Abstract
Craft brewery production lines require systematic microbial safety monitoring because manual operations, frequent product changes, and compact equipment layouts can increase contamination risk. This study examines microbial safety monitoring across craft brewery production lines. Samples were collected from wort transfer lines, fermentation vessels, yeast handling units, bright beer tanks, filling heads, packaging surfaces, and finished beer. Total viable counts, lactic acid bacteria, wild yeast, acetic acid bacteria, pH drift, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, and sensory spoilage indicators were assessed. The results show that the highest contamination risk occurred during post-boil transfer, yeast reuse, and packaging, where surface contact and oxygen exposure were frequent. Routine swab testing, rapid microbial screening, cleaning verification, and controlled yeast storage reduced batch variability and improved product stability. The study demonstrates that microbial safety in craft breweries should depend on preventive monitoring across the process line rather than only finished-product testing. This supports safer and more consistent craft beer production.