“Brewed according to the German Purity Law” in Brazil

Back in December 2021, the VLB team of experts led by Roberto Biurrun and Burghard Meyer flew to Brazil to audit the local branches of a world-renowned brewery group for certification under the German Purity Law. Now the auditors flew a second time to renew existing certificates and prepare new breweries for the audit. Eight sites were on the agenda, and the VLB team covered a total of almost 15 000 km in the country..

(BF) For the second time, Roberto Biurrun and Burghard Meyer packed their tools and flew to Brazil. The teams were already waiting there working in eight breweries of the largest brewing group in the region. 2022 even doubled the number of breweries audited for certification under the German Purity Law. Thus, in addition to the recertified breweries of Rio de Janeiro, Piraí, Pernambuco and Lages, the breweries of Jacareí, Fortaleza, Jaguariúna and Uberlândia were prepared for the in-depth audit. In a total of four weeks, the VLB auditors covered 14 500 kilometers within the country. But that wasn’t all: in each brewery they walked an average of five kilometers a day, thoroughly checking all the installed equipment, the documentation, and the brewing process itself. At the end of each audit, a team of employees and their managers awaited the results. The eight audited breweries were finally successfully certified. The recommendations and possible improvements made by the VLB auditors were also discussed and positively received by the breweries in a cheerful atmosphere during the final meetings. Burghard Meyer points out: “It was reassuring to see how the breweries that we visited for the second time implemented the recommendations we made during our visit last year.” Roberto Biurrun points out, “it's always interesting to see a high level of consistency in processes. But it’s even more impressive to see the commitment of the employees of each audited facility.”

The Purity Law is a 1516 decree originally issued in Bavaria. The commandment limited the use of raw materials for beer production to water, malt and hops. The Purity Law (with yeast as an additional permitted ingredient) has applied to beers brewed in Germany for the national market since 1923. The audited Brazilian breweries now have a certification, which is valid for one year. This allows them to advertise their products with the addition: “Brewed according to the German Purity Law.”

Using historical equipment, VLB employees brewed the "museum brew" together with some of the Certified Brewmasters and the budding German Braumeister in the Hennebergisches Museum