Design of quality assurance systems for breweries – Part 1

Quality control and quality assurance are defined as the systematic monitoring of processes and (intermediate) products which are used to consistently meet product specifications at all stages in the process, up until and including when the product reaches the customer. The considerations presented in this paper are guidelines for establishing successful operating Quality Management Systems in breweries.

The rebirth of craft brewing in Finland

Finland has been a beer country since ancient times. Kalevala, the Finnish national epic, describes the origin of beer in overwhelmingly more lines and words than the origin of the universe. From the middle ages, Finland as part of Sweden has been renowned for brewing skills in the whole kingdom. The importance of beer lasted until the Prohibition, when it became an alcohol issue. Craft and home brewing was best preserved in the traditional strong and sweet festivity brew called Sahti, which was about to become extinct due to the strict alcohol policy and “bureaucrazy” in Finland. The attempts to save and preserve Sahti play a pivotal role in the rebirth of craft brewing in Finland.

That sinking feeling

How much worse can it get for German brewers? After two decades of volume decline and profit haemorrhage, the rest of the world is finally taking note of their plight. In January 2014 the New Yorker magazine ran an article headlined “German beer’s existential crisis”. A year previously, some graduates from the University of Pennsylvania had penned a piece “Is the end of the German beer industry near?” Both analyses may be a bit exaggerated. But as far as anyone can see over here, there is no light at the end of the tunnel either.

Well-rounded sensory evaluation

Both the multifaceted aroma of new hop varieties and the increasing popularity of dry-hopped beers mean that the definition of the sensory characterisation of how hops influence beer aroma and beer flavor needs to be revised. The Hopsteiner flavor wheel has been developed with a view to dealing with this issue. To clarify the processes of sensory perception during beer tasting, the article gives an overview of the principles of the human olfactory and gustatory perception.

The Brewers Association, the trade association representing small and independent American craft brewers, released its annual lists of the top 50 craft and overall brewing companies in the U.S., based on beer sales volume and the craft brewer definition in 2013. Of the top 50 overall brewing companies, 38 were small and independent craft brewing companies.

According to a recent report by EY (formerly Ernst & Young) and Regioplan, the EU’s beer sector is responsible for creating 2 million jobs – equal to 1 % of all EU jobs.

50 achievements in brewing science and technology in 350 years – Part 2

In the second part of this review of 350 years of technological achievements in brewing science we shall see that up to the 1970s still many brewing scientists came up with significant improvements. Since the 1970s developments have constantly changed direction and have increasingly been driven by the industry suppliers.

Mishaps, missteps and misfortune

After the scandals of price fixings for flour, coffee, chocolate, potatoes and now beer, unsuspecting German consumers find it hard to dispel the impression that the only place where they are systematically and impudently ripped off is at the supermarket till. In January 2014, five brewers were fined a total of EUR 106.5 million for collusion in 2006 and 2008. Several more are under investigation by the Federal Cartel Office. Strangely enough, Germans still enjoy what must be the lowest prices for beer in Europe. Given that retail prices have actually declined over the past decade, many wonder what the real

The British craft brewing scene

Recent discussions have tried to define the specific meaning of “craft beer”. Generally “craft” describes an art, trade or occupation performed with skilled hands. The result of craftsmanship leads into an end product only specialised craftsmen (or women) are capable of producing. The use of the word “craft“ in the brewing community reflects the craft brewing movement which started in the U.S. with a diversification of the (beer-)market through an unprecedented boom of new, initially small brewery start-ups backed by a general trend of consumer awareness and their interest in often local and/or different from mainstream beers. So what is a UK craft brewery?

After the raise of their Chongqing-share from 27.9 to 60 percent in mid-December, Carlsberg announced at the turn of the year, that the Chongqing Beer Group has accepted their offer to acquire 100 percent of Chinese brewery group.