How to make 20,000 pints of beer.

Step 8 Art and science

Brewing is one of those processes, like papermaking and smithing, that is equal parts precise science and black art.

Careful records of what goes in and what comes out have to be maintained for customers, food authorities, the customs and excise...

Samples are taken all through the system and monitored.  Swabs are taken regularly to check for microbial incursion (remember, this beer is not pasteurised, so the whole system has to be scrupulously clean).

But, at the same time, the unexpected happens, like the Belgian-style beer that absolutely refused to settle its fines, no matter what they did...