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Brewery SOP advice

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  • Brewery SOP advice

    I'm in the process of creating an SOP formalizing expectations for brewery operations and wanted to get your feedback on how it's looking. We're a small brewpub (less than 50 BBL per year) 4 bbl electric system, no distribution. I'm basically the only person at the facility that understands beer production right now.

    Anything you see as problematic? Anything glaring that's missing?

    Brewery SOP:
    Production:
    All production activities must be logged IAW TTB regulations and stored in a location specified by the building manager, brewmaster, or other appropriate authority.
    Test batches:
    Test batches made from brewery stock will be kept in a location separate from taxed, salable product and distributed as determined by the brewmaster or other appropriate authority. Test batches made from personal stocks on personal equipment provided to the brewery will distributed as determined by the Brewmaster. Equipment used for storage of such batches remains property of the brewer and may be removed from the facility at the request of the owner. Subject to Brewmaster permission, privately owned beer will be kept in the non taxed beer section.
    Cleaning:
    Cleaning and service logs provided by brewmaster or management will be completed as required. Sanitized equipment will be resanitized if not used within 24 hours for sealed containers, 2 hours for open containers. All cleaning procedures specified by the Brewmaster or other appropriate authority will be followed.
    Keg loss prevention:
    To prevent excessive keg loss, all kegs should be kept either in the walk in cooler or inside the building. If a keg must be placed outside, it must be placed behind the cooler where it is not visible from the gate.
    Scheduling:
    Management will establish a regular monthly schedule to include ordering, brewing, transfers, keg cleaning, and filling. Alterations to this schedule by management must be published no later than 2 weeks prior. Emergency scheduling for brewery operations will be scheduled directly by the brewmaster.
    Recipe formulation:
    All recipes may be distributed as desired by the recipe creator. The brewery retains a perpetual license for the use of any recipe created for use on brewery equipment. Brew logs remain the property of the brewery and may not be destroyed or removed from the premises except with authorization of both the brewmaster and the facility manager. Beer names created for [brewery] beers will be trademarks of the [brewery].
    Chemical safety:
    The Facility Manager is responsible for maintaining an MSDS book, a suitable eye wash station, and appropriate safety gear.
    The Brewmaster is responsible for proper storage of chemicals and ensuring appropriate utilization of safety gear by brewery personnel.

    Equipment Safety:
    During boil operations, proper clothing must be worn.
    While working in the cellars, care should be taken to avoid dangerous CO2 levels. If venting a cellar, the exterior door must be propped open. Brewery personnel must be trained on recognizing the symptoms of CO2 poisoning.

    Product consumption:
    Consumption of alcoholic beverages while on the clock is limited to job related sampling only. Valid purposes include: Quality control, recipe assessment, sensory analysis. Samples should be only large enough to assess what is needed. In general, this means no more than 4 oz per sample. No brewery personnel may be intoxicated while on the clock. If a brewery employee believes they have become impaired in the course of their duties, they will shut down non time sensitive operations, contact an alternate brewer to continue time sensitive operations, and clock out.
    Volunteer helpers may be comped no more than 16 oz of product while assisting/touring the production facility, not including QC sampling. If volunteers are determined to be impaired, they will not work with high temperature liquids (140 degrees or higher) or with chemicals with a NFPA Hazard Rating of 2 or higher.
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