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Overview
Quality management for small, regional, and national breweries is critical for the success of craft brewing businesses. Written for staff who manage quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) in breweries of all sizes, this book clearly sets out how quality management is integrated into every level of operation.
Author Mary Pellettieri shows how quality management is a concept that encompasses not only the “free from defect” ethos but combines the wants of the consumer and the art of brewing good beer. Breweries must foster a culture of quality, where governance and management seamlessly merge policy, strategy, specifications, goals, and implementation to execute a QA/QC program. What tests are necessary, knowing that food safety alone does not signify a quality product, adhering to good management practice (GMP), proper care and maintenance of assets, standard operating procedures, training and investment in staff, and more must be considered together if a quality culture is to translate into success.
The people working at a brewery are the heart of any quality program. Management must communicate clearly the need for quality management, delineate roles and responsibilities, and properly train and assess staff members. Specialist resources such as a brewery laboratory are necessary if an owner wants to be serious about developing standard methods of analysis to maintain true-to-brand specifications and ensure problems are identified before product quality suffers. Staff must know the importance of taking corrective action and have the confidence to make the decision and implement it in a timely fashion. With so many processes and moving parts, a structured problem-solving program is a key part of any brewery's quality program.
How should you structure your brewing lab so it can grow with your business? What chemical and microbiological tests are appropriate and effective? How are new brands incorporated into production? How do you build a sensory panel that stays alert to potential drifts in brand quality? Which FDA and TTB regulations affect your brewery in terms of traceability and GMP? Can you conduct and pass an audit of your processes and products? Mary Pellettieri provides answers to these key organizational, logistical, and regulatory considerations.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781938469206 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Brewers Publications |
| Publication date: | 10/07/2015 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 200 |
| File size: | 3 MB |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
Quality Management
Essential Planning for Breweries
By Mary Pellettieri
Brewers Publications
Copyright © 2015 Brewers AssociationAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-938469-20-6
CHAPTER 1
DEFINING QUALITY IN A BREWERY
The expected outcome of a quality program, in any type of manufacturing environment, is to produce high quality products in a consistent manner. For a brewery, that translates to making quality beer all the time. This job falls to all workers in the brewery, but the quality system — the management of the resources to make consistent beer all the time — usually resides with one person. In a very small brewery it may be the owner, or the head brewer, that has to wear this hat. Larger facilities usually have a position dedicated to quality. Regardless of who is wearing the quality hat, these folks frequently hear, "What a fun job! You get to taste beer all day!" Working in a brewery can be fun; however, leading the continual quest for quality is a demanding job. Tackling an overall quality plan can feel a bit overwhelming, overstructured, rigid, and sometimes undervalued ... until something goes wrong. That is when all the planning and testing in place pays off.
A quality manager in a food plant, where microbiological food safety issues are closely tied to the quality of the product, requires clear delineation of what is good and poor quality. They may pose the question, "Will releasing this product hurt our customer or make them ill (e.g., due to microbiological pathogens)?" An ice cream facility, for example, could release a batch of ice cream contaminated with pathogens that could sicken customers.
In a brewery, on the other hand, the quality of the product is primarily defined by standards of what constitutes "good" flavor, color, foam, shelf life, customer expectations, etc. There the question may be, "Will distributing this batch of beer hurt our customer's response to our beer?" We cannot hurt our customers by making poor quality beer (in terms of microbiology since pathogens cannot survive in beer). However, brewers can hurt their business reputation and the reputation of all craft beer. With a lower level of risk of consumer harm, the role of quality management demands in the brewing industry differ from food products and the system may easily become muddled between decision makers in brewing operations and the quality lab staff. For reasons unique to beer brewing's history, management gaps remain in regard to defining quality, determining how to achieve it, and who is responsible in the brewery for maintaining product quality. When these questions are left unanswered, the brewery may indeed suffer catastrophic quality issues.
