SOP — Brew Day Execution¶

FUERST WIACEK Version 1.7 | Brewhouse — brew day tasks | Frequency: per brew

Purpose¶

This SOP covers what happens during a brew day — tasks, alarms, parallel processes, sampling, and logging. There are three brew day types. Identify which type applies before starting.

Scheduling, pre-requisites, and recipe programming are covered in the Brew Day Planning SOP. Knockout and fermentation setup are covered in the Wort Knockout SOP.

Brew Day Types¶

Type	Description	Typical day
V1	1 brew — night mash-in (~4:00 AM), brewer arrives 7:00 AM	Friday
V2	1 brew — day mash-in (~10:00 AM)	Tuesday
V3	2 brews — night mash-in + day mash-in	Wednesday / Thursday

V1 — Single Brew, Night Mash-In¶

Typical day: Friday. Mash-in at ~4:00 AM. Brewer arrives at 7:00 AM.

All preparation (malt, mash salts, kettle additions, wortway CIP, up-concentration, Botec recipe) was completed the evening before. Refer to the evening-before checklist in the Brew Day Planning SOP.

When the brewer arrives at 7:00 AM, the brew will be in lautering or approaching the boil.

On Arrival¶

Check Botec — confirm the brew is progressing normally with no errors.
Note where in the process the brew is. Target: boil starts around 7:30–8:00 AM.
If the brew has stalled or errored, assess and call Lukasz if needed.

Start Wortway Sanitisation¶

At boil start, launch the wortway sanitisation recipe in Botec. This must complete before knockout.

Confirm the wortway CIP (done the previous evening) is finished and the circuit is set up for sanitisation.
Launch wortway sanitisation in Botec.
Refer to Wortway CIP & Sanitisation SOP.

During the Boil — Kettle Additions¶

Botec alarms sound when each addition is due. For each alarm:

Mute the alarm horn.
Make the addition — refer to Boil & Whirlpool Additions SOP.
For large additions (dextrose, liquid sugars, Sinamar, etc.) — add via manway. Refer to the manway section in that SOP.
Mark the addition as done in Botec after rinsing the dosing vessel.

Whirlpool — Whirlpool Additions¶

After end of boil the wort moves into the whirlpool rest. Botec alarms for any whirlpool additions in the recipe. Follow the same procedure as boil additions — mute alarm, make the addition via the dosing vessel, rinse, mark done in Botec.

During the Boil — Spent Grain (IBC)¶

Botec signals when the lauter tun is ready to empty. This typically occurs around the start of the boil.

Confirm an IBC is in position below the lauter tun before the alarm fires.
When the alarm sounds, acknowledge in Botec that the IBC is in place.
The lauter tun empties automatically.

Warning

Do not acknowledge the IBC prompt in Botec unless an IBC is physically in position. Spent grain dropped with no IBC in place goes onto the floor.

Rebuild Panel — When Wortway Sanitisation is Done (V1)¶

Once wortway sanitisation is complete, rebuild the brewhouse panel and valves for wort cooling.

Warning

Do not change the panel while wortway sanitisation is still running. The sanitisation step requires the panel configuration it started with. Only rebuild once sanitisation is fully finished.

Rebuild the panel connections for wort cooling (whirlpool cooling configuration).
Leave the two valves closed — do not open them yet.
Wait for the end of boil signal from Botec.
Go to the brewhouse. Take the end of boil sample from the kettle sampling port.
Open the two valves.
Return to Botec and acknowledge end of boil.

Note

A convenient moment to rebuild the panel is when you go to the brewhouse for a kettle addition near the end of the boil — you can rebuild the connections at the same time. But acknowledge in Botec only when the actual end of boil signal comes.

Refer to Wortway CIP & Sanitisation SOP for the correct panel configuration.

End of Boil¶

Covered in the panel rebuild step above — sample, open valves, acknowledge.

Knockout¶

Refer to the Wort Knockout SOP. Log all values in the production spreadsheet — see Production Logging below.

V2 — Single Brew, Day Mash-In¶

Typical day: Tuesday. Mash-in at ~10:00 AM.

Preparation happens in the morning of the same day. Refer to the morning prep checklist in the Brew Day Planning SOP.

CIP Tank 1 Up-Concentration¶

Up-concentration must run before the wortway CIP so the WW CIP gets up-concentrated caustic. Two valid placements on V2:

Option A — before milling (early morning): start up-con so it ends at least 30 minutes before mash-in. For a 10:00 AM mash-in, up-con ends by 9:30 AM (start ~8:00–8:30 AM depending on duration). The 30-minute buffer is needed for the hot liquor tank to recover before mash-in's hot-water demand peaks.
Option B — during mashing: start up-con after mash-in is complete and the mash is settled. Must end before the wortway CIP starts.

