Quality Labs for Small Brewers: Building a Foundation for Great Beer
Quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) is both a system and a state of mind. In Quality Labs for Small Brewers, author Merritt Waldron walks you step-by-step through the process of establishing and writing a quality program for your brewery. Your quality policy should align with your company values and inculcate a quality-first culture throughout your brewery. Building an effective quality program will empower staff to directly influence the consistent production of safe, quality beer from grain to glass.

A good quality program has many moving parts but it is underpinned by good manufacturing practice (GMP) and food safety requirements. GMP covers every aspect of a brewery's operation, not just how personnel comport themselves, but how goods in are handled and stored, how beer is held in the warehouse, and how equipment, plant, and the grounds are maintained. Learn how to set standards and critical control points, and how to effectively monitor your process so that any deviation is quickly addressed.

Discover how policies, procedures, and specifications can help ensure quality throughout every process. Involve your staff in establishing standard operating procedures, corrective actions, and improvements. Learn how to effectively delegate responsibility and also ensure that management is armed with the information they need to ultimately make what may be some tough decisions. If the worst happens, understand that being able to make a tough call and having a robust recall procedure in place means you can move quickly to rectify matters, which helps your brewery retain the confidence of your customers and distributors.

Brewers will see results through the application of GMP and food safety prerequisite programs. Your quality manual laying out standard operating procedures, product specifications, and corrective action plans will give your staff the confidence to implement your quality program. With these programs in place, the author then takes you through each area of your brewery operation and breaks down how key parameters are measured and analyzed at critical control points. Sampling plans are outlined for monitoring density, temperature, pH, yeast viability and growth, alcohol, carbonation, dissolved oxygen, titratable acidity, fill height, and packaging integrity. Explore setting up an effective sensory panel, even a small one, that will help ensure each beer remains true-to-brand. Waldron outlines building your brewery laboratory and looks at how to implement an in-house microbiology program. Throughout this, the focus is on scaling your efforts to the size of your operation and always being ready to expand your quality program as your brewery grows. The author makes it clear that no brewery is too small to implement QA/QC and discusses pragmatic solutions to building out your capabilities.

Beyond taking meaningful, accurate measurements, the author also explores how to analyze data. Learn some basics of statistics and data organization and how to apply these techniques to continuously monitor processes and spot when corrective action is needed. These routines will help pinpoint any risks or areas of improvement and ensure that only quality beer reaches the customer, time after time.

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Quality Labs for Small Brewers: Building a Foundation for Great Beer
Quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) is both a system and a state of mind. In Quality Labs for Small Brewers, author Merritt Waldron walks you step-by-step through the process of establishing and writing a quality program for your brewery. Your quality policy should align with your company values and inculcate a quality-first culture throughout your brewery. Building an effective quality program will empower staff to directly influence the consistent production of safe, quality beer from grain to glass.

A good quality program has many moving parts but it is underpinned by good manufacturing practice (GMP) and food safety requirements. GMP covers every aspect of a brewery's operation, not just how personnel comport themselves, but how goods in are handled and stored, how beer is held in the warehouse, and how equipment, plant, and the grounds are maintained. Learn how to set standards and critical control points, and how to effectively monitor your process so that any deviation is quickly addressed.

Discover how policies, procedures, and specifications can help ensure quality throughout every process. Involve your staff in establishing standard operating procedures, corrective actions, and improvements. Learn how to effectively delegate responsibility and also ensure that management is armed with the information they need to ultimately make what may be some tough decisions. If the worst happens, understand that being able to make a tough call and having a robust recall procedure in place means you can move quickly to rectify matters, which helps your brewery retain the confidence of your customers and distributors.

Brewers will see results through the application of GMP and food safety prerequisite programs. Your quality manual laying out standard operating procedures, product specifications, and corrective action plans will give your staff the confidence to implement your quality program. With these programs in place, the author then takes you through each area of your brewery operation and breaks down how key parameters are measured and analyzed at critical control points. Sampling plans are outlined for monitoring density, temperature, pH, yeast viability and growth, alcohol, carbonation, dissolved oxygen, titratable acidity, fill height, and packaging integrity. Explore setting up an effective sensory panel, even a small one, that will help ensure each beer remains true-to-brand. Waldron outlines building your brewery laboratory and looks at how to implement an in-house microbiology program. Throughout this, the focus is on scaling your efforts to the size of your operation and always being ready to expand your quality program as your brewery grows. The author makes it clear that no brewery is too small to implement QA/QC and discusses pragmatic solutions to building out your capabilities.

Beyond taking meaningful, accurate measurements, the author also explores how to analyze data. Learn some basics of statistics and data organization and how to apply these techniques to continuously monitor processes and spot when corrective action is needed. These routines will help pinpoint any risks or areas of improvement and ensure that only quality beer reaches the customer, time after time.

