What floor drains does a brewery need?

Phoenix, Mesa and Tempe all work from the 2024 International Plumbing Code, and Phoenix adopts it through Ordinance G-7397 with local amendments. The floor drain sections we checked read the same in the Phoenix text as in the model code.

• Approved product. Section 413.1 says "Floor drains shall conform to ASME A112.3.1, ASME A112.6.3 or CSA B79. Trench drains shall comply with ASME A112.6.3."
• Cleanable and reachable. Section 413.2 says "Floor drains shall have removable strainers." It also requires that the drain can be cleaned, with access to the drain inlet.
• Outlet size. Floor drains need a drain outlet not less than 2 inches in diameter.
• Hot wastewater. Section 702.5 says "Where the wastewater temperature will be greater than 140°F (60°C), the sanitary drainage piping material shall be rated for the highest temperature of the wastewater." Boil kettle runoff and hot caustic rinses are the usual reasons this matters.

That is the minimum. A drain that passes inspection can still be the wrong drain for a brewery floor.

Put them where the water is, and keep them out of the way of the people cleaning. A Brewers Association presentation on drains for brewers gives a short layout list: indicate the areas you need to drain (brewhouse, tanks, canning, coolers), keep floor slopes simple, and "Stay away from running under equipment." The reason it gives is that you need access to clean and maintain the drain. The same presentation says the standard floor slope for new construction is 2 percent.

ACO's brewery brochure adds a placement tip for clean-in-place stations: put stainless drains "right under the outlets of CIP stations," and "consider the capacity, ensure air gap and keep the drain inspectable."

You probably need a mix. A trench drain (a long, narrow channel in the floor) suits a wet line of tanks or a packaging area. Point floor drains suit single spots such as a cold room. Our trench, floor and area drain comparison covers the general differences.

Equipment drains are a separate idea. The Brewers Association manual describes one approach: a pipe "extends up through the floor about 6 inches" so that floor debris cannot wash in, and it needs its own set of drain lines under the slab. It calls that "definitely the preferred way to proceed" when building a new brewery or tearing up the slab in an existing building. The same manual warns against combining brewery wastewater with kitchen and restroom lines under the slab, so you never have to separate or treat them later.

Equipment that discharges to a drain generally goes through an air gap into a receptor, not a direct connection. Section 802.1.1 of the Phoenix 2024 IPC says equipment "utilized for the storage, preparation and handling of food shall discharge through an indirect waste pipe by means of an air gap." Section 802.3.1 sets the gap at "not less than twice the effective opening of the indirect waste pipe." A receptor "shall be sized for the maximum discharge of all indirect waste pipes served by the receptor." Where discharge is known only in gallons per minute, Section 709.3 counts 1 gpm as two drainage fixture units. For the full indirect waste rules see commercial sinks and air gaps.

Brewery debris is the main enemy: hop material, spent grain, bottle glass and caps.

• Screens and baskets. The Brewers Association manual says to keep screens in the drains, and notes that workers sometimes remove screen plugs for cleaning and then forget to put them back in. It also suggests a basket at the end of the line to catch "wrenches, pallet chunks, bottles, caps, and shrink wrap." ACO recommends silt baskets to collect hop debris.
• Dry traps. ACO notes that when a drain is not used often, "the siphon can get dry and a bad smell develop." The code treats this directly: Section 1002.4 says trap seals of emergency floor drain traps and traps "subject to evaporation shall be protected" by a listed method, which includes a trap primer or a nearby fixture drain. In a Phoenix summer an unused trap dries out fast. See trap primers for commercial floor drains and why dry floor drains smell.
• Hot, harsh water. ACO states that a plastic system "starts deforming at 140°F," and that cast iron is not chemically resistant, which is why many brewery floors use stainless steel drains. Treat that as a manufacturer's design view, not a code rule.

Drains are one half of the question. The other half is what goes down them. Section 803.1 of the Phoenix 2024 IPC says corrosive liquids and spent acids "shall not be discharged into the plumbing system without being thoroughly neutralized, or treated by passing through an approved neutralizing device." The Brewers Association manual advises brewers to monitor the pH of acidic cleaning solutions and neutralize them before they go to drain. Phoenix's own pH and strength limits for brewery discharge are on our page about brewery wastewater pretreatment in Phoenix.

1. 1Mark every wet area on the plan and decide where water will flow.
2. 2Pick drain types and materials for hot, caustic and acidic water, and confirm the pipe rating.
3. 3Show trap primers or another seal-protection method.
4. 4Confirm pretreatment with your city before concrete, because relocating a drain after the pour means cutting the floor.

If you already have a brewery with slow or smelly drains, commercial floor drain and trench drain cleaning is the next stop. HQ is licensed and insured and gives free estimates, with upfront pricing before work starts, on commercial drain work.