Lombardi Ave., the three friends launched a craft brewery in what was then a blossoming “Stadium District” near Lambeau Field, the home of the Green Bay Packers.

Today, after several awards and six winning seasons that drove brewery expansions in 2014, 2016 and 2018, Badger State Brewing Co. encompasses a tap room, beer garden and event hall. To meet production demands, they added 10,000 ft² of brewing space and a new 30-barrel brewing system.

With an eye toward continued expansion, a wish to build out its processing capabilities while reducing fuel consumption and lowering emissions, and a commitment to be “greener,” the company added a new steam boiler. They worked with working with Fluid Handling Inc., Menomonee Falls, Wis., to spec out the Miura LX-100SG. The low NO_X boiler is compact enough to fit through a standard doorway.

“The Miura boiler gives us the scalability we need to continue making strides in the craft brewing industry,” Fabry said. Because the boiler provides full steam in five minutes from a cold start— in effect, on-demand steam — they brewery can turn the boiler off at the end of the day and back on the next morning, yet nearly immediate steam for brewing operations. “Plus, we’ll burn less fuel, have fewer emissions, use less water, and conserve natural resources.”

Fluid Handling, which has been working with Miura since 1996, helps customers select boilers based on the process demands while also providing customer training and ongoing support. The Miura boiler “offers a complete package,” notes Matthew Whitaker of Fluid Handling. “This makes overall installation and customer training much easier.”

Fabry is so satisfied with his Miura boiler the brewery is considering adding more on-demand boilers. At the same time, he appreciates Whitaker and the staff at Fluid Handling.

“Since we started working together, Matt has guided us in all the right directions,” Fabry said. “We still have a firetube boiler that we purchased from another vendor early on that is so big we had to install it first and then build the doors and enclosure around it. Before long, we’ll be taking down those walls and buying another Miura Boiler. We can actually fit two Miura boilers the same space.”

“Steam is really what starts the process for us in brewing,” adds Fabry added. “That's why I think you need to have a good vendor to work with.”

Whitaker credits the features of Miura boilers — including ease of operation —for their use in the craft brewery industry. “With the Miura LX boiler, shutdown is basically two valves and a button,” Whitaker said. “It’s that simple, and almost anybody can shut it down or start it up. Customers really appreciate that, especially those in the brewery industry who aren’t typically trained as boiler operators.”

This advantage has been echoed by other brewers, who also agree that because Miura boilers start up so quickly and shut down so easily there’s no question about the efficiency and the savings on fuel and water.One brewer suggested that his fuel cost savings approached 20 percent when compared to the traditional firetube boiler his company used before switching to Miura, adding that “In terms of reliability and maintenance, we’ve seen no problems in more than two years.”