Hey everone, I want to talk today about how a batch tracking system should be designed, and what's critical vs optional.
If you had to recall a batch right now, could you list every package and keg that came from it—and where they went—in under an hour? If not, your traceability has gaps. Here's what a defensible system looks like.
Lot-level traceability is often treated as a regulatory checkbox. For operations that ship distributed beer or supply other breweries, it's a risk management requirement. A recall—voluntary or mandated—is a race against time. The faster you can identify affected batches and destinations, the smaller the scope and the lower the damage. For operations that ship distributed beer or supply other breweries, it is a risk management requirement. A recall—whether voluntary or mandated—is a race against time. The faster you can identify which batches are affected and where they went, the smaller the scope and the lower the reputational and financial damage.
The Traceability Chain
Traceability runs in two directions: forward (what did we produce from this batch, and where did it go?) and backward (what ingredients and processes produced this finished product?). Both directions require consistent data capture.
Backward traceability links finished beer to the production batch, and the batch to raw materials (grain lots, hop lots, yeast). If a supplier alerts you to a contaminated malt lot, you need to identify every batch that used that malt and every package or keg that came from those batches.
Forward traceability links finished product to distribution. For packaged beer, that means lot codes on cans or bottles, and records of which lots went to which distributors or retailers. For kegs, it means knowing which batches filled which kegs and where those kegs were shipped.
What Contemporaneous Recording Requires
Traceability fails when data is reconstructed after the fact. “We’ll figure out the lot codes when we need them” is not a strategy. At the moment of packaging, you must record:
- The batch (or batches, for blends) that filled the package.
- The lot code printed on the package.
- The quantity packaged.
When that package leaves the brewery, you must record the destination. For kegs, the destination may be a distributor, a taproom cooler, or a direct account. For cans and bottles, it may be a distributor or a direct shipment. The record should link lot code to destination.
Recall Simulation
The best way to validate your traceability is to run a recall simulation. Pick a batch from three months ago and ask: Can we list every package and keg that came from that batch, and every destination those products went to? Can we do it in under an hour?
If the answer is no, your traceability has gaps. Common gaps include:
- Blended batches: If you blend two fermenters into one brite tank, the packaged product must reference both source batches.
- Keg tracking: Kegs are often tracked by count rather than by individual lot. For recall purposes, you need to know which kegs held which batch.
- Distributor handoff: Once product leaves your dock, do you have records of what was shipped? Bill of lading, packing slip, or POS transfer should tie lot codes to shipment.
Documentation Retention
Regulatory requirements vary by jurisdiction, but a practical standard is to retain batch and traceability records for at least two years beyond the shelf life of the product. For most beer, that means three to five years. Records should be stored in a form that survives staff turnover—digital systems with audit logs are preferable to paper files that may be lost or damaged.
Traceability is not a one-time setup. It is a daily discipline. Every batch, every package, every shipment must be recorded at the moment it occurs. When that discipline is in place, a recall becomes a manageable incident rather than a crisis.
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How BrewLedger Supports Traceability
BrewLedger tracks batches from knockout through packaging and links inventory movements to batches. Items can be associated with batches and locations, building an audit trail of where liquid came from and where it went. If you are building or improving your traceability process, BrewLedger provides the structured data foundation. See how it works when you are ready.