by Karl Ockert

Karl Ockert began his brewing journey in 1983 after earning a BSc degree in fermentation science from the University of California, Davis. He has spent his career designing, building, and operating craft breweries—from brewpubs to major regionals. Karl has written The Craft Brewer’s Guide to Best Practices to pass along hard-learned lessons and up-to-date methods to the next generation of craft brewers worldwide.

The Craft Brewer’s Guide to Best Practices—written by Karl Ockert, lead editor of Master Brewers’ bestselling series Practical Handbook for the Specialty Brewer—provides information to help readers design, build, and run a craft brewery to consistently make high-quality beer. Presented in an accessible question-and-answer format, these books cover subjects and current practices relevant to craft brewers everywhere. Based on his wide-ranging experience, Ockert provides information and insights that are not found in other brewing guides and textbooks.

Volume 4: Standard Operating Procedures describes SOPs for key procedures to bring consistency in producing world-class craft-brewed beers in your brewery:

• An introduction to SOPs, including how to write an SOP and produce an SOP manual
• Fundamental SOPs in the warehouse, brewhouse, tank cellar, wood barrel cellar, finishing, and packaging areas (including both operational and cleaning/sanitizing procedures) that can be adapted to any brewery
• Drawings of several setups for easy visual reference

Who will benefit from reading this book?

• Anyone looking to start or maintain a career in craft brewing
• Personnel in manually operated craft brewpubs and breweries (although many of the concepts can be applied universally to a brewery of any size)
• Brewing and malting science educators and students
• Technical staff and other professionals in industries related to brewing and fermentation

The Craft Brewer’s Guide to Best Practices
Volume 4: Standard Operating Procedures

Chapter 1
Introduction to the SOP Manual

Chapter 2
SOPs for Receiving, Storing, and Shipping

Chapter 3
SOPs for Brewhouse Operations

Chapter 4
SOPs for Brewhouse Cleaning

Chapter 5
SOPs for Cellar Operations

Chapter 6
SOPs for Cellar Tank and Equipment Cleaning

Chapter 7
SOPs for Wood Barrel Cellar Operations

Chapter 8
SOPs for Finishing Operations

Chapter 9
SOPs for Keg and Small-Pack Packaging

Appendix 1
Brewhouse Sheet

Appendix 2
Cellar Sheet

Appendix 3
Packaging Sheet

Appendix 4
Cleaning and Sanitizing Schedule

Appendix 5
Quality Management Sampling Plan

Appendix 6
Carbonation Chart

Appendix 7
SOP Setup Drawings

Index