MAQ's on mash & low wines.

[johnb]

My fire marshal is a great gal and easy to get along with but she is telling me now this:

The mash and low wine storage are potentially hazardous and combustible liquids based on the percentage of alcohol by volume.

Class IIIC

No control areas

In gallons

No control area with cabinets

In gallons

Each control area with cabinet. In gallons

In open production

80 (this is the reduction amount, not the starting gallons)

80 (this is the reduction amount, not the starting gallons)

80 (this is the reduction amount, not the starting gallons)

In storage

250 in open

330 in cabinets, 250 in open

330 in cabinets, 250 in open with production or 330 when no production is within the area

Total Gallons

330

660

240

Class II liquids have a flash point between 100F and 140F that would equate to less than 20% by volume of alcohol. (from Factory Mutual Report on Distilleries)

Class III A liquids have a flash point above 140F to 200F that would equate to 7% by volume of alcohol.

Class III B liquids have a flash point above 200F that would equate to 5% or less by volume of alcohol.

Combustible liquids that do not meet the exceptions for storage as noted above are limited to:

Class II liquids are limited to 120 gallons in storage or in a closed use system and limited to 30 gallons in an open use system.

Class IIIA liquids are limited to 330 gallons storage or in a closed use system and limited to 80 gallons in an open use system.

Class IIIB liquids are limited to 13200 gallons storage or in a closed use system and limited to 3300 gallons in an open use system.

I can only have 330 gallons of 7% mash on hand at one time? and only 120 gallons of low wines (19%) ?

I have been hunting the IFC codes and think I have found a couple of things but could really use some advice from those more experienced with chapter and verse to convince her otherwise.

[jeffw]

You guys get up to 140 pretty often in Washington? Any breweries in your area?

[johnb]

Yea I know. This sounds ridiculous but here I am. Yes lots of breweries and wineries too. She says this is not regulated as a flammable or combustible but is regulated as a hazardous material. Is a 7% mash considered a hazardous material? Low wines under 20% for that matter?

(Sorry about all the other posts. It kept saying that it timed out and didn't go through.)

[jeffw]

Wish I knew what to tell you. WIth my fire marshall it was just an issue of flammable stuff. I make sure I don't have more than 240 gallons above 100 proof in one location. Never heard of mash being a hazardous material. Ask one of the local brew pubs.