Selection of CIP Cleaning System in Craft Beer Equipment

Every container of craft beer equipment needs to be cleaned when it is in use. Because what we make is beer, there can be no pollution in every link, and the microbial indicators must be controlled within the national standards, which involves food safety issues. The following is an explanation of the CIP equipment used for pollutant cleaning.

The necessity of cleaning beer equipment

During the production process, some dirt may be deposited on the inner surface of each container and pipe due to various reasons. Dirt particles include oil, dry yeast, hop resin, beer stone, protein and minerals. They adhere or deposit on the inner surfaces of equipment and pipes, making the surface rough and difficult to clean, and also providing a place for bacteria to grow. At the same time, the effect of fungicides is reduced.

The purpose of craft beer equipment cleaning

The main purpose of CIP cleaning equipment is to wash away the fouling film and deposited minerals formed by the above proteins and carbohydrates as much as possible. But, since the bactericide can only kill the bacteria on the surface of the dirt, the bacteria that survive inside may also multiply and cause re-contamination, so the entire colony must be cleaned before sterilization.

The importance of craft beer equipment cleaning

1.The development of craft beer is very fast, so the sanitation and sterilization requirements of the brewing process are becoming more and more strict. Both the environmental sanitation of the production site and the cleaning of craft beer equipment have put forward higher requirements.
2.The production of craft beer requires not only high-quality beer equipment but also cleaning, sterilization, and disinfection of beer production equipment, to improve the biological stability and taste stability of craft beer.

Cleaning beer equipment

For craft beer equipment of 2000L and below, CIP cleaning equipment is generally only equipped with lye tank and disinfection tank. There are two specifications of 50~100L, which are enough. Installed on a stainless steel trolley, it can be moved to a certain equipment to be cleaned for cycle cleaning. Because the hose is connected and close, the cleaning fluid is less lossy, so it is very suitable for this kind of small-capacity craft brewing equipment, and the cost is not high and it is very practical.

There is an electric heating tube on the lye tank, and with the control box on the cleaning car, the heating will stop when the set temperature is reached. In the case of heating, the cleaning of organic matter is very thorough, and after cleaning, the used lye is returned to the tank.

The disinfection tank is a single-layer container that does not need to be heated. Like the lye tank, it has a hand hole, which is convenient for adding bactericides. Food-grade hydrogen peroxide at a concentration of 0.5~1% is usually used for circulating sterilization. After washing, the hydrogen peroxide can be decomposed into Water and oxygen, so there is no need to rinse with sterile water, which saves time and effort, and is very convenient.

In general, this combination of CIP trolleys is still very cost-effective. With the gradual development of automation technology, automatic control of the cleaning process composed of PLC and touch screen has also emerged, which can meet the requirements of some users with higher automation requirements.

CIP equipment

There is many CIP equipment used in craft breweries, generally equipped with acid tanks, lye tanks, disinfection tanks, sterile water tanks, and hot water tanks, which are placed on the ground and fixed.

1.The acid tank is used to store acidic detergents, and the purpose of pickling is to remove inorganic dirt generated in the system, such as calcium, magnesium salts, etc.
2.The lye tank is used to store alkaline detergents. Most of them are heated by steam coils and jackets. , they are heated by heat exchangers, that is, extracorporeal circulation heating, which is convenient for maintenance.

   4.The hot water tank can be heated by the same heat exchanger as the alkali tank. The hot water can flush the lye residue faster, and it can also be used for thermal sterilization in the pipeline circulation. The cooled water is more reliable than sterile water. , so there is generally no sterile water tank if there is a hot water tank.  

Plan to build a craft beer equipment factory

If you are planning and ready to open a brewery, you can contact us. Micet Craft engineers will provide you with a list of craft brewery equipment and associated prices. Of course, we can also provide you with professional turnkey brewery solutions, allowing you more time to focus on brewing great beer. Micet Craft looks forward to working with you!