What Pumps Does a Brewery Need?
Brewery Pumps, Utilities & Dosing, Grundfos
A brewery needs sanitary pumps for wort and beer, and separate utility pumps for water, boiler feed, cooling, CIP, and chemical dosing.
Product-transfer pumps touch the wort and beer, so they are sanitary pumps that are already in place, chosen by you, or coordinated by ARP. Utility and support pumps move water and chemicals around the brewery. ARP controls all of them from the same Allen-Bradley system, with Allen-Bradley VFDs on EtherNet/IP where speed control helps.
Grundfos is one of the premium pump vendors ARP works with, mainly for utility water, boiler feed, water treatment, CIP utility, and dosing. No pump is selected from incomplete data, and utility pumps are not assumed suitable for sanitary wort or beer transfer. ARP selects the exact model during engineering from the duty point, fluid, temperature, and compatibility. In certain applications, ARP can also provide a pump skid.
Brewery pump applications
| Application | Pump approach | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wort / beer product transfer | Existing sanitary pump, customer-selected sanitary pump, or ARP coordinates a suitable sanitary pump | Utility pumps are not assumed suitable for sanitary product transfer. |
| Brewing water | Utility pump from premium vendors such as Grundfos, where the duty fits | Selected from flow, head, water temperature, and materials. |
| RO / water treatment | Utility pump, where the duty and service fit | Coordinated with the water-treatment supplier. |
| Boiler feed | Utility pump, where the duty and service fit | Coordinated with the boiler supplier. |
| Cooling / utility water | Selected from the actual duty | |
| CIP utility water | Coordinated with the CIP design | Configure in Build My CIP System. |
| Chemical dosing | Chemical dosing pump | Only where chemistry, flow, pressure, and material compatibility are verified. |
Pump questions, answered
What pumps are used in a brewery utility system?
Centrifugal utility pumps for brewing water, water treatment, boiler feed, cooling water, and CIP supply, plus small dosing pumps for chemicals, each selected for its duty.
The PLC starts, stops, and speeds them, and watches run and fault status.
How are wort and beer transfer pumps chosen?
From the flow, head, fluid, temperature, viscosity, solids, sanitary requirements, materials, and seals for that transfer.
Use an existing sanitary pump, one you select, or ask ARP to coordinate a suitable sanitary pump. ARP controls it either way.
How do you automate CIP in a brewery?
Define each cleaning circuit and recipe, then let the PLC run the pumps, valves, and dosing and record the cycle. ARP’s CIP builder handles that part.
Start at CIP Control Systems or Build My CIP System. The brewery builder hands off to it.
How do you monitor brewery water usage?
Put a flow meter with a totalizer on brewing water and other main water lines and log the totals per batch, day, and week.
The dashboard shows usage trends.
What does ARP need to select a pump?
Flow and head at the duty point, fluid, temperature, viscosity, solids, sanitary or material requirements, seal requirements, and motor or VFD preference.
Missing items are flagged in the builder rather than guessed.
Why use a VFD on a brewery pump?
A VFD lets the PLC set pump speed for each step, such as a gentle transfer or a recirculation rate, instead of running full speed.
In ARP panels, drives are Allen-Bradley VFDs on EtherNet/IP, with the exact drive selected in engineering.
Selection inputs checklist
Hydraulics
Flow, head or pressure, suction condition, line size.
Fluid
Fluid, temperature, viscosity, solids, sanitary and wetted-material requirements, chemical compatibility.
Control
VFD or across-the-line, duty/standby, monitoring, PLC integration.
Frequently asked questions
Will ARP use a utility pump for beer transfer?
No. Utility pumps are not assumed suitable for sanitary wort or beer transfer. Transfer pumps are existing, customer-selected, or a suitable sanitary pump ARP coordinates.
Does ARP include pumps in the brewery package?
Yes, where they fit the duty. ARP can include utility and dosing pumps from premium vendors such as Grundfos, with each model selected during engineering. In certain applications, ARP can also provide a pump skid.
Can ARP pick a pump from horsepower or pipe size?
No. ARP needs the duty point, fluid, temperature, and compatibility data, then selects the pump during engineering against current manufacturer data.
Talk to ARP about your brewery controls
ARP supplies the controls and automation package: the Allen-Bradley control panel, electrical design, PLC/HMI programming, instrumentation, utility and dosing pumps as selected, dashboards, drawings, FAT, and startup support as quoted. In certain applications, ARP can also provide a pump skid. Brewhouse vessels, fermenters, tanks, sanitary process piping, and mechanical skids come from you, your brewhouse manufacturer, or your fabricator, and ARP integrates with them.
Qualifying standard configurations are quoted, designed, programmed, and shipped in 7–10 business days.
Have drawings, P&IDs, panel photos, or I/O lists? Send them with your request.