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When moving from a small 20‑liter boil kettle to 50‑liter (or larger) cylindro‑conical fermenters, manual scrubbing becomes not only exhausting but sometimes physically impossible. This is where the magic of the CIP (Clean‑In‑Place) system — or NEP (Nettoyage En Place) in French — comes into play.
This process, originating from the food industry, allows you to clean and sanitize your brewing equipment thoroughly without having to disassemble it.
For a detailed dive into this topic, you can read our full blog article: CIP Cleaning: Everything You Need to Know to Get Started.
1. The global principle of CIP cleaning
The CIP principle is simple: instead of scrubbing dirt with a brush, you use the energy of a pressurized water jet combined with chemical action to detach residues. The cleaning liquid is propelled inside the vessel, hits the walls, then falls to the bottom before being sucked up by a pump and sent back to the top again.
The efficiency of this closed‑loop system relies on the famous Sinner’s Circle, which combines four inseparable elements:
- Mechanical action: The impact of the jet sprayed by the cleaning ball onto the vessel walls.
- Chemical action: The use of an appropriate detergent (such as caustic soda, or better, Enzybrew L).
- Temperature: Hot water (often between 50°C and 60°C) that accelerates the dissolution of fats and proteins.
- Contact time: The duration during which the solution circulates in a loop (generally 20 to 30 minutes).
2. The equipment: What do you need to build a CIP circuit?
To set up such a system in your brewery, you don’t need a complex industrial installation. Homebrewers and microbreweries typically use a simple loop made of four key elements:
- The vessel to be cleaned: Your fermenter or mash tun, ideally equipped with a drain valve at the lowest point.
- The cleaning ball (CIP head): Mounted at the top of the vessel (often via a Tri‑Clamp fitting), it distributes the liquid. There are static models (drilled with dozens of small holes) and rotating models (which spin thanks to water pressure).
- The circulation pump: The heart of the system. It must withstand high temperatures, corrosive chemicals, and provide enough flow to spin the cleaning ball.
- The piping: High‑temperature silicone hoses equipped with quick‑connect fittings (Camlock or Tri‑Clamp) to link the bottom of the vessel to the pump inlet, and the pump outlet to the CIP head.
3. Focus: Low‑pressure CIP systems
For a long time, the main obstacle to CIP for homebrewers was the required power. A classic rotating cleaning ball often needs an extremely powerful (and expensive) pump to operate correctly. If the pressure is too low, the ball won’t spin, and the water will simply dribble down the pipe.
Fortunately, equipment has evolved! Today, there are cleaning heads specifically designed for standard brewing pumps (such as MP‑15 magnetic pumps or Blichmann pumps). These models allow fast rotation and an efficient spray pattern without needing industrial pressure. To turn your small transfer pump into a true cleaning machine, check out our low‑pressure rotating CIP cleaning head.
4. The process: The 4 steps of a standard CIP cycle
Automation doesn’t mean cutting corners. A CIP cycle always follows a strict procedure to guarantee the sterility of your equipment:
| Cycle step | Action to perform | Duration & Temperature |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Pre‑rinse | Circulate clear water (and discard it) to remove large residues (grain, yeast, hops) so as not to clog the pump or overload the detergent. | 5 minutes (Warm or cold water). |
| 2. Chemical cleaning (Detergent) | Circulate a cleaning solution (such as Enzybrew L or PBW) in a closed loop. This is when embedded dirt dissolves. | 20 to 30 minutes (Between 45°C and 60°C max for enzymes). |
| 3. Intermediate rinse | Circulate clear water (and discard it) to remove all traces of detergent. | 5 minutes (Cold water). |
| 4. Sanitation | Circulate a no‑rinse sanitizer (such as Chemipro San) to kill the last microorganisms before transferring the wort. | 3 to 5 minutes (Cold or warm water). |
Rolling Beers Team Tips
Beware of “dead zones” (or “dead legs” in English)! A cleaning ball sprays water onto large smooth surfaces, but the inside of the drain valve, threads, or external hose fittings receive no direct jet. During your chemical cleaning cycle, remember to gently open and close your ball valves several times to allow hot liquid and detergent to clean the inside of the mechanism. That’s often where the worst contamination hides!