The Brewers Association (BA) has awarded a contract to develop a resource which will assist craft brewers of all sizes to establish effective food safety preventive controls in all aspects of their brewery operations. A team consisting of Mary Pellettieri, Gary Nicholas, and Doug Hindman will work to establish clear and understandable food safety guidance for craft brewers, with a specific emphasis on small producers. The goal will be to develop a resource that will serve as the accepted “industry standard” addressing the implementation of a comprehensive preventive control program in breweries.

Comprehensive guidance to implement preventive controls is available for many industries but is not applicable to the unique processes used in brewing and fermenting beer. In most cases, implementation of preventive controls for human food is not a mandated regulatory requirement for producers of alcoholic beverages. However, not only are brewers increasingly required by their customers to have comprehensive food safety plans in place as a condition of doing business, it is recognized that brewers need more guidance in how and why they should take steps to protect the consumer.

Pellettieri, Nicholas, and Hindman have extensive knowledge with federal- and state-level food safety compliance and are experienced in best practices for the craft brewing industry.

Mary Pellettieri is president and founder of La Pavia Beverage LLC, where she oversees regulatory compliance. The author of Quality Management, Essential Planning for Breweries, Pellettieri has also served as the lead instructor for the BA Basics of Beer Quality Workshop. Pellettieri serves as a consultant with a focus on food safety, risk assessment, hazard control plans, and audited sanitation protocols. Previously, Mary has filled roles addressing quality and compliance issues for MillerCoors, Goose Island, and the Siebel Institute.

Gary Nicholas is the owner and founder of Nicholas Brewing Projects LLC, specializing in consulting and audit services addressing safety, quality, food safety, and training programs. Nicholas is an instructor for the Master Brewers Association of the Americas Packaging Technology Course – Quality Management Systems Module. He has a wide range of experience in breweries of different sizes including Surly Brewing Company, Bell’s Brewery, and Goose Island Beer Company.

Doug Hindman is the brewery operations manager for Elliot Bay Brewing Company in Seattle, Wash., where he is responsible for all aspects of production management in three Seattle-area brewpubs, as well as a barrel-aged and sour beer production facility. Previous experience includes a production management role with Maritime Pacific Brewing Company. Hindman is also active in the Master Brewers Association of the Americas Food Safety Committee and the Washington Brewers Guild.

The project is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2019.