County requirements?

[RaySherwood]

Even though no brewer I know has ever been asked to submit such a thing, my county is requiring me to submit SOPs for CIP-ing and sanitizing my brewing equipment. So despite the fact that I think the agent might be mistaken as to wether or not she is entitled to demand this, I need to make these SOPs.

Has anyone else ever had to submit these? If so, do you still have them? ;)

Thanks,
Ray

[Diamond Knot]

Ray,

By "SOPs" are you refering to 'Standard Operating Procedures"? (just so we're speaking the same TLAs.).

I would say "No.", I've never had to submit them, but if the county inspectors haven't dealt with Breweries before they would be curious.

Spell out your clean in place (CIP) procedure in a step by step approach in outline form. DO NOT EMBELISH. State the facts. It does you no good to debate them. Just say, "OK, I'll have that to you by....."

I fought The Law and The Law won...........just tell them what they want/need to know.

[tarmadilo]

We had a county health inspector show up at our microbrewery, after the BATF guy called them up (he had funny ideas about his areas of responsibility, called the fire inspectors, too). In both cases, an inspection with a verbal description of what we were doing was sufficient.

But inspectors can be somewhat anal retentive, so it doesn't much surprise me to hear they want it in writing. So write!

Cheers, Tim

[rebelo]

Some water departments will want to know what you are putting into the wastestream as they will have to deal with it down the line.

When putting my brewery together, this was required of me. It was not a big deal, another 30 minutes in what is otherwise a much lengthier process. Chances are, if you are a small brewery, they won't even blink at your report. Just give them the basics and minimize the levels of chemicals you are putting down the drain to a reasonable and believable level.

Don't sweat it. Good luck.

- John

[RobZamites]

I was asked for this by the MI agricultural inspector, basically just outlined the CIP procedure with names of the chemicals, dilutions and the assurance that everything was neutralized to approximately pH7 and flushed with LOTS of water. Passed with flying colors, and then he asked for a beer!

Rob