This chapter explores the history of both manufacturing quality and brewing quality. These two disciplines are very much related, but there hasn't been a full analysis of the interplay over the last 50 years of modern industrial history. Both subjects require a large set of knowledge and skills. The discipline of manufacturing quality requires an understanding of statistics, risk analysis, communications, and change management. The discipline of brewing quality requires understanding of the brewing process, microbiology, chemistry, sensory analysis, and understanding variation, statistics, and measurement. Quality managers in breweries must master both manufacturing and brewing quality disciplines to be effective. The person who wears the quality manager's hat must bridge any gap in knowledge with solid training, hands-on experience, and a lot of reading.
If the strength of the quality manager is in brewing knowledge, which many times is the case in small and growing breweries, there is a tendency to get lost in the data-rich environment and neglect to ask the big questions that well-trained quality managers would first ask, such as, "What are the key quality criteria for our brand?" And, "Who has what responsibilities toward maintaining our product quality?" These are truly quality management questions, and this is a good starting place for developing a plan. As breweries grow in volume, change and add products, and maybe even change leadership, it becomes increasingly important to take a broad look at what you define as quality in your beer, how you do it, and who has what responsibilities. Quality science, like brewing science, has continuously evolved; and breweries must adjust their quality management style to grow with the brewery.
There are several reasons achieving consistency and excellence in product quality can be a challenge unique to the brewing industry. First, define specifications for the ideal batch of beer. This alone is not hard to achieve, but the specification must be bolstered by a management system of policies, procedures, and human resource practices that allow employees to correct a process. With so many data points to measure in a brewery, this becomes a bit ghastly. Most importantly, there must be a functional role or advocate leading the creation of the culture of quality in the brewery, and it must be emphasized from the top down to be successful.
"What are the key quality criteria for our brand?" And, "Who has what responsibilities toward maintaining our product quality?" These are truly quality management questions, and this is a good starting place for developing a plan.
The advocate may be the brewmaster, the CEO, the quality manager, or all of the above. In a highly technical field such as brewing science, it is sometimes easier to delegate the leadership to one person in the brewery. The quality advocate has a specific and crucial role to play — to ensure everyone shares the responsibility of producing quality results. If a brew ery establishes a quality-focused culture throughout the company, it will always produce a superior product, despite lacking any of the other requirements. This is one of the fundamental tenets of developing an effective quality program; without strong leadership to create an effective focus on quality, established quality systems are for naught.
In a small brewery it can be easy to push off the structure of a quality system, especially during start-up mode. There are plenty of duties and issues to resolve, and the last thing on everyone's mind is to codify specifications and requirements for releasing products. However, the more structure put in place early on, the more smoothly the brewery will function as it grows. We will discuss structure more in this book to make it easier to implement in stages.
The Changing Definition of Quality Management
Let's briefly look at history in both quality and brewing to help divulge some of the unique challenges the brewing industry has in terms of quality management. Quality management, as a field of study, has been evolving throughout modern day manufacturing history. There has been an evolution of quality management from the early days of Total Quality Management (TQM) in the 1970s to today's focus on Six Sigma. The brewing industry was not fully engaged with the field of quality management in the early heyday of the quality management evolution in the 1950s and '60s (as we will expand upon in a bit). This was left more to the automotive industry.
However, as each industry became more engaged in the study of quality management, the overall product quality improved (Vrellas, 2015). The automotive industry learned the hard way that quality as a system and a field of study is important to prevent failures, and because they implemented the systems discussed in this book, they improved steadily the expectations of consumers during this evolution. For example, in the 1960s, cars failing in any way (e.g., poor materials on the interior, knobs breaking off, etc.) during the first five years of use was not considered a failure of manufacturing quality. Today, however, cars have a manufacturer's warranty of at least five years. In other words, with the implementation of quality systems and, effectively, continuous improvement, the expectation of quality in automobiles continues to change as consumers raise the bar year after year.
Quality management is not just a set of criteria that define good beer, but it is also a system of policies, procedures, specifications, and empowering employees at all levels to correct a process.
The perception of value or quality in beer is no different. With every new generation, beer quality is evolving. These changing standards, along with the concurrent growth of the industry, make bringing in broad quality management philosophies of business excellence too much for some. In fact, breweries are still playing catch-up with other industries in their development of quality management practices (Vrellas, 2015). To understand more deeply where the divide started, it's important to review what was happening in the brewing industry at the same time the manufacturing industry began its immersion into quality management philosophies.
