Case Study — Beverage Production
Scaling Sanitation Capacity at a Craft Brewery Expanding to 200,000 BBL
A rapidly growing craft brewery needed to triple its washdown station count while meeting TTB and state health department requirements — on a tight construction timeline.
The Challenge
The brewery had grown from a 30,000 BBL regional operation to a 200,000 BBL national brand in four years. A major facility expansion added a new packaging hall, fermentation cellar, and cold storage wing — all requiring compliant washdown stations before the state health department would issue an operating permit for the new space.
The state health department required NSF-certified washdown equipment with documented temperature control capable of delivering 140°F minimum for sanitizing fermentation vessels, packaging lines, and floor drains. The TTB (Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau) also required documentation of sanitation equipment specifications as part of the brewery's operating permit.
The construction timeline was aggressive — 18 stations needed to be installed, commissioned, and documented within a 6-week window before the scheduled health department inspection. The brewery's facilities team had no prior experience specifying washdown equipment to regulatory standards.
The Solution
Northeast Controls specified the SuperKlean Model 3600BM — a bronze body hot and cold water mixing station with a manual mixing valve — for all 18 new wash points. The 3600BM's NSF certification and documented temperature range (up to 160°F) satisfied both the state health department and TTB documentation requirements.
Northeast Controls provided a complete specification package including NSF certification letters, product data sheets, and temperature range documentation formatted for the TTB permit application. The brewery's facilities team used this package to complete the regulatory submissions without needing to engage an outside consultant.
All 18 stations were installed and commissioned within the 6-week window. Northeast Controls provided on-site commissioning support and temperature verification at each station, with results documented for the health department inspection.
The Results
Northeast Controls made the specification and documentation process straightforward. We had everything we needed for the TTB permit and the health department inspection — and the 3600BM stations have been rock solid since day one.
— Facilities Director, Pacific Northwest Craft Brewery