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In both craft and industrial brewing, hoses are used every single day.
Transferring boiling wort, pushing finished beer under pressure, circulating hot caustic during CIP cleaning, or carrying CO2: no single hose can meet all of these constraints on its own.
Choosing an unsuitable hose exposes the brewery to risks such as off‑flavours (plastic taste), pressure leaks, or even pump failures caused by hose collapse.
Discover our technical guide to selecting the right model from our range of professional technical hoses.
1. The 4 key criteria for choosing a professional hose
- Temperature resistance: Transferring wort straight from the boil (95°C–100°C) or cleaning with steam / hot water requires hoses capable of withstanding thermal peaks without softening or degassing.
- Resistance to pressure and vacuum (Suction / Discharge):
— On discharge: The hose must withstand pumping pressure or gas pushing (2 to 6 bar).
— On suction: Hoses connected to a pump inlet must be reinforced (stainless‑steel spiral or high‑density textile) to prevent pinching or collapsing under vacuum. - Chemical compatibility (CIP & Detergents): The hose’s inner layer must be completely inert to alkaline cleaning solutions (caustic) and acids (peracetic acid, phosphoric acid) used in breweries.
- Gas tightness and oxygen impermeability: For finished beer and draft lines, the hose must neither let CO2 escape nor allow external oxygen to enter (to prevent premature oxidation of the beer).
2. Hose materials and their professional applications
- Reinforced Food‑Grade EPDM (The brewhouse standard):
Role: Hot wort transfer, bulk beer transfer, tank connections.
Advantages: Excellent thermal resistance (up to 110°C continuous, 130°C sterilisation), very high mechanical and chemical resistance to CIP cycles. The smooth inner surface prevents beer stone and bacterial adhesion. - High‑Purity Food‑Grade Silicone (Flexibility & High temperature):
Role: Short transfers in the brewhouse, bulkhead passages, sampling lines.
Advantages: Extremely flexible, withstands up to 200°C, ideal for monitoring wort clarity (in translucent versions). Note: choose the reinforced braided version if using it under pressure. - Polyurethane (PU) & PE / EVA Multilayer (Draft lines and cold beer):
Role: Service lines, keg‑to‑tap connections, draft systems.
Advantages: Ultra‑smooth wall (reduces foaming), total barrier against oxygen and CO2, high resistance to pinching. - Reinforced / Clear PVC (General use & Water):
Role: Cooling water circulation (glycol), drains, rinse hoses.
Advantages: Economical and transparent. Best reserved for cold fluids or those not in direct contact with hot beer.
3. Summary table: Which hose for which job in the brewery?
| Station / Application | Recommended Material | Mandatory Specification | Associated Fittings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hot wort transfer (>80°C) & Boiling | Food‑Grade EPDM or Reinforced Silicone | Stainless‑steel spiral / textile reinforcement (Suction + Discharge) | Tri‑Clamp or Stainless Camlock |
| Finished beer transfer & Conditioning cellar | Smooth sanitary EPDM or Beer‑grade Nitrile | Inert inner layer without phthalates / CIP washable | Tri‑Clamp (TC 1.5" or TC 2") |
| Gas lines (CO2, N2) & Carbonation | Polyurethane (PU) or High‑Density Polyethylene | Strict outer calibration (e.g. 8 mm or 3 / 8 ′ ′ ) | Push‑Fit / Duotight quick connectors |
| Glycol circuit & Cooling | Braided Reinforced PVC or Cold‑rated EPDM | Resistance to freezing / glycol fluids down to − 10 ∘ C | Barbed fittings with stainless clamps or BSP threads |
Rolling Beers Technical Team’s Advice
Don’t overlook hose crimping! For transfer hoses in the fermentation cellar and brewhouse, choose hoses equipped with 316 stainless‑steel crimped sleeves rather than simple worm‑drive or screw clamps. Traditional clamps create folds in the hose that become real bacterial nests, impossible to clean even with extended caustic circulation.