The Gurus of Quality
This discussion of quality management as a science and study can be credited to several theorists who challenged our thoughts on what makes not only a good quality product, but also a good quality practice. W. Edwards Deming, Joseph Juran, and Philip Crosby are often referred to as the gurus of quality. There are others, but these gentlemen were instrumental in shaping what good quality management is and how to achieve it. And because they will be referred to frequently in this book, a little background on these individuals is warranted.
Deming, a mathematician at the US Bureau of Census, used statistics and sampling methods that greatly improved productivity in the 1940s census. He brought a discipline of measurement to Japanese manufacturing after the war and assisted that country in its rebuilding efforts. Deming is credited not only for unifying leaders of the brand names we know, such as Sony, Toyota, Nissan, etc., in the use of advanced statistical quality control techniques, but also for helping these leaders understand the need to bring statistical reasoning to the front line. Deming believed the focus of management should be on reduction in variation. In the brewing environment, for example, this would translate to continuously reducing the variation in dissolved oxygen. Deming believed quality and productivity always improved with focus on variation reduction, and this philosophy is still incorporated in today's modern manufacturing plants, namely in the automotive industry (Bank, 1992, 60–82).
During the 1940s and '50s breweries started to expand, centralize services, and bring in a statistically minded methodology for making decisions, incorporating Deming's philosophies. Mortimer Brenner's 1953 paper "Some Thoughts on Quality Control" in the archives of the Master Brewers Association of the Americas (MBAA) Technical Quarterly gives extraordinary detail on how to establish statistical process control (SPC) in a brewery. Brenner was right in line with the latest thoughts when he implored the industry to take up SPC, illustrating the influence Deming's philosophy had on the brewing industry. The practices of reduction of variation continue in breweries of varying size today.
"One may set high goals for quality factors, but the progress toward the goal should be watched with the help of statistical aids. Control charts will be very helpful in deciding whether results are out of normal limits because of assignable causes or whether an operation has reached the best performance, which may be expected, short of a significant change in processing equipment or procedures." (Brenner, 1996, 193–199)
Where we begin to see some divide in the evolution of quality management and brewery practices was with Juran in the 1960s. Joseph M. Juran worked for the manufacturing industry, and later as the Head of the Department of Industrial Engineering at New York University. He wrote the first copy of the Quality Control Handbook in 1951, published by the American Society of Quality (ASQ). The sixth edition, published in 2010, is nearly triple the size of the first edition. Juran's quintessential book was not so much a technical reference as it was a manual for the human side of management. He showed leaders how to manage employees with the goal of quality. His 1964 book, Managerial Breakthrough, addressed resistance to change and how to create an infrastructure of improvement using teams. His "trilogy" of planning, control, and improvement is still relevant to brewers today, though its practice did not take root at the same pace it did in other industries. We will explore Juran's definition of quality as "Fitness for Use" later in this chapter (Westcott, 2005, vxii).
The last quality guru who helped shape the definition of quality management in manufacturing, Philip B. Crosby, introduced the concepts of prevention, not just inspection, and Total Quality Management (TQM) in the 1970s and '80s (Westcott, 2005, 49–52). Crosby worked for International Telephone and Telegraph for several years before starting his own quality consulting firm in the '80s. He defined quality as "free from defect" and brought to the attention of manufacturers that quality is NOT just the responsibility of the quality department, but of all the members of an organization (Bank, 1992, 60–82).
TQM was a trendy management philosophy throughout the '90s. It was a way for organizations to incorporate the philosophies of Deming and Juran. It standardized tool usage, such as control charts and statistical methods, by training management on the fundamentals of statistical inference and data-driven decision making, as well as organizing process improvement and problem solving. TQM has since been replaced by other standardized quality improvement methodologies such as ISO-9000 (a quality standard), Six Sigma, and Lean Management. These programs help standardize the who, what, and how of a quality system and the process of improvement. They are sporadically embraced by the brewing industry (see side bar). It was Crosby who brought a disciplined approach to quality system standardization and process improvement. Crosby's philosophies strike not only what quality is, but also how things are done. (Bank, 1992, 60–82)
There has been tremendous change and evolution throughout the last 50 years of not only what quality is, but also who is responsible and how they achieve it. The development started with Deming introducing SPC, then Juran introducing the management role and front line quality, and lastly with Crosby introducing a discipline to problem solving. Let's sum these up again as we will take them on one step at a time in this chapter and review how these relate to brewing. Figure 1.1 is a good visual of the items and their change across time.
