The quality of beer is closely linked to the quality of the water used and a clean brewing tank. A tank that looks clean but isn’t microbiologically clean can affect the taste and quality of the final product, because that’s exactly where lactic acid bacteria: the primary beer-spoiling bacteria thrive. For a QA manager at a brewery, that’s the real problem: not that disinfection isn’t taking place, but that, despite disinfection, there are still high bacterial counts and production losses.

The four pain points every QA manager recognizes

1. Biofilm also grows in hard-to-reach places

Biofilms form precisely in the areas that your daily routine does not reach. In a bottling plant, biofilms 1 to 2 millimeters thick were found on a screw component that was outside the scope of daily cleaning (1). The same study states that virtually every industrial facility contains biofilms. Microbial contamination and biofilm formation have also been demonstrated on filling machines and can-filling lines (2).

2. Your most important enemy is great at surviving

In the brewing world, lactic acid bacteria are called the “greatest enemy of beer” for good reason. Spoilage caused by lactic acid bacteria (3,4) remains one of the main causes of microbiological instability in beer production (5,6).

3. When things go wrong, they go really wrong

Any remaining bacteria or wild yeasts can spoil an entire batch, often without warning until it is too late. Flavor defects, such as a musty or sour note, render a batch unsellable (7). And contaminated bottles can lead to inconsistent shelf life, gas formation, or spoilage in the final product (8).

4. There may be more in the water than your water samples show

A bacterial count analysis counts only the bacteria that are freely floating in the water at that moment, not the bacteria trapped in a biofilm on tank walls or pipes. A biofilm releases only a small fraction of its bacteria, so a water sample may easily remain within the standard while the biofilm itself remains intact and can suddenly release many more microorganisms, which makes it difficult to guarantee quality.

Why an in-situ system fits in your brewery?

A Watter system is not a substitute for cleaning. Like any disinfectant, HOCl works best on clean surfaces, and organic residues must first be removed through thorough cleaning and CIP. What the system adds is a continuously available, constant disinfection step for removing stubborn biofilm that does not come off even with thorough cleaning. At all necessary points where your water flows

  • Process water and piping: HOCl is effective against bacteria and biofilm, ensuring cleaner process water and piping, which in turn guarantees the quality of your production.
  • Cooling water and circulation systems: where stable water quality means a more stable process. This is an effect that Watter’s customers explicitly mention, particularly in relation to the use of cooling water.
  • Rinse and post-rinse water and surfaces: including filling lines, conveyor belts, and tank areas, where fresh HOCl is constantly available for disinfection.
  • In-line disinfection: in which on-site produced electrolyzed water has been specifically studied as a water-saving disinfection method for CIP in breweries (6).

Watter system vs. alternatives

Factor Chlorine bleach (NaOCl) in drums Peracetic acid (PAA) Watter system (HOCl, in situ)
Availability Dependent on stock and delivery Dependent on stock and delivery On-site production from water, salt, and electricity
Handling Corrosive concentrate, storage and disposal Highly corrosive, respiratory irritant, PPE and monitoring (9) No CMR substances, no special regulations or PPE for the product
Usage concentration Relatively high According to dosage, loses strength after preparation Effective at low concentrations (10,11)
Material compatibility Can cause pitting corrosion on stainless steel (12) Usually suitable for stainless steel, check concentration Low usage concentrations limit strain on equipment
Biofilm Biofilm penetration is limiting (13) Regular application can limit regrowth Continuous dosing targets biofilm in the water system
Waste and transport Jerrycans, drums, transport Jerrycans, drums, transport No product transport, less plastic waste

What this means for your product quality

Low operating costs, without having to purchase expensive disinfectants

The Watter system requires only water, salt, and electricity. That means no ongoing, expensive purchases, no storage space with associated safety regulations, no transportation, and no disposal of empty jerry cans and drums.

Effectiveness you can see during an audit

All Watter solutions have been independently tested in accordance with EN standards against bacteria (EN 1276), yeasts and molds (EN 1650), viruses (EN 14476), as well as on surfaces (EN 13697) and in water systems (EN 13623). HOCl is also effective against a broad spectrum of microorganisms at relatively low concentrations and with short contact times on surfaces (10,11).

Lower risk of taste deviations

The most common cause of taste abnormalities is tanks or packaging that have not been rinsed thoroughly after disinfection, or insufficient removal of chlorine-based cleaning agents (14). The risk, therefore, lies in residues and overdosing. The Watter system continuously dispenses at low concentrations, thereby minimizing the risk of overdosing.

