"Beer quality testing is also conducted by our network
of laboratories at breweries across the globe. The
quality control experts out there in the regions are
more qualified to assess their local beers," says Eric
Welten.
Heineken Russia also has similar facilities across its
breweries, with ten labs staffed by more than 200
employees. "In addition to our local testing, we send
regular batches of our brews to SAS," says Elana
Mazurina, Quality Assurance Manager at Heineken
Russia. "The Heineken brand is sent once a month
for testing, while our 34 non-corporate brands are
sent four times per year for sensory analyses. It's a
cooperative effort balancing local knowledge and
expertise with centrally monitored quality control."
Brau Union, Heineken's operating company in Austria,
runs eight breweries across the country, each equipped
with a quality control laboratory. The operation's
central lab in Linz employs a staff of seven to conduct
a stringent regime of quality tests. "Our central
facility is a specialist laboratory equipped to process
a range of analyses, both sensory and analytical," says
Helmut Klein, Brau Union's lab manager in Austria.
"Assessments are made for all of our domestic
brands, such as Zipfer, Gösser, Puntigamer, as well
as for the locally brewed Heineken. Additionally, we
conduct regular quality tests on our raw and auxiliary
materials."
LABORATORY STAR SYSTEM - TESTING THE
TESTERS
In order to ensure the most credible test results, a
certified quality control laboratory must itself adhere
to stringent quality control procedures and guidelines.
Over the past three years, Heineken has been
developing and implementing an internal quality system
called the Laboratory Star System, a comprehensive
method of evaluating and certifying the company's
global lab facilities. Following on-site pilot projects at
Heineken Espana's Madrid and Valencia breweries in
2005, all Heineken labs need to be certified using this
Star rating system.
World of Heineken 38 summer 2008