Quality management components:
1. What: The criteria of what "good" looks like.
2. How: The process of developing quality criteria for a product, and then applying that criteria to the operation.
3. Who: The people who dedicate themselves to quality, and who hold other roles and responsibilities throughout the brewery.
WHAT IS QUALITY?
"A company will know it is producing high quality products if those products satisfy the demands of the marketplace." (Ryan, 2000, 3)
In the fall of 2014, the Brewers Association (BA) Technical Committee formed the Quality Subcommittee, which sought to identify a general definition for BA members on quality. After much deliberation they agreed that "Quality is a beer that is responsibly produced using wholesome ingredients, consistent brewing techniques, and good manufacturing practices, which exhibits flavor characteristics that are consistently aligned with both the brewer's and beer drinker's expectations." Quality beer is the responsibility of all brewers and is necessary to ensure safe products.
Breaking this quote down, "quality beer" is made in a certain way, is safe to consume, and there is a system to monitor the process from raw material selection through brewing and fermentation, from packaging to serving the end consumer. This template definition incorporates traditional views of defining quality.
Defining Quality as "Free from Defect"
A traditional way to define quality is "free from defect." As such, your quality goals are to prevent off-flavors and meet government requirements. Brewing science schools train students to understand how defects can get into beer and how to prevent them. They are also trained in how to ensure food-safe beer. United States laws require tight controls on weights and measures (bottle volume), alcohol percent (if the bottle is labeled), and sulfite concentrations, and that beer is made in a food-safe manner. That is it. Quality as "free from defect" is the baseline.
Outside cultural pressures or even the government can manipulate quality as a standard of excellence and "free from defect." A great example of changing quality standards due to regulation is when German brewers were subjected to the Reinheitsgebot in 1516. It forbade using anything but barley malt, hops, and water to make beer. At the time, not only were oats and wheat interchanged when malt was in short supply, but hops were replaced with other bitter herbs on occasion (Corran, 1975, 261, 279). The "purity law" applied throughout Germany beginning in 1906 and this, no doubt, forced a certain fl avor profile because of the specific raw materials (Kunze, 1999, 20). The Reinheitsgebot standardized what was "free from defect" in beer, and is still considered an early example of a quality standard that had a significant impact on beer.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Quality Management by Mary Pellettieri. Copyright © 2015 Brewers Association. Excerpted by permission of Brewers Publications.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Quality Management: A Comprehensive Guide for Brewers by Mary PellettieriTable of Contents
Foreword
Introduction
1. Defining Quality in a Brewery
What is Quality?
Establishment of the Role of the Brewing Chemist
2. Quality Management and Governance
3. Components of a Quality Program
All about the People
Conducting the Right Tests and Conducting Them Well
Determine Quality Check Specification and Frequency
Repeatable Corrective Action
4. Supporting Functions to the Quality Program
Human Resources; Skills and Accountability
Asset Care or Maintenance of Equipment
Sanitation and Good Manufacturing Practices
Record Keeping
5. Strategic Components in the Quality Program
New Product Design and Implementation
Implementing a Structured Problem Solving Program
6. The Best Tests for a Brewery
Microbiological Tests
Microbiological Plating and Media Management
Chemistry Tests in the Brewing Lab
Sensory Analysis
Packaging Tests CO and Dissolved Oxygen checks
7. Government Affairs
Food Safety and Risk Assessment
8. Pulling it All Together - Assessment Time
Types of Audits
Why Conducting a Quality System Audit?
Conducting a Quality System Audit
Appendix A Brewery XXX Quality Manual
Appendix B QC QA Control Plan
Appendix C HACCP Risk Assessment Example
Appendix D FMEA Table Example
Appendix E Process Map with CCPs
Appendix F SOP Examples
Appendix G Brewing Maintenance Table
Appendix H Generic GMP Policy
Appendix I New Product QCP
Appendix J General Audit Report
Glossary
Resources
Index