What Sensors Does a Brewery Need?
Brewery Instrumentation & IO-Link, IFM
Most breweries need temperature, level, flow, and pressure sensing, plus conductivity where CIP is automated.
Temperature is the core measurement in every heated vessel, fermenter, brite tank, and the glycol loop. Level protects pumps and controls fills and transfers. Flow measures brewing water, sparge, and glycol. Pressure covers tanks and pumps where the process needs it. IO-Link adds diagnostics and easier sensor replacement.
IFM is one of the premium instrumentation vendors ARP works with. This page describes sensor types and the requirements that drive selection. ARP selects the exact model, range, process connection, and wetted materials for each location during engineering. No hygienic certification is claimed here.
Brewery measurements, one at a time
Where does a brewery measure temperature?
HLT, mash, kettle, wort outlet after the heat exchanger, every fermenter and brite tank cooling zone, and glycol supply and return.
Sensor type: IFM temperature sensor. Requirements that drive selection: temperature range per location, insertion length and fitting, response, and 4–20 mA or IO-Link output. ARP selects the exact model during engineering.
Where does a brewery measure flow?
Brewing water (strike and sparge), wort where a suitable sensor is used, CIP supply, and utility or glycol water.
Sensor type: IFM flow meter. Requirements: medium (water, wort, glycol, CIP solution), flow range, line size, temperature, and output. A wort point is used only where the sensor is suitable for wort. ARP selects the exact model during engineering.
Where does a brewery measure pressure?
Fermenter and brite tank pressure where you monitor or control it, pump discharge, and utilities. Hydrostatic pressure can also indicate level where suitable.
Sensor type: IFM pressure sensor. Requirements: pressure range from your vessel and loop ratings, temperature, process connection, and output. ARP selects the exact model during engineering.
Where does a brewery measure level?
HLT and CLT, process vessels you fill or transfer from, and fermenters and brite tanks where you want level or volume.
Sensor type: IFM level sensor (continuous or switch). Requirements: switch points or continuous range, vessel geometry, medium, temperature, and output. ARP selects the exact model during engineering.
Where is conductivity used in a brewery?
Mainly in CIP: chemical strength, rinse endpoint, and telling water from cleaning solution in a line.
Conductivity is configured with the CIP circuits. See What Sensors Do You Need for a CIP System?
Can IO-Link be used in a brewery?
Yes. IO-Link sensors send the measured value plus diagnostics and parameters to the PLC through an IO-Link master. In ARP panels, field IO-Link devices connect to Allen-Bradley 5032 IO-Link masters on EtherNet/IP.
Rockwell’s published data lists 8 IO-Link ports per 5032 IO-Link master, so ARP’s builders count one master per 8 IO-Link devices. IO-Link helps with sensor health, extra values from one device, and faster replacement because parameters can be stored and restored.
What sensors are needed in a brewery?
Temperature everywhere you heat or cool, level where you fill or transfer, flow where you meter water or control sparge, and pressure where the process needs it.
The brewery builder asks per vessel and tank and counts the inputs.
What is sensor health monitoring?
IO-Link devices report diagnostics, such as a fault or a value out of range, to the PLC, so the HMI and dashboard can flag a sensor problem instead of a process problem.
Which diagnostics are available depends on the device ARP selects.
IO-Link architecture
- Sensors from premium vendors such as IFM
- →
- Allen-Bradley 5032 IO-Link masters
- →
- EtherNet/IP
- →
- Allen-Bradley PLC
- →
- HMI
- →
- ARP dashboard & history
Build My Brewery Instrument Package
Pick the measurements to add. They carry into the brewery builder, where vessel and tank sensors are chosen per vessel.
Frequently asked questions
Can I reuse my existing brewery sensors?
Often, yes. ARP checks each existing sensor’s signal and condition during engineering and reuses the ones that are suitable.
Are these sensors certified hygienic?
This page doesn’t claim any hygienic certification. Certifications, process connections, and wetted materials are confirmed for the specific model ARP selects.
Can ARP include the sensors with the panel?
Yes. ARP can include instrumentation from premium vendors such as IFM in the brewery controls package, with each model selected during engineering.
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.