The reputation and success of a brewery relies upon product consistency and quality.

Beer packaging is designed to maintain the quality and freshness of the packaged product. However, beer is perishable and once it has left the brewery there are many factors that can affect both quality and stability, either directly or indirectly, and which will often result in beer that is substantially different from those characteristics that are intended or desired by the brewer.

For exported products, the time in transit to the destination market and the conditions that the packaged product is exposed to en route can all have significant, detrimental effects on beer quality and consistency. Such factors may include:

• Light
• Temperature - heat and cold
• Air quality
• Physical agitation
• Poor hygiene

When exporting beer, ensure that you understand the details of the logistics supply chain in order that these factors can be better controlled. It is also important to ensure that all relevant stakeholders, up to the point of dispense, are aware of these factors in relation to the package type or are provided with any relevant materials or resources to help them understand how the beer should be handled, stored, and served to ensure product consistency.

Irrespective of package format, an understanding of the provenance of the product, including information about the producer and ingredients used, will also be vital in supporting brand reputation and promotion.

Beer is a perishable product and as such ensuring freshness is an important part of delivering a product that matches consumer expectation. Inclusion of a clear indication of the shelf life of a product, usually as a best before end (BBE) date, is a vital element of ensuring that beer is not served past this date.

Brewers should ensure that dates are clear and easily understood. For this reason, BBE dates should be used rather than Lot Codes or similar. Care must also be taken to ensure that date codes are understood within the market which the beer is sold.

In addition to format, BBE dates should be set to reflect control of product quality as well as the period that the product will spend in transit to the final market destination.

For export product that is intended to be served via draught dispense, companies may wish to ensure that sufficient information is provided to retailers in the export market to understand the key characteristics of the product, including any relevant information regarding the producer, to ensure consumers understand the product being served.

Examples of key characteristics that may describe the product, or which might impact on expected sensory and visual characteristics, are as follows:

• Colour and clarity
• Flavour and aroma
• Head
• Carbonation
• Body and balance

For any export market, but in particular for those where it is more difficult for a brewer to visit in person, it is important that serving staff and those with a consumer-facing role should share the same understanding of the producer and an appreciation of the desired characteristics and quality for the product when served at optimum condition.

As far as possible, and where it is more difficult for a brewer to visit in person, literature about the product and producer, including brand information and tasting notes, should accompany beer intended for draught dispense. Where this is not possible, a clear indication of where such information can be found should be provided. Producers must consider the challenges of communicating this information in the language of the market within which the beer will be sold.

The full extent of the distribution supply chain should be understood by the brewer and as far as possible conditions ensured to protect the integrity of the beer. Where relevant, brewers should take the time to educate stakeholders within the supply chain to help ensure maximum quality control over the beer to ensure that it reaches the consumer with the desired character:

• Maintain optimum temperature control of the beer (i.e. refrigerated) whilst shipping and through subsequent warehousing and distribution.
• FIFO stock rotation. Wherever possible, a system should be in place that ensures only beer which conforms to the expected brand specification and which is “in date” should be made available for sale. There should be a system by which beer out of specification or date can be identified and recalled.
• Ensure excellent communication between the brewer and the customer including any relevant supply chain stakeholders from the brewery to the final point of dispense.

For additional information on exporting generally, see the following resources

• Open to Export (https://opentoexport.com/food-and-drink/). This website pulls together a host of useful government pages from the Department for International Trade (DIT) and the Department for Rural and Agricultural Affairs, as well as several trade associations, to create a UK-wide export support portal. It provides links to DIT export opportunities, guidance on markets, certification support and more.
• Brewers of Europe (https://brewup.eu/). For information on European markets, visit the association that brings together national brewing associations from 29 European countries. Their BrewUp page provides a host of information on market requirements like labelling requirements to advertising regulations.
• The UK Intellectual Property Office's guidance for protecting your brand abroad can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protecting-your-uk-intellectual-property-abroad/protecting-your-trade-mark-abroad.
• Specific national associations are featured within the relevant country profiles.