At a glance: What a Watter-system offers your brewery

The Watter system produces a disinfectant solution containing hypochlorous acid (HOCl) as the active ingredient right at your facility, using only water, salt, and electricity, and doses it directly into your system. This provides the following benefits:

  • Continuous rather than per shift: Dosing into the process water occurs continuously, so you aren’t dependent on suppliers when you need the solution
  • Tested and proven: All Watter solutions have been independently tested according to standard EN norms, including EN 1276 (bacteria), EN 1650 (yeasts and molds), EN 14476 (viruses), EN 13697 (surfaces), and EN 13623 (water systems).
  • Effective at low usage concentrations: HOCl is a strong oxidizing agent that is effective against a broad spectrum of bacteria, viruses, yeasts, and molds on pre-cleaned surfaces at relatively low concentrations and with short contact times (10,11).
  • No chemical storage, no jerry cans, no transportation: You produce what you need, when you need it. This eliminates an entire layer of logistics and record-keeping from your hygiene plan.
  • Free of CMR substances and not classified on the list of hazardous substances: meaning no special regulations or PPE measures are required for the product.
  • Less plastic waste and fewer transport kilometers: because there’s no longer a need to ship drums and barrels back and forth.

Request a consultation with one of our specialists: we’d be happy to help you.

Would you like to know how a Watter system would fit into your brewery?

Contact

Sources

  1. Timke, Markus, et al. "Community Structure and Diversity of Biofilms from a Beer Bottling Plant as Revealed Using 16S rRNA Gene Clone Libraries." Applied and Environmental Microbiology, vol. 71, 2005, pp. 6446–6452. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1266004/
  2. Wagner, Eva M., et al. "Presence of Microbial Contamination and Biofilms at a Beer Can Filling Production Line." Journal of Food Protection, vol. 84, no. 5, 2021, pp. 896–902. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0362028X22055181
  3. Bing, S., Zang, Y., Zhu, H., Han, J., Feng, Y., Qiao, W., Li, C., Zhang, G., Li, Y., Ding, N., Wu, G., & Zang, Y. (2026). Selective antimicrobial activity of slightly acidic electrolyzed water: Differential effects on harmful and beneficial bacteria in microbial fermentation systems. Environmental Microbiology, 28(6), e70337. https://doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.70337
  4. Wang, Zengyan, et al. “Formation of Viable, but Putatively Non-Culturable (VPNC) Cells of Beer-Spoilage Lactobacilli Growing in Biofilms.” LWT, vol. 133, 31 July 2020, p. 109964, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0023643820309531, 10.1016/j.lwt.2020.109964. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.
  5. Riedl, Robert, et al. "Beer enemy number one: genetic diversity, physiology and biofilm formation of Lactobacillus brevis." Journal of the Institute of Brewing, 2019. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jib.553
  6. Chen, Lu, et al. "Cleaning in place with onsite-generated electrolysed oxidizing water for water-saving disinfection in breweries." Journal of the Institute of Brewing, 2012. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jib.56
  7. Șutea, Corina Maria, et al. "Beer Aroma Compounds: Key Odorants, Off-Flavour Compounds and Improvement Proposals." Foods, vol. 14, no. 24, 2025. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12732517/
  8. Ciont, Călina, et al. "Beer Safety: New Challenges and Future Trends Within Craft and Large-Scale Production." Foods, vol. 11, no. 17, 2022, p. 2693. https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/11/17/2693/html
  9. Interscan Corporation. "Peracetic Acid (C2H4O3) Safety: Risks and Precautions." 2024. https://gasdetection.com/articles/peracetic-acid-c2h4o3-safety-managing-risks-and-implementing-precautions/
  10. Block, Michael S., and Brian G. Rowan. "Hypochlorous Acid: A Review." Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, vol. 78, no. 9, 2020. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0278239120306728
  11. Larsen, Morten, and Francine Shaw. "Hypochlorous Acid Cleans up Food Safety, Sustainability." SupplySide Food & Beverage Journal, 2024. https://www.supplysidefbj.com/food-beverage-operations/the-rise-of-hypochlorous-acid-in-the-food-industry
  12. Rossi, Stefano, et al. "Study of the Corrosion Behavior of Stainless Steel in Food Industry." Materials, vol. 17, no. 7, 2024, p. 1617. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11012613/
  13. Petridis, Xenos, et al. "Chemical Efficacy of Several NaOCl Concentrations on Biofilms of Different Architecture." International Endodontic Journal, vol. 52, no. 12, 2019, pp. 1773–1788. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7328853/
  14. Muriqi, Sali, Libor Červenka, and Milan Sýs. "Voltammetric Detection of Chlorophenols in Brewing Water and Beer." Food Technology and Biotechnology, vol. 63, no. 3, 2025, pp. 382–389. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC124