Crafting with Care: Addressing Allergens in the Brewing Industry with Jeff Rickert
10/03/24 • 23 min
Today, on Consuming the Craft, I had the pleasure of reconnecting with Jeffrey Rickert, a graduate of our program who has shifted his focus from brewing to food safety education. Jeffrey is now actively working to ensure the safety of food and beverages across North Carolina through the NC BioNetwork. Our conversation covered everything from his journey post-graduation to his current role in training businesses on allergen safety and food handling practices.
Jeffrey shared how his passion for training others in the brewing industry perfectly fit his new career path. Through NC BioNetwork, he helps a wide range of businesses, including breweries, beverage producers, and even cosmetics manufacturers, navigate the complexities of food safety. His expertise has become invaluable, especially in understanding and mitigating allergen risks within the industry.
"If it comes in contact with our skin or we eat it, you guys help the folks figure out what's wrong." ~Jeffrey Rickert
Today on Consuming the Craft:
· Jeffrey Rickert graduated in 2016 and initially worked in a yeast production facility, ultimately becoming a head brewer at a local craft brewery.
· He now works with NC BioNetwork, providing food safety education to various industries across North Carolina, including breweries and cosmetics manufacturers.
· The U.S. recognizes nine major allergens, while the UK recognizes fourteen, and Japan has about twenty.
· Proper cleaning and testing for allergens in brewing equipment are crucial to prevent severe allergic reactions.
· The NC BioNetwork offers training on food safety systems like HACCP and preventative controls for human food.
· There's funding available in North Carolina for companies interested in food safety training through local community colleges.
· New and emerging beverages may have different properties that present unique safety challenges, such as lower alcohol content and higher residual sweetness.
· Proper documentation and TTB approval are necessary for using non-standard ingredients in brewing.
Resources Mentioned:
NC BioNetwork
FDA's draft guidance on food safety
TTB and generally recognized as safe (GRAS) lists
Contact Jeffrey:
This episode is brought to you by...
McConnell Farms - Taste the Way You Remember. Enjoy homemade ciders and ice cream made from only the best produce on the market. Visit the McConnell Farms website to learn more about our seasonal inventory and the delicious creations you can make with our homegrown produce.
Consuming the Craft
Thanks for tuning into this week’s Consuming the Craft Podcast episode, brought to you by AB Tech’s Craft Beverage Institute of the Southeast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.
Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more craft beverage enthusiasts.
To learn more about AB Tech and the Craft Beer Institute of the Southeast, visit our website.
Today, on Consuming the Craft, I had the pleasure of reconnecting with Jeffrey Rickert, a graduate of our program who has shifted his focus from brewing to food safety education. Jeffrey is now actively working to ensure the safety of food and beverages across North Carolina through the NC BioNetwork. Our conversation covered everything from his journey post-graduation to his current role in training businesses on allergen safety and food handling practices.
Jeffrey shared how his passion for training others in the brewing industry perfectly fit his new career path. Through NC BioNetwork, he helps a wide range of businesses, including breweries, beverage producers, and even cosmetics manufacturers, navigate the complexities of food safety. His expertise has become invaluable, especially in understanding and mitigating allergen risks within the industry.
"If it comes in contact with our skin or we eat it, you guys help the folks figure out what's wrong." ~Jeffrey Rickert
Today on Consuming the Craft:
· Jeffrey Rickert graduated in 2016 and initially worked in a yeast production facility, ultimately becoming a head brewer at a local craft brewery.
· He now works with NC BioNetwork, providing food safety education to various industries across North Carolina, including breweries and cosmetics manufacturers.
· The U.S. recognizes nine major allergens, while the UK recognizes fourteen, and Japan has about twenty.
· Proper cleaning and testing for allergens in brewing equipment are crucial to prevent severe allergic reactions.
· The NC BioNetwork offers training on food safety systems like HACCP and preventative controls for human food.
· There's funding available in North Carolina for companies interested in food safety training through local community colleges.
· New and emerging beverages may have different properties that present unique safety challenges, such as lower alcohol content and higher residual sweetness.
· Proper documentation and TTB approval are necessary for using non-standard ingredients in brewing.
Resources Mentioned:
NC BioNetwork
FDA's draft guidance on food safety
TTB and generally recognized as safe (GRAS) lists
Contact Jeffrey:
This episode is brought to you by...
McConnell Farms - Taste the Way You Remember. Enjoy homemade ciders and ice cream made from only the best produce on the market. Visit the McConnell Farms website to learn more about our seasonal inventory and the delicious creations you can make with our homegrown produce.
Consuming the Craft
Thanks for tuning into this week’s Consuming the Craft Podcast episode, brought to you by AB Tech’s Craft Beverage Institute of the Southeast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.
Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more craft beverage enthusiasts.
To learn more about AB Tech and the Craft Beer Institute of the Southeast, visit our website.
Previous Episode
Brewing Outside the Box: Julian's Vision for a Sustainable, Interactive Brewery
Today on Consuming the Craft, I sat down with Julian, the founder of Outsider Brewing Company, to discuss his unique perspective on the craft brewery business model. Julian shared his insights on the challenges and drawbacks of pursuing large-scale growth in the industry, advocating instead for smaller, more resilient business models that focus on market development and building strong customer relationships.
Co-founder of Outsider, Julian caught the brewing bug at the young age of 17, brewing batches in his basement. From there, he fell in love with beer and brewing and never looked back. After graduating from McGill University in Montreal, Canada, he moved to Vancouver for his first brewing gig. In those years, he learned that brewing is more than just making good beer; it also involves sharing it with others.
He eventually moved to North Carolina and became a head brewer at the age of 23. It was during that time he first began dreaming of a way to showcase the beauty of brewing & beer to people. The first iterations of the glass system were born in 2017 and were very small; it was taken on hikes, to parks, and rock-climbing fields. He brewed small batches as hikers & climbers passed by and answered their questions about what the heck he was doing. After this proof of concept, he began working on designing a full-blown commercial glass brewing system, and Outsider Brewing was born.
"Our tap room is interactive and open to collaborations with other breweries. We have an upcoming collaboration with Noble cider to create a beer mead hybrid, which is really exciting." ~Julian
Today on Consuming the Craft:
· Large-scale growth may not be the best aspiration for craft breweries; smaller, resilient business models are more sustainable.
· Educating consumers about the beer-making process and the challenges faced by small-scale breweries is crucial.
· Collaborations with other breweries, such as the upcoming beer mead hybrid with Noble cider, foster innovation and creativity.
· Julian's journey from homebrewing to establishing Outsider Brewing Company showcases the importance of passion and perseverance in the craft.
· The synergy between bartenders and brewers at Outsider Brewing Company creates a unique and interactive experience for customers.
· The tap room serves as a platform to build a community around the craft and share the passion for brewing with others.
· Transparency in the brewing process and the personal connection consumers feel with the product set Outsider Brewing Company apart.
· Outsider Brewing Company's success, despite challenges like bad weather, demonstrates the strength of their community and the appeal of their unique approach.
Contact Julian:
This episode is brought to you by...
McConnell Farms - Taste the Way You Remember. Enjoy homemade ciders and ice cream made from only the best produce on the market. Visit the McConnell Farms website to learn more about our seasonal inventory and the delicious creations you can make with our homegrown produce.
Consuming the Craft
Thanks for tuning into this week’s Consuming the Craft Podcast episode, brought to you by AB Tech’s Craft Beverage Institute of the Southeast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.
Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more craft beverage enthusiasts.
To learn more about AB Tech and the Craft Beer Institute of the Southeast, visit our website.
Next Episode
Sanitation and Safety in the Craft Beverage Industry with Anthony Horger
In today's episode, I had the pleasure of catching up with Anthony Horger, a former AB Tech program graduate. We dived into his impressive journey from a local brewery job post-graduation to his various roles in distilleries and breweries, ultimately leading to his current position as an industry trainer for food, beverage, and natural products at North Carolina BioNetwork. Anthony also shared invaluable insights into the often-overlooked aspect of supply chain management and how critical supplier controls are to maintaining a safe and efficient production environment.
Anthony has a rich background in the food and beverage industry. He started his career as a pastry chef and transitioned into brewing and distilling. His path led him from a local craft brewery through innovative and sometimes perilous projects in startup distilleries to working for a large manufacturer owned by Budweiser in San Diego and finally back to Asheville. His varied experiences have uniquely positioned him as an expert in industry training, where he focuses on sanitation, HACCP planning, and supplier controls.
"It feels good to keep people safe. When you can help improve these things, you'll see the light go on in many people's heads." ~Anthony Horger
Today on Consuming the Craft:
• Anthony began his career as a pastry chef before moving into brewing and distilling.
• After graduation, he worked at a local brewery and a startup distillery focused on speed aging technology.
• Anthony then moved to San Diego to work at a Budweiser-owned distillery just as the world started changing due to the pandemic.
• He gained valuable insights into the importance of safety and proper sanitation during his time in San Diego.
• Anthony now works as an industry trainer for North Carolina BioNetwork, focusing on food, beverage, and natural products.
• Supplier controls involve more than just taking a supplier's word; they require audits and sometimes personal visits to ensure compliance with safety standards.
• Certifications like SQF are important for ensuring quality and safety in the supply chain.
• Continuous improvement and corrective actions are vital metrics for evaluating the reliability and safety of a supplier.
Resources Mentioned:
Contact Anthony:
• North Carolina BioNetwork Website
This episode is brought to you by...
McConnell Farms - Taste the Way You Remember. Enjoy homemade ciders and ice cream made from only the best produce on the market. Visit the McConnell Farms website to learn more about our seasonal inventory and the delicious creations you can make with our homegrown produce.
Consuming the Craft
Thanks for tuning into this week’s Consuming the Craft Podcast episode, brought to you by AB Tech’s Craft Beverage Institute of the Southeast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.
Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more craft beverage enthusiasts.
To learn more about AB Tech and the Craft Beer Institute of the Southeast, visit our website.
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