Warning

Up-concentration must never overlap with mash-in itself. Hot water demand is high during mash-in and any parallel hot water process can cause temperature fluctuations or a brew error. If running up-con before mash-in, ensure at least a 30-minute buffer between up-con end and mash-in start so the hot liquor tank recovers.

Refer to CIP Up-Concentration SOP.

During Mashing or at Start of Lautering — Start Wortway CIP¶

Start the wortway CIP after mash-in is complete. There is no rush to start during mashing — the beginning of lautering is also fine. Lautering takes approximately 2 hours. The wortway CIP must finish by boil start — wortway sanitisation launches at boil start, so the CIP needs to be done by then.

Refer to Wortway CIP & Sanitisation SOP.

Lautering — First Wort Sample¶

When lautering begins, Botec signals the first wort sample.

Take a sample from the lauter tun sampling port.
Measure and record:
- Plato (°P) → column VZ(P) in the production spreadsheet
- pH → column VZ(pH)

Boil Start — Parallel Tasks¶

At the start of the boil, work through these tasks in order:

Beginning of boil sample — take from the kettle sampling port. Measure and record Plato → Kettle Full (P) and pH → Kettle Full (pH). Add beginning of boil additions if in recipe.
Start wortway sanitisation — confirm wortway CIP is finished and circuit is built for sanitisation. Launch wortway sanitisation in Botec. Must complete before knockout.
Start fermentation recipe in Botec — select the correct tank. Further setup in the Wort Knockout SOP.

During the Boil and Whirlpool — Kettle and Whirlpool Additions, Spent Grain¶

Same as V1 — follow the kettle additions, whirlpool additions, and IBC steps above.

Rebuild Panel — When Wortway Sanitisation is Done (V2)¶

Same procedure as V1. Once wortway sanitisation is complete:

Rebuild the panel connections for wort cooling. Leave the two valves closed.
Wait for the end of boil signal.
Go to the brewhouse, take the end of boil sample, open the two valves, then acknowledge in Botec.

End of Boil and Knockout¶

Same as V1. Log all values in the production spreadsheet.

V3 — Double Brew Day¶

Typical days: Wednesday, Thursday. Brew 1: night mash-in (~4:00 AM). Brew 2: day mash-in (~10:00 AM). Brew 1 must be fully knocked out into the fermentation tank before Brew 2 enters the lauter tun.

The brewhouse holds two brews in sequence. Brew 2 mashes in while Brew 1 is still in the boil or whirlpool. Timing is the key challenge — both brews require the wortway, so CIP and sanitisation windows must not overlap.

Evening Before — Brew 1 Prep¶

Same as V1 — all prep done the evening before:

Malt loaded, mash salts loaded, kettle additions prepared and stored in fridge
Wortway CIP for Brew 1 complete
CIP Tank 1 up-concentration complete
Botec recipe programmed: correct recipe ID, First Brew selected, mash-in time ~4:00 AM

~4:00 AM — Brew 1 Mash-In (Automatic)¶

Botec starts Brew 1 automatically. Mashing runs unattended.

7:00 AM — Brewer Arrives¶

Check Botec — Brew 1 should be in late lautering or approaching the boil. Target: Brew 1 boil starts ~7:30–8:00 AM.
Confirm no errors.
Begin morning prep for Brew 2 while Brew 1 is still lautering:
- Load malt for Brew 2 — Malt Loading SOP
- Load mash salts for Brew 2 — Mash Additions SOP
- Prepare Brew 2 kettle additions if not done the evening before, store in fridge
- Program Brew 2 in Botec without selecting First Brew — the mash tun and lauter tun are still warm from Brew 1, so the pre-rinse step is not needed.

~7:30–8:00 AM — Brew 1 IBC (Spent Grain)¶

Botec signals when the lauter tun is ready to empty (typically around boil start). Confirm an IBC is in position below the lauter tun and acknowledge in Botec. Refer to the IBC step in V1.

~7:30–8:00 AM — Brew 1 Boil Start¶

Take beginning of boil sample for Brew 1 — record Kettle Full (P) and (pH) in Brew 1 row.
Add beginning of boil additions if in recipe.
Launch wortway sanitisation for Brew 1 — wortway CIP was done the previous evening.
Launch fermentation recipe for Brew 1 in Botec.

~8:00 AM — Brew 2 Kettle Additions Prep¶

If Brew 2 kettle additions were not prepared the evening before, prepare and label them now. Store in the fridge.

~8:00–9:00 AM — Brew 1 Boil Additions¶

Respond to all Brew 1 kettle addition alarms. Follow the standard kettle additions procedure.

