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Maintaining your Brewery Maintains your Brand!

Maintaining your Brewery Maintains your Brand!

Maintaining a brewery is not a small task and is best done with a few small actions every day. When it comes to keeping the production space clean and the equipment taken care of it's better to do the same task 80% complete often than 100% perfect rarely. Not only does it provide the brewing and packaging teams a sense of pride in their daily routines, it saves from having to scramble every time there is a brewery tour or an upcoming event. An overall quality focused policy is best, so that when all aspects of a brewery are working well, the beer tastes great, staff have better working environments, and your customers are impressed when they experience the facility.

Some goals that should be taken on to improve your own brewery can easily be the following:
  1. Equipment Maintenance: Ensure that all brewing equipment is in good working order and is regularly cleaned and sanitized to prevent contamination and prolong the life of the equipment.
  2. Quality Control: Implement regular quality control checks on fermenting and finished products to ensure consistency and adherence to industry standards.
  3. Safety: Implement a safety program that includes regular inspections and training for employees to prevent accidents and injuries.
  4. Energy Efficiency: Implement measures to reduce energy consumption and improve efficiency, such as regular equipment maintenance, insulation and temperature control.
  5. Compliance: Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations, including licensing, permitting, and insurance requirements.
  6. Record Keeping: Keep accurate records of all brewing operations and maintenance tasks to monitor performance and identify areas for improvement.

If you need ideas around your brewery, feel free to take this image, print, laminate, and display above the brewing desk as a checklist for most days.

 

Grain Mill & Auger:

  • Inspect wiring and components for wear and tear.
  • Vacuum the interior to remove dust.
  • Perform a milling sieve test to ensure the correct grind size.
  • Use a soft bristle brush to remove dust from the mill room.
  • Lubricate all moving parts.
  • Check the teeth of the rollers for wear and tear.

Brewhouse & Tanks:

  • Use an acid wash to eliminate beer stones and descale exterior surfaces.
  • Perform a deep clean CIP and vessel sanitation.
  • Inspect all valves, clamps, and gaskets for wear and damage.
  • Inspect motors for rust, poor wiring, worn threads, and loose bolts on larger equipment.
  • Inspect and clean all sight glasses, and check the lenses for cracks.

Pumps & Heat Exchanger:

  • Disassemble and clean pumps, checking seals for wear.
  • Disassemble and clean the heat exchanger, inspecting the plates for damage and fouling.
  • Check that there are gaskets and pump seals on hand for replacement.

Small-Parts & Brewhouse Accessories:

  • Sanitize and clean all small components and instruments, such as clamps, buckets, pitchers, pliers, keg lines, and yeast brinks.
  • Inspect gaskets for rips, holes, or fading and replace them as necessary.
  • Purge, clean, and sterilize hoses, inspecting for damage and wear. Transfer hoses should be replaced every five years.
  • Apply food-grade grease to sample ports, fermenter doors, and manway door hinges.
  • Recalibrate dissolved oxygen readers, thermometers, refractometers, pH meters, and CO2 volume meters.

Packaging:

  • Borrow a cleaning keg with viewports and monitor the cleaning cycle.
  • Check kegs for dents and other damage, and ensure they can sustain pressure
  • Check the seals and spears on the keg couplers
  • Acid wash kegs to remove beer stone build-up
  • Inspect the canning line's hoses for deterioration or discoloration
  • Put food-grade grease on any moving parts that need it
  • Verify that the control panel for the canning line is dry and clear of moisture

Boiler & Glycol:

  • Get a boiler technician to inspect the boiler and perform a water test.
  • Restock boiler water chemicals.
  • Flush the condensate system.
  • Check the control settings and test where necessary.
  • Check glycol lines for leaks or mildew and replace any damaged insulation.
  • Use food-grade dye in the glycol to detect leaks.
  • Check the glycol chiller's liquid levels and the glycol concentration in the reservoir.
  • Clean coils and fans to ensure adequate cooling

Safety Equipment:

  • Recalibrate and break down PRVs, and replace any broken rupture disks.
  • Test the chemical shower and eye wash station, replacing any open disposable eye wash bottles.
  • Check PPE for damage and replace as necessary.

Other Brewery Aspects:

  • Dismantle and thoroughly clean the draft tap lines.
  • Scrub the floor of the cooler and inspect the door seals.
  • Ensure that the area used to store raw materials is tidy and dry. Aim for four inches off the ground, similar to a kitchen.
  • Heavy duty clean the brewhouse floor and replace any worn-out non-slip elements.
  • Retouch flooring as necessary.

Electrical Systems:

  • Inspect and check safety signs and emergency lights.
  • Inspect and test all electrical panels and breakers.
  • Check the wiring for damaged or fraying cords.
  • Test all lights and replace any burnt-out bulbs.
  • Inspect and test all GFCIs.

Water Systems:

  • Test the water quality and make sure it meets the standard for brewing.
  • Replace the activated charcoal in your filter if necessary.
  • Inspect and clean the water filter system.
  • Check for leaks in the water lines.
  • Flush the hot water tank and check the temperature sensors.
  • Check the municipal water supply backflow and book an inspection if necessary.

Air Systems:

  • Check and clean air filters.
  • Inspect and test the air compressor.
  • Check the ventilation system for proper airflow.
  • Check and service the air dryer.

Safety and Compliance:

  • Check and service the fire extinguishers.
  • Review and update the brewery's emergency response plan.
  • Check and update the brewery's insurance coverage.
  • Review and update the brewery's safety policies and procedures.
  • Inspect and test the brewery's fire suppression system.
  • Check and renew any necessary licenses or permits.

Office and Administrative Tasks:

  • Organize and archive brewing records.
  • Review and update the brewery's business plan.
  • Review and update the brewery's standard operating procedures for the production schedule.
  • Check and maintain the brewery's website and social media presence.
  • Review and update the brewery's marketing plan.

General Maintenance and Repairs:

  • Schedule regular maintenance for all equipment.
  • Keep inventory of all spare parts and order as needed.
  • Make repairs as necessary to keep equipment in good working order.
  • Keep detailed records of maintenance and repair work.

Please note that this is a basic list; depending on the size of the brewery and the type of equipment, more specific tasks may be required.

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