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Quality Labs for Small Brewers: Building a Foundation for Great Beer

Quality Labs for Small Brewers: Building a Foundation for Great Beer

by Merritt Waldron
Quality Labs for Small Brewers: Building a Foundation for Great Beer

Quality Labs for Small Brewers: Building a Foundation for Great Beer

by Merritt Waldron

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Overview

Quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) is both a system and a state of mind. In Quality Labs for Small Brewers, author Merritt Waldron walks you step-by-step through the process of establishing and writing a quality program for your brewery. Your quality policy should align with your company values and inculcate a quality-first culture throughout your brewery. Building an effective quality program will empower staff to directly influence the consistent production of safe, quality beer from grain to glass.

A good quality program has many moving parts but it is underpinned by good manufacturing practice (GMP) and food safety requirements. GMP covers every aspect of a brewery's operation, not just how personnel comport themselves, but how goods in are handled and stored, how beer is held in the warehouse, and how equipment, plant, and the grounds are maintained. Learn how to set standards and critical control points, and how to effectively monitor your process so that any deviation is quickly addressed.

Discover how policies, procedures, and specifications can help ensure quality throughout every process. Involve your staff in establishing standard operating procedures, corrective actions, and improvements. Learn how to effectively delegate responsibility and also ensure that management is armed with the information they need to ultimately make what may be some tough decisions. If the worst happens, understand that being able to make a tough call and having a robust recall procedure in place means you can move quickly to rectify matters, which helps your brewery retain the confidence of your customers and distributors.

Brewers will see results through the application of GMP and food safety prerequisite programs. Your quality manual laying out standard operating procedures, product specifications, and corrective action plans will give your staff the confidence to implement your quality program. With these programs in place, the author then takes you through each area of your brewery operation and breaks down how key parameters are measured and analyzed at critical control points. Sampling plans are outlined for monitoring density, temperature, pH, yeast viability and growth, alcohol, carbonation, dissolved oxygen, titratable acidity, fill height, and packaging integrity. Explore setting up an effective sensory panel, even a small one, that will help ensure each beer remains true-to-brand. Waldron outlines building your brewery laboratory and looks at how to implement an in-house microbiology program. Throughout this, the focus is on scaling your efforts to the size of your operation and always being ready to expand your quality program as your brewery grows. The author makes it clear that no brewery is too small to implement QA/QC and discusses pragmatic solutions to building out your capabilities.

Beyond taking meaningful, accurate measurements, the author also explores how to analyze data. Learn some basics of statistics and data organization and how to apply these techniques to continuously monitor processes and spot when corrective action is needed. These routines will help pinpoint any risks or areas of improvement and ensure that only quality beer reaches the customer, time after time.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781938469633
Publisher: Brewers Publications
Publication date: 08/03/2020
Pages: 277
Product dimensions: 8.42(w) x 10.92(h) x 0.65(d)

About the Author

Combining his passion for science and craft beer, Merritt Waldron grew the quality program at Rising Tide Brewing Company in Portland, Maine from 900 to over 5,000 barrels. An avid homebrewer for 15 years, Merritt holds a degree in physics from the University of Southern Maine. He is highly active in the brewing community and speaks about quality at the Craft Brewers Conference, MBAA district meetings, and the New England Craft Brew Summit. Merritt is currently Quality Director at Baxter Brewing Co. and resides with his wife in Portland, Maine.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents


Introduction

About the book

What I assume about the reader

What's this Quality Control Thing About Anyway?

Quality Control

Quality Assurance

Quality System

The Structure

Part I – Building a Solid Foundation

Chapter 1 – Food Safety Modernization Act

Introduction

Food Safety Terms

What FSMA Means for Craft Brewers

What if My Facility is a Brewpub?

How Do I comply?

Chapter 2 - Good Manufacturing Practices

What are Good Manufacturing Practices?