~8:30–9:30 AM — CIP Tank 1 Up-Concentration¶

Run CIP Tank 1 up-concentration during B1 whirlpool. B1 WW sani ends ~8:30 AM (runs from B1 boil start ~7:30 AM for ~1h), freeing the CIP unit. Up-con finishes ~9:30 AM — 30 minutes before B2 mash-in at 10:00 AM.

Warning

Up-concentration must complete before B2 mash-in — 30-minute hot-water buffer rule. With up-con at 8:30–9:30 AM this is satisfied automatically.
Up-concentration must also complete before B2 wortway CIP starts (11:00 AM) — the B2 WW CIP needs the up-concentrated caustic.

Refer to CIP Up-Concentration SOP.

~9:00 AM — Brew 2 Milling Starts¶

Milling for Brew 2 starts while Brew 1 is still boiling and up-concentration is running.

~9:00–10:00 AM — Brew 1 Whirlpool and Whirlpool Additions¶

Brew 1 moves into the whirlpool rest after end of boil. Respond to any Brew 1 whirlpool addition alarms. Follow the standard whirlpool additions procedure.

~9:00–9:45 AM — Brew 1 Rebuild Panel When Wortway Sanitisation is Done¶

Once Brew 1 wortway sanitisation is complete, rebuild the panel for wort cooling. Leave the two valves closed.

When the Brew 1 end of boil signal fires:

Go to brewhouse. Take the Brew 1 end of boil sample.
Open the two valves.
Acknowledge end of boil in Botec.

Refer to Wortway CIP & Sanitisation SOP.

~10:00 AM — Brew 2 Mash-In¶

Brew 2 mashes into the mash tun. The lauter tun is free — Brew 1 has moved fully to the kettle.

~10:00 AM — Brew 1 Knockout¶

Brew 1 knockout happens while Brew 2 is mashing. Refer to the Wort Knockout SOP. Log all Brew 1 values in the production spreadsheet.

Warning

Brew 1 must be fully knocked out into the fermentation tank before Brew 2 enters the lauter tun. Brew 2 lautering begins around 11:00 AM — Brew 1 knockout must be complete by then.

~10:00–11:00 AM — Brew 2 Mashing¶

No Botec intervention needed. Brew 2 mashes automatically.

~11:00 AM — Brew 2 Start Wortway CIP¶

Start the wortway CIP for Brew 2 at 11:00 AM, simultaneously with B2 lautering start. Mashing ends at 11:00 AM, freeing the wortway.

Warning

The wortway CIP for Brew 2 takes 60–90 minutes and must finish by Brew 2 boil start (~1:00 PM) — wortway sanitisation launches at boil start and needs the CIP done first.

Refer to Wortway CIP & Sanitisation SOP.

~11:00 AM — Brew 2 Lautering Starts¶

Brew 2 enters the lauter tun. Brew 1 knockout must already be complete.

~11:00 AM — Brew 2 First Wort Sample¶

Take the first wort sample for Brew 2 from the lauter tun sampling port. Record in Brew 2 row: VZ(P) and VZ(pH).

~11:00 AM–1:00 PM — Brew 2 Lautering and Wortway CIP Completion¶

Wortway CIP for Brew 2 must finish by 1:00 PM (boil start) — wortway sanitisation launches at boil start, so CIP needs to be done by then.

~1:00 PM — Brew 2 Boil Start¶

Take beginning of boil sample for Brew 2 — record Kettle Full (P) and (pH) in Brew 2 row.
Add beginning of boil additions if in recipe.
Launch wortway sanitisation for Brew 2 — confirm wortway CIP for Brew 2 is finished first.
Launch fermentation recipe for Brew 2 in Botec.

~1:00–2:30 PM — Brew 2 Boil Additions¶

Respond to all Brew 2 kettle addition alarms. Follow the standard kettle additions procedure.

~1:00 PM — Brew 2 IBC (Spent Grain)¶

Confirm an IBC is in position below the lauter tun and acknowledge in Botec when the alarm fires.

~2:30 PM — Brew 2 Rebuild Panel When Wortway Sanitisation is Done¶

Once Brew 2 wortway sanitisation is complete, rebuild the panel for wort cooling. Leave the two valves closed.

When the Brew 2 end of boil signal fires:

Go to brewhouse. Take the Brew 2 end of boil sample.
Open the two valves.
Acknowledge end of boil in Botec.

~2:30–3:30 PM — Brew 2 Whirlpool and Whirlpool Additions¶

Respond to any Brew 2 whirlpool addition alarms. Follow the standard whirlpool additions procedure.

~3:30–4:30 PM — Brew 2 Knockout¶

Refer to the Wort Knockout SOP. Log all Brew 2 values in the production spreadsheet.

