Cleaning, Sanitation & Safety
Cleaning versus sanitizing, chemical concentrations, contact times, material compatibility, process hygiene checkpoints, and brewery safety guidance.
Clean and sanitary equipment is the single most effective quality control measure available to any brewer. Understanding the difference between cleaning and sanitizing — and applying each correctly — eliminates the majority of contamination-related off-flavors and batch losses.
Cleaning vs. Sanitizing: A Critical Distinction
These are two separate, sequential steps. Sanitizers cannot work effectively on surfaces that are not first clean.
Cleaning
Remove organic soil: wort, yeast, trub, hop debris, proteins, fats
PBW, OxiClean Free, caustic soda, hot water
Sanitizing
Reduce microbial load to a safe level on a clean surface
Star San, Iodophor, bleach (when correctly diluted and rinsed)
A dirty surface cannot be sanitized effectively. Organic matter shields microorganisms from sanitizer contact and neutralizes many sanitizer chemistries.
Common Cleaning Agents
PBW (Powdered Brewery Wash)
Type: Alkaline, oxidizing cleaner (sodium percarbonate + sodium metasilicate blend)
Concentration: ~14–28 g per 4 L (1–2 oz per US gallon) for standard soiling; up to 42 g/4 L for baked-on deposits
Temperature: More effective warm; 40–60 °C (100–140 °F) speeds action significantly. Works at room temperature with longer soak.
Contact time: 20–30 min soak for light soiling; overnight for heavy deposits
Rinse: Rinse thoroughly with clean water before sanitizing
Compatibility: Safe for stainless steel, glass, plastic, rubber. Do not use on soft metals (aluminium, copper — will cause pitting).
Notes: Biodegradable; wear eye protection and gloves when handling concentrates or prolonged soaks
OxiClean Free
Type: Sodium percarbonate-based cleaner (fragrance/surfactant-free variant only)
Concentration: ~14 g per 4 L (1 oz/US gal)
Notes: Economical substitute for PBW; effective for basic cleaning but lacks the silicate package optimizing it for stainless. Do not use scented or standard OxiClean (surfactant residue).
Caustic Soda (NaOH / Lye)
Type: Strong alkaline cleaner
Use case: Industrial CIP (Clean-in-Place) in larger-scale breweries; not typically used in homebrewing
Safety: Extremely corrosive. Causes severe chemical burns on skin and eyes. Requires full PPE (gloves, goggles, face shield, chemical-resistant apron).
Hot Water
Adequate for rinsing and pre-soaking. Not sufficient alone for sanitizing (would require sustained temperatures above 77 °C / 170 °F for extended contact, impractical for most equipment).
Common Sanitizers
Star San (No-Rinse Phosphoric Acid Blend)
Type: Acid-based no-rinse sanitizer (phosphoric acid + dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid)
Concentration: 1 mL per 1 L of water (approximately 1 oz per 5 US gallons)
Contact time: 1–2 minutes of full surface contact
Rinse: No rinse required. Residual sanitizer at use concentration is harmless and flavorless at these levels.
Foam: Foam is normal and harmless — the common phrase among homebrewers is "don't fear the foam." The active compound is in the liquid, not destroyed by foam.
pH: Use concentration should be below pH 3.0 for efficacy; hard water raises pH and reduces effectiveness. Mix with distilled or RO water if local water is very hard.
Shelf life (diluted): Follow manufacturer guidance. In practice, many brewers either mix fresh each session or verify reuse by checking both clarity and pH (<3.0)
Compatibility: Safe for stainless steel, glass, plastic (all types), rubber. Do not use on soft metals.
Iodophor
Type: Iodine-based sanitizer (iodophor = iodine + carrier)
Concentration: Typically ~12.5 ppm available iodine (often around 0.5 oz per 5 US gal, depending on product strength). Always follow the product label
Contact time: 2 minutes minimum
Rinse: At correct concentration, no rinse required. Higher concentrations require rinsing and will stain.
Notes: Can stain plastic permanently with repeated use. Beer-brown coloration of solution indicates active; colorless solution is exhausted.
Potassium Metabisulfite (K-Meta)
Type: Sulfite compound mainly used for water treatment (chlorine/chloramine removal) and in wine/cider workflows
Brewery note: Not typically relied on as a primary no-rinse sanitizer for beer cold-side equipment
Water treatment rule of thumb: ~1 Campden tablet per ~75 L (20 US gal) of brewing water for typical municipal chloramine/chlorine levels; adjust based on water report and product label
Bleach (Sodium Hypochlorite)
Type: Oxidizing sanitizer
Concentration: Target 50–100 ppm available chlorine (for 5–6% unscented household bleach, roughly 4–8 mL per 4 L water; exact dose depends on bleach strength)
Contact time: 10–20 minutes
Rinse: Must rinse thoroughly with clean water. Chlorine residue can create chlorophenols (medicinal off-flavor) on contact with wort phenolics.