GMPs vs. SSOPs

Familiarize Ourselves with GMP Requirements

Personnel

Plants and Grounds

Sanitary Operations

Sanitary Facilities and Controls

Equipment and Utensils

Warehousing and Distribution

Holding and Distribution of Human Food By-Products

Defect Action Limits

Culture of Food Safety and Quality First

Writing a GMP Manual

Next Steps, Auditing

Chapter 3 – Food Safety Program

Common Food Safety Hazards Around the Brewery

Physical Hazards

Chemical Hazards

Biological Hazards

Control Points and General Control Methods

Assemble Your GMP/Food Safety Team

Put it in Writing

Monitoring Principles

Critical Control Limits

Recall Planning

General notes About Your Recall

Recall Plan in Seven Steps

Things to Add to Your Food Safety Program

Chapter 4 – Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

Writing an SOP

Supporting Components

Using a Template

Implementation, Training, and Upkeep

Chapter 5 - Cleaning and Sanitation

Cleaning

Sanitation

Application Variables

Part II – Starting Your Quality Program

Chapter 6 – Starting Your Quality Program

Planning Your Program

Safety

Identifying Quality Control Points

Sampling Plan

Pulling it all Together

Chapter 7 - Writing a Quality Manual

Quality Policy

Quality Governance and Management

Standard Procedures

Specifications of Finished Products

Consumer and In-house Complaints

Corrective Action Plan

Master Sanitation Schedule

Good Laboratory Practices

Calibration Plan

Conclusion

Part III - Measurement

Chapter 8 - Weight, Volume, Concentration, and Dilution Equations

Basic Volume Calculations

Area

Volume

Volume and Temperature Relationship

Volume, Density, and Weight

Problem Solving by Dimensional Analysis and Unit Conversions

Making a Standard Solution

Serial Dilution

Mixing Equation

Scaling

Chapter 9 – Density

Specific Gravity and Plato

Where to measure

Sampling Plan

Troubleshooting

Chapter 10 – Temperature

Temperature Scales

How to Measure

Where to Measure

Sampling Plan

Troubleshooting

Chapter 11 – pH

pH: A Closer Look

Hydrogen Ion Sources

Buffers

How to Measure

Where to Measure

Sampling Plan

Troubleshooting

Chapter 12 – Yeast

Yeast Management

How to Measure

Microscope Basics

Getting to Know Your Hemocytometer

Viability & Methylene Blue

Limitations and Counting Rules

Serial Dilution

ASBC Yeast-3

Craft Brewers Quick Method

Pitch Rate

Where to Measure

Sampling Plan

Troubleshooting

Chapter 13 – Sensory

What is Sensory Analysis

Sensory Program

What We Measure

Practice

Developing Brand Recognition – True to Brand

Getting Formal

Data Collection Forms

Data Collection

Flavor Standards/Off-Flavors

Goal Setting

Conclusion

Chapter 14 – Microbiology

Concerns of Brewers

Ingredients

Environment

Sterilization

Aseptic Technique

Traditional Plating Culture

Choosing the Right Media

Building Confidence in Your Results

Plating Methods

I Have Growth on My Plates! What's Next?

Yeast Identification

Bacteria Identification

Document Results

Next Steps

Advanced Methods

Bringing PCR Into Your Brewery

Chapter 15 - Packaging Quality

Receiving Packaging Materials

Fill Height

Closures

Can Seam Measurements

How to Measure Can Seams

Sampling Plan

Bottle Seals

Secondary Tests

Date Coding

Container Lot Tracking

Labeling

Chapter 16 - Carbon Dioxide

Henery's Law

Units

Where it is Measured

How is it Measured

Where to Measure

Troubleshooting

Chapter 17 - Dissolved Oxygen

Where to Measure

Sampling Plan

Troubleshooting

Chapter 18 - Alcohol

How to Measure

Where to Measure

Sampling Plan

Troubleshooting

Chapter 19 – Titrations

Preparing for a Titration

Titration of a Strong Acid with a Strong Base

How to Measure

Where to Measure

Troubleshooting

What is it used for?

Chapter 20 – Spectrophotometry

Principles of Measurement

How to Measure

Where to Measure

Chapter 21 – Turbidity

Units

How to Measure

Where to Measure

Part IV – Getting To Work

What Every Brewery Should Measure and Document

Chapter 22 – Setting Up Your Brewery Lab

One Goal, Different Approaches

The Retro Fit Approach

The Collector Approach

The Build Out Approach

Budgeting

Lab Safety

Chapter 23 – Introduction to Analysis

Variables

Plan-Do-Study-Act Cycle

Conclusion

Chapter 24 – Data Collection

Accuracy and Precision

Sources of Error

Mean, Normal Distribution, and Standard Deviation

Normal Distribution of Data

Chapter 25 – Data Organization and Analysis

Developing Brew Logs

Analyze Your Data

Getting Data on the Spreadsheet

Charting Best Practices

Moving Range Chart

Chapter 26 – Plan-Do-Study-Act Cycle

PDSA Example Case Study

Setting Product Specifications

Chapter 27 - Continuous Improvement

Where do I Start?

Continuous Improvement in Your Future

Chapter 28 – Conclusion

Final Words of Advice

Appendix A – Basic Good Manufacturing Process Example

Appendix B – GMP Audit Checklists

Appendix C – Food Safety Plan Templates

Appendix D – Recall Planning and Procedure

Appendix E – How to Write an SOP

Appendix F – SOP Example – Equalibriated Package Dissolved Oxygen Samples

Appendix G – How to Use a Hydrometer

Appendix H – ASBC pH Fishbone XXb

Appendix I – SOP Forward Pipetting Technique

Appendix J - SOP_Forward_Pipetting_Technique

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