The Importance of Cleaning Beer Equipment
During the production process, various dirt particles such as oil, dry yeast, hop resin, beer stone, protein, and minerals may accumulate on the inner surfaces of containers and pipes. These deposits make the surfaces rough, difficult to clean, and provide a breeding ground for bacteria. Additionally, the effectiveness of fungicides is reduced.
The Purpose of Craft Beer Equipment Cleaning
The primary objective of CIP (Cleaning-in-Place) equipment is to remove the fouling film and deposited minerals resulting from proteins and carbohydrates. However, as bactericides can only kill bacteria on the surface, surviving bacteria inside may multiply and cause re-contamination, necessitating comprehensive cleaning before sterilization.
The Importance of Craft Beer Equipment Cleaning
The craft beer industry is rapidly growing, demanding increasingly strict sanitation and sterilization standards in the brewing process. Both environmental cleanliness in production facilities and the cleanliness of craft beer equipment have higher requirements.
In addition to high-quality beer equipment, the production of craft beer requires cleaning, sterilization, and disinfection of beer production equipment to enhance the biological and taste stability of the beer.
Cleaning Beer Equipment
For craft beer equipment with a capacity of 2000L or below, CIP cleaning equipment typically consists of a caustic soda tank and a disinfection tank. Two 50~100L specifications are sufficient. Installed on a stainless steel trolley, it can be moved for cycle cleaning of specific equipment. The close hose connection minimizes cleaning fluid loss, making it suitable for small-capacity craft brewing equipment with low cost and high practicality.
The caustic soda tank is equipped with an electric heating tube controlled by the cleaning car’s control box. It stops heating once the set temperature is reached, ensuring thorough cleaning of organic matter. The used caustic soda can be returned to the tank after cleaning.
The disinfection tank, a single-layer container, does not require heating. Similar to the caustic soda tank, it has a hand hole for adding bactericides. Circulating sterilization typically utilizes food-grade hydrogen peroxide at a concentration of 0.5~1%. After washing, the hydrogen peroxide decomposes into water and oxygen, eliminating the need for rinsing with sterile water, saving time and effort.
In general, this combination of CIP trolleys is cost-effective. With the development of automation technology, some users with higher automation requirements can opt for PLC and touch screen-controlled cleaning processes.
CIP Equipment
Craft breweries often employ various CIP equipment, including acid tanks, caustic soda tanks, disinfection tanks, sterile water tanks, and hot water tanks, which are fixed on the ground.
The acid tank stores acidic detergents used for pickling to remove inorganic dirt such as calcium and magnesium salts.
The caustic soda tank stores alkaline detergents and is often heated by steam coils or jackets for convenient maintenance.
The sterile water tank pretreats water through sand filtration and then sterilizes it with ultraviolet light, rinsing off residual bactericides and improving the system’s sterility level.
The hot water tank, heated by the same heat exchanger as the caustic soda tank, enables faster removal of residual caustic soda and can also be used for thermal sterilization in pipeline circulation. As cooled water is more reliable than sterile water, a sterile water tank is generally not required if a hot water tank is present.
The above description outlines the composition and function of CIP equipment in craft beer workshops and microbreweries, providing valuable insights for those purchasing beer equipment.
