ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on meeting the requirements of the customer (or consumer) for beer—be it dispensed in a glass or delivered via a can or bottle in a variety of packaging formats. The emphasis is on the practical issues related to managing the quality of beer throughout the supply chain—from the purchase of raw materials to presenting the finished product to the customer. Although the requirements of quality management will vary according to the size and scale of the brewing operation—a one-person microbrewery will have different challenges than a multinational brewery. The chapter attempts to guide the reader through managing quality in the beer supply chain. A quality management system (QMS) refers to the activities that are carried out within an organization to satisfy the quality-related expectations of its customers. Brewers have addressed these requirements primarily through the application of hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) methods.
