MANAGING QUALITY FROM RAW MATERIALS TO FINAL PRODUCT AT

FLORIDA BEER COMPANY

CYNTHIA M. SCHULTZ, BS C , MBA, PMPQUALITY PROGRAM MANAGER

MICROBIOLOGIST

From Grain to Glass

Florida Beer Company’s Focus on Quality

Proactive Quality Management is the number one priority at

Florida Beer Company. Stringent Quality Control

standards and methodologies equate to Quality Assured and

consistent consumer-bound products.

Florida Beer Company’s Focus on Quality

FBC Quality Management Guidelines Adherence to rigorous routine sanitization protocols Monitoring of all critical check points and raw

materials Microbiological testing in duplicate of critical check

points Yeast and fermentation management 7 days a week Chemical testing of all in-process and finished

products Ongoing sensory analysis of in-process and finished

products Consistent and accurate record keeping On the spot and full scale facility audits

Microbiological Evaluation - Entire Brewing Process

Critical Check Points Brew House: Wortway Sterilization, Microbiological Wort

Analysis Post Brewing: Pre-Filled Fermentation Vessels, Yeast

Kegs/Hoses Fermentation: Post-Filled Fermentation Vessels,

Fermenting Beer Separation: Transfer Lines, Separator (Centrifuge), Polish

Filtration Unit, Receiving Vessels (Brite Tanks) Brite Beer: Brite Tank, Pasteurizer, Bottle/Keg Filler Final Product: Pre-Filled and Post-Packaged Kegs and

Bottles Product Archive: Product Lot Storage - 1 Year Post

Production

Microbiological Methodologies

Microbiological Evaluation Processing Samples Obtained From Critical Check Points

Plating on Universal Wort Agar – General Growth Media for Brewing Industry

Plating on Lee's Multi Differential Agar (LMDA) – Resistant to Yeast Growth

Microscopy – 100x Oil Immersion/Green Screen Illuminating Filter Secondary Identification Tests – Anaerobic Incubation, Catalase, Gram

Staining

Microbiological Environmental Monitoring Suspended Air Particulates, General Work Surfaces, Filtration Units

Primary On-the-Spot Post CIP Sanitization Organic Residual Load Testing All Vessel Interiors - ATP Swabs/Luminometers

Microbiological Imagery – Lactobacillus sp.

Microbiological Imagery – Pediococcus sp.

Microbiological Imagery – Acetobacter sp.

Microbiological Imagery – Wild Yeast

Chemical-Based Product Quality Management

Chemical Testing IBU (International Bittering Units) ABV (Alcohol By Volume) ABW (Alcohol By Weight) AE (Apparent Extract)/RE (Real Extract) SRM (Standard Reference Method) Linear to the Lovibond

Scale Calories Per Milliliter/Ounce Original Gravity/Final Gravity in Degrees Plato/SG (Specific

Gravity) Dissolved O2/CO2 Content – Pre and Post Packaged Final

Product Titrating/Calculating Acidity Content (Cider Only)

Chemical-Based Product Quality Management

Yeast & Fermentation Management

Yeast Microscopic Evaluation Yeast Cell Counting Slurry/In Suspension - Hemacytometer

(40x) Staining Cells Evaluating Metabolism/Health/Viability

(40x/100x) Phenotypical Observation for Evidence of Mutations (100x) Morphological Observation for Bacterial Contamination

(100x)

Yeast Culture Purification Quantifying Yeast Pitch - Cells Per mL/Per Degree Plato of

Wort Preparing Aseptic Yeast Volumes for Pitching Purification of Generation 0 Yeast Cultures for Storage Reculturing of Stored Yeast for Optimal Performance

Microbiological Imagery – FBC Ale Yeast

Microbiological Imagery – FBC Lager Yeast

Microbiological Imagery – Yeast Cell Count

Yeast & Fermentation Management

Fermentation Monitoring Daily Evaluations of Wort/Beer Post Yeast Pitch

Degrees Plato In-Suspension Yeast Cell Count pH Vessel Temperature/Pressure

Yeast Generation Tracking Across Ales/Lagers Per Batch Pitched

Application of Oxygen to Wort (as Needed) Microscopic and Sensory Evaluation of Fermenting

Wort/Beer Gross Visual Fermentation Vessel Evaluation for Stability

Sensory Analysis

Using finely tuned human senses (sight, smell, taste, sensation) as scientific instruments, expertly comparing product perceptions against

internal reference banks for eventual consumer distribution.

In-Process Product (Fermentation Vessel Contents) Bacterial Spoilage/Chemical Contaminants

Fresh Final Product (Day of Packaging) True to Brand Attributes - Chemical Testing Results

Evaluated/Applied Off-Flavors, Unexpected or Overpowering Components

Aged Final Product (1-6 Months+ Post Production) Off-Flavors, Oxidation, Colloidal Instability/Haze

Quality Wrap-Up

At Florida Beer Company, we strive to responsibly and consistently

produce a true to brand product that is comprised of high quality

ingredients, brewed in an environment with good

manufacturing practices and adhering to the highest levels of

quality standards.