Mise En Place In A Brewery

Safe Food for Canadians Regulations

As of July 15, 2020, Canadian manufacturers of alcoholic beverages containing 0.5% or more alcohol must implement a traceability system under the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations. This affects producers of beer, wine, spirits, kombucha, cider, mead, and ready-to-drink cocktails. But what does traceability mean for breweries, and how can it be managed without disrupting operations? Is traceability solely the responsibility of the producer, or does it also impact consumers?

Many larger breweries with automated process controls have the advantage of tracking inventory and production from start to finish. For example, ingredients like malt, hops, and yeast arrive at the brewery, and an operator logs them into a tracking system. Each batch of beer is assigned a unique batch record, enabling efficient traceability.

In contrast, breweries using manual processes face pitfalls that can lead to costly mistakes. If a recall were necessary, would you be confident in your ability to identify and retrieve all affected products?

When Do You Need to Do More?

Every brewery should track where their supplies are sourced, how they are utilized, and to whom the finished products are sold. For instance, if contamination occurs at the supplier level, a brewery with a proper traceability system can efficiently recall the affected product from customers. Without an internal tracking system, tracing defective products becomes nearly impossible.

These traceability measures are the minimum requirements for breweries with retail or cross-border sales. More advanced traceability systems may be required for organic certification, shared production spaces with industrial kitchens, or when ingredients are sold to other manufacturers.

Figure 1 - Basic Traceability Requirements

Mise en Place: Preparation is Key

Recipes for Brewers

Developing a master recipe for each brand is essential, and it should be updated as improvements are made during production. Without this, errors can snowball through production logs, resulting in inventory shortages and quality control issues. Each recipe should include detailed information on suppliers, lot codes for malt, hops, water salts, yeast, process aids, and other ingredients. Moreover, the recipe should be designed to simplify production by using easy-to-measure ingredient quantities.

Breweries can benefit from a product profile for sales and management staff. This profile should be a one-page document summarizing the product's type, appearance, aroma, taste, and finish. It helps sales and serving staff better match products with customer preferences and provides a clear guideline for brewers.

Workspace

Creating a well-organized workspace is fundamental for producing high-quality beer. A clean, sanitary brewing area is a must, as it ensures product consistency and safety. Convenient access to garbage and recycling bins helps keep the brewery tidy and reduces clutter.

These steps lay the foundation for Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) programs. The seven areas of GMPs include: personnel, brewery grounds, operations, sanitary facilities, equipment, production controls, and distribution. HACCP programs, which are standard in food manufacturing, similarly focus on preventing chemical, microbial, or physical hazards in the product.

Equipment Readiness

Much like a chef preheats their oven, a brewer must ensure their equipment is in good working order before beginning a brew day. Cleaning, sanitizing, and pressurizing fermenters before each batch helps prevent contamination and ensures a high-quality final product.

Routine equipment checks are critical. Tasks should be divided by frequency—daily, weekly, or monthly. Having a well-organized equipment manual, maintenance logs, and troubleshooting records on hand helps quickly resolve any issues that arise, reducing downtime.

Ingredients

Accurately measuring ingredients in advance of brew day is vital for preventing disruptions. Ensuring all necessary ingredients are on hand also reduces the need for last-minute substitutions, which can affect product consistency.

Proper ingredient storage is equally important. Adhering to the First In, First Out (FIFO) rule minimizes spoilage and ensures older ingredients are used first. Proper storage conditions help preserve ingredient quality, saving money in the long run.

Clean as You Brew

While some areas of the brewhouse can’t be cleaned mid-brew, other sections can be cleared and sanitized as the production process continues. For instance, quick hot water flushes after using the brewhouse can reduce water usage while efficiently removing wort residue.

Selecting the correct cleaning agents is crucial. Always consult your chemical supplier for guidance on specific applications. In general, caustic or alkaline cleaners are suitable for organic residues, while acid-based cleaners (e.g., nitric or phosphoric acid) are ideal for mineral buildup like beer stone or rust.

Action Item: Assign Jobs to Tools

Assigning specific tools to specific tasks reduces the risk of cross-contamination and chemical exposure. Just as a chef uses different knives for different foods, brewery staff should use designated tools for particular jobs. Segregating tools by application or location ensures that cleaning chemicals aren’t misused, which could jeopardize product quality.

Take it one step further by color-coding tools for different areas or jobs.

1. Keep it simple: Use a minimal number of colors to avoid confusion.
2. Pick contrasting colors: This makes tools easier to spot in the work environment.
3. Keep tool sets consistent: Don’t mix and match colors within a set of tools.
4. Roll out changes at once: Doing so reduces training time.
5. Post laminated signs: Place them next to tool storage areas as reminders for staff.

References

Brewersjournal.ca. 2019. Beer Traceability in Canada, Are You Ready? – Brewers Journal Canada. [online] Available at: https://www.brewersjournal.ca/2019/08/30/beer-traceability-in-canada-are-you-ready/ [Accessed 23 March 2021]

Coplon, A., Henderson, S. and Smith, K., 2020. Rapid Product Development. [online] Youtube.com. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fq-XWHa3ErM> [Accessed 23 March 2021].

Remco Products. 2021. Color-Coded Tools in the Food Processing Industry - Your Partners in Hygiene. [online] Available at: https://remcoproducts.com/about/color-coded-tools-in-the-food-processing-industry/ [Accessed 26 October 2021].