Notes: Loses potency rapidly in hot water or organic-contaminated solution; store bleach solutions away from light. Do not mix with acid sanitizers (produces chlorine gas).
Process Hygiene Checkpoints
Apply the following checklist at each brewing stage:
Pre-Brew
Post-Boil & Transfer
Fermentation
Post-Fermentation / Packaging
Material Compatibility Summary
Stainless steel
✅
✅
✅ (short contact)
Avoid chloride-heavy cleaners long-term (pitting risk)
Glass
✅
✅
✅
No concerns
Food-grade plastic (HDPE, LDPE, PP)
✅
✅
✅
Replace when scratched
Silicone
✅
✅
✅
Highly resistant
Rubber (gaskets, O-rings)
✅
✅
⚠️
Bleach can degrade rubber over time
Aluminium
❌
⚠️
⚠️
Alkaline cleaners cause pitting; avoid
Copper
❌
⚠️
⚠️
Alkaline cleaners cause pitting; use specialized copper cleaner
Brewery Safety Guidance
Chemical Handling
Always read and follow the manufacturer's Safety Data Sheet (SDS/MSDS) for every chemical used.
Add chemical to water, not water to chemical — especially for concentrated acid or alkaline solutions — to control exothermic reactions.
Store cleaning and sanitizing chemicals separately from food and away from children and pets.
Do not mix bleach with acid-based cleaners or sanitizers; mixing chlorine bleach with acids releases toxic chlorine gas.
Store propane cylinders and compressed gas tanks in a cool, ventilated area away from ignition sources.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Minimum recommended: Safety glasses or goggles when handling any chemical solutions; nitrile gloves for concentrated agents.
Strongly recommended for caustic/strong acid: Full face shield, chemical-resistant gloves, apron.
Hot Liquids
The leading cause of brew day injury is hot liquid spills. Use insulated gloves when handling boiling wort.
Maintain a clear, dry floor around the brew kettle; wort spills on wet surfaces create slip hazards.
Never leave a boiling kettle unattended — boilovers occur rapidly.
Use a wort chiller rather than ice-bath immersion for large volumes to reduce burn risk.
Ergonomics
A full 20-L (5-gal) pot of hot wort weighs approximately 20 kg (44 lb). Plan lifts accordingly — use a pump or siphon rather than lifting where possible.
Grain bags and malt sacks are heavy; lift with legs, not your back.
Electrical Safety
Immersion heating elements must be used with a properly rated RCD/GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter).
Keep electrical connections dry and away from liquid pathways.
Never leave heating elements energized in a dry vessel.
Gas & Ventilation
CO₂ is a colorless, odorless asphyxiant. Fermenting beer produces significant CO₂. Never ferment in a sealed room with no ventilation, and be cautious when working in low areas near actively fermenting vessels.
When purging kegs, do so in a ventilated area. CO₂ accumulates at floor level.
Propane burners should only be used outdoors or in fully ventilated spaces.
Cleaning & Sanitation Schedule
After every use
Rinse equipment immediately with cold water (prevents protein baking on). Clean with PBW within 24 hours.
Before each use
Sanitize all cold-side equipment immediately before contact with wort or beer.
Monthly
Deep-clean tap lines, connections, and draft equipment. Inspect gaskets for wear.
Annually
Inspect and replace aged plastic tubing, rubber gaskets, and any cracked plastic vessels.
Brewfather Tip: Use Brewfather's Batch Steps (Brewing, Fermenting, Completed) to add custom notes on your cleaning and sanitation process — e.g., noting which sanitizer was used, whether a diacetyl rest was performed, or flagging equipment that was inspected. These notes become invaluable for diagnosing off-flavors later. You can also use the Miscs ingredient category to log sanitation products (Star San, PBW) in your recipe/batch for full process traceability.
Sources
Palmer, J.J. (2017). How to Brew: Everything You Need to Know to Brew Great Beer Every Time (4th ed.). Brewers Publications.
Briggs, D.E., Boulton, C.A., Brookes, P.A., & Stevens, R. (2004). Brewing: Science and Practice. Woodhead Publishing.
Bamforth, C.W. (2006). Scientific Principles of Malting and Brewing. American Society of Brewing Chemists.
White Labs Technical Bulletin: Brewery Sanitation Best Practices.
Five Star Chemicals: Star San product page, technical sheet, and SDS.
U.S. EPA registered label resources for BTF Iodophor Sanitizer (product label directions/concentrations).
U.S. FDA Food Code (chemical sanitizer concentration guidance for food-contact surfaces).
OSHA General Industry Standards (29 CFR 1910): Hazard Communication and PPE requirements.
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 58: Liquefied Petroleum Gas Code (propane storage/use).
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