Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Cleaning chemicals  (Read 17375 times)

Offline kylekohlmorgen

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1363
  • Saint Louis, MO
    • The South House Pilot Brewery
Re: Cleaning chemicals
« Reply #15 on: May 09, 2013, 10:10:55 am »
Ecolab support has been extremely helpful in dialing in our CIP process.

I think their chemicals are too expensive, even on the bulk scale we buy them. They are effective, though. I've been told its because their approved for our organic/kosher/allergen-free/gluten-free products, but I don't buy it. I'm also not the one paying the bills.

They also attack every CIP issue with chemicals (especially new, fancy, pricey ones). Sometimes its the right answer, sometimes an expensive band-aid.

Anyway, here is how we CIP our kettles/process lines/fillers:

1. Hot rinse with water from recovered post-caustic rinse
2. AC-103 (NaOH) diluted to 2% at 180F, recirc for 30 min. (I think its more effective and easier on the pumps at 4% caustic and a lower temp, but its more expensive)
3. Fresh water hot/cold rinse (recovered)
4. Quorum Red (Phosphoric/Citric Acid) wash, diluted to 1%, recirc for 20 min
5. Fresh water rinse
6. Sanitizer recirc (Oxonia Active = PAA, with some H2O2 and Acetic acid) for 2 min (or until negative swab-test)

Note: I work in a small plant that pasteurizes and packages fruit purees and yogurt, but the process side looks/functions very much like a brewery.
Twitter/Instagram: @southhousebrew

Recipes, Brett/Bacteria Experiments: http://SouthHouseBeer.com/

Offline Pawtucket Patriot

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1367
  • Rebelling against cheap swill since 2005
    • Bauhaus Brew Labs
Re: Cleaning chemicals
« Reply #16 on: May 09, 2013, 10:29:44 am »
I have been using Birko Cell-R-Master to clean my stainless kettles, kegs, and glass carboys for the past year and love it way more than PBW.  A few of my brew club members piggybacked on a bulk order with one of our breweries who uses a lot of their products.  I haven't tried any of their other products.

BIRKO products are what we will be using in our brewery.  I met the owner at the CBC a few months ago.  Nice guy -- seems like a good company.
Matt Schwandt | Minneapolis, MN
AHA Member

Partial-Mash Pictorial
All-Grain Pictorial

Offline Thirsty_Monk

  • Brewmaster General
  • *******
  • Posts: 2514
  • Eau Claire WI
    • Lazy Monk Brewing
Re: Cleaning chemicals
« Reply #17 on: May 09, 2013, 05:55:38 pm »
I did talk to Ecolab rep.
The product that he recommended is available in 50 gal barrel only.
I do not recall the product name.
Na Zdravie

Lazy Monk Brewing
http://www.lazymonkbrewing.com

Offline Thirsty_Monk

  • Brewmaster General
  • *******
  • Posts: 2514
  • Eau Claire WI
    • Lazy Monk Brewing
Re: Cleaning chemicals
« Reply #18 on: June 28, 2013, 07:02:14 pm »
I thought that I would fallow up with my experience.

First do this:
THROW AWAY THE PBW.

So I talked to EcoLab and they had the product only in 50 gal barrels. It was mostly acid chemicals and to my recollection you need to have alkaline and acid products. Alkaline for organic matter and acid for beer stone/ calcium sediment.

Then I try the Birko. I like their product line up but... Man that was like pulling the teeth. So after month going back and forth I decided if it is that hard to buy stuff from them, then it is not meant to be.

So back to Five Star I went.
I bought it thru MCMS out of Chicago.
I got HD Caustic #2, Star Line, Acid Cleaner #5, Acid Cleaner #6 and SaniClean.

I used HD Caustic #2 the other day. It is a powder and I run it about 1 oz per 1 gal of water at 140F for 30 minutes. Boy the fermenter was so clean when I was done. So far so good. What is nice about HD Caustic #2 is that you can run it at different temperatures depending on application and strength of solution. I will be cleaning my BK next week So we will see how it works on heating elements...
 
Na Zdravie

Lazy Monk Brewing
http://www.lazymonkbrewing.com