Production Logging¶

Every brew gets one row in the Brewing tab of the production spreadsheet. Fill in columns as data becomes available during the brew.

Column	Data	When
Batch Code	From brew sheet	Before brew
Brew Date	Date of brew	Day of brew
Botec Brew	Recipe ID	Before brew
Name	Recipe name	Before brew
OG (P) / ABV	Recipe targets	Before brew
Tank CIP — Done / GT / OP1 / OP2	Who ran CIP, which operators	After tank CIP
WW CIP — OP1 / OP2	Who ran wortway CIP	After wortway CIP
WW Sani — Done / OP1 / OP2	Who ran wortway sanitisation	After wortway sanitisation
Yeast Brink CIP — Done / OP1 / OP2	Who ran brink CIP	After brink CIP
VZ (P)	First wort Plato	First wort sample
VZ (pH)	First wort pH	First wort sample
Kettle Full (P)	Beginning of boil Plato	Boil start sample
Kettle Full (pH)	Beginning of boil pH	Boil start sample
Knockout (P)	Knockout Plato	During knockout
Knockout (pH)	Knockout pH	During knockout
Knockout (hl)	Volume to tank	During knockout
O2 Flowrate (L/min)	Oxygen dosing rate	During knockout
Yeast	Yeast strain code	Before/during knockout
Pitch Rate	Calculated pitch rate	During knockout
Yeast Source	Brink reference	During knockout
Viability (%)	From cell count	Before knockout
Yeast kg	Weight pitched	During knockout
Cell Count ×10⁹	From cell count SOP	Before knockout
Notes	Anything unusual	Any point

Note

V1 (night brew): VZ and Kettle Full samples are not taken by the brewer — the brew is past those stages when they arrive. These columns can be left blank or noted as night brew.

Parallel Task Timing Summary¶

Task	V1	V2	V3
CIP Tank 1 up-concentration	Done evening before	Either ends ≥ 30 min before mash-in (early morning), or runs during mashing. Never overlaps with mash-in itself.	Runs 8:30–9:30 AM during B1 whirlpool, before B2 mash-in at 10:00 AM. Must complete before B2 wortway CIP starts (11:00 AM).
Wortway CIP — Brew 1	Done evening before	After mash-in or at start of lautering. Must finish by boil start (sani launches at boil start)	Done evening before
Wortway CIP — Brew 2	—	—	Starts 11:00 AM simultaneously with B2 lautering start. Must finish by B2 boil start (~1:00 PM) — sani launches at boil start.
Wortway sanitisation — Brew 1	At boil start	At boil start	At Brew 1 boil start
Wortway sanitisation — Brew 2	—	—	At Brew 2 boil start, after wortway CIP finished
Fermentation recipe — Brew 1	At boil start	At boil start	At Brew 1 boil start
Fermentation recipe — Brew 2	—	—	At Brew 2 boil start
Panel rebuild for cooling	After wortway sanitisation complete — leave valves closed, open only at end of boil signal	After wortway sanitisation complete	After wortway sanitisation complete — once per brew

Checklist¶

On arrival / early tasks

[ ] Botec checked — brew progressing, no errors
[ ] Up-concentration started if applicable (V2: before milling; V3: at ~8:30 AM during B1 whirlpool)
[ ] Fermentation tank confirmed ready

Mashing

[ ] Up-concentration confirmed complete before mash-in
[ ] No other CIP or up-con running during mash-in
[ ] Wortway CIP started after mash-in or at lautering start if applicable (V2, V3 Brew 2)

Lautering

[ ] IBC confirmed in position below lauter tun before alarm fires
[ ] First wort sample taken — VZ(P) and VZ(pH) recorded (V2 and V3 Brew 2 only)
[ ] IBC acknowledged in Botec when alarm fires

Boil start

[ ] Beginning of boil sample taken — Kettle Full (P) and (pH) recorded (V2 and V3 Brew 2 only)
[ ] Beginning of boil additions made if in recipe
[ ] Wortway sanitisation launched
[ ] Fermentation recipe launched in Botec

During boil and whirlpool

[ ] Each kettle addition made on alarm — marked done in Botec after rinsing dosing vessel
[ ] Large additions via manway — horn muted, Botec stopped, manway closed before restarting
[ ] Whirlpool additions made on alarm if in recipe

Panel rebuild and end of boil

[ ] Wortway sanitisation confirmed complete before touching the panel
[ ] Panel rebuilt for wort cooling — two valves left closed
[ ] End of boil signal received from Botec
[ ] Went to brewhouse, took end of boil sample
[ ] Two valves opened
[ ] End of boil acknowledged in Botec

Knockout

[ ] All production spreadsheet columns filled for this brew row
[ ] Wort Knockout SOP followed