Skilled Yeast Specialist and Technical Brewer

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Serial No: 12426

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Skills keywords: biotechnology, brewer, malting, manufacturing, project management

Short Bio:

A skilled, accomplished and extremely hard working Technical Brewer / Yeast Specialist with a proven track record within the manufacturing and production environment centred on the concepts of World Class Manufacturing. Has a successful background within driving performance from a quality, cost, safety and morale directive whilst upholding the vision of the company.

Current location:  Gauteng, South Africa - View on map

Nationality: South African

Preferred Sector of Employment:  Manufacturing and Operations, other

Spoken languages: english

Location I am interested in working: Anywhere

Education And Qualifications
SAB Graduate Traineeship (2010)
Modules Include: Team Building; Business Process Mapping; International Brewing Diploma Courses 1, 2 & 3; Advanced Problem Solving, Maltings and Hops Course, Advanced Brewing Science, Fundamentals of Asset Management, Leadership Essentials, Industrial Relations, Quality and Environmental Management., World Class Manufacturing level 1 (development of end state’s root cause analysis); E-Learning courses – Economic Value Add ( EVA), Harvard Business mentoring modules, SAP HR

Diploma Brewing (UK Institute of Brewing) (2010)

BSc (hons) Biotechnology (Rhodes University) (2008)

Experience
YEAST SPECIALIST / TECHNICAL BREWER (2013 – To Date)
Sabmiller (Rosslyn Brewery, Pretoria)
World’s 2nd largest Brewer by Volume & South Africa’s largest Brewer, listed on the London Stock Exchange
Key Achievements:
• Successfully implementing Distinctive Cellars Capability Plan and exceeding completion targets, as well as achieving competency acquisition in less than a year
• Personally responsible for the implementation of short interval control systems in monitoring out of specification parameters
• Optimising plant efficiency and throughput through the implementation of new planning tools and regimes as well as the yeast propagation process, achieving greater yield and faster process turnaround time, keeping up with volume throughput changes in brewhouse
• Improving hygiene targets from 30% to 80% in one month and efficiency and quality targets in three months from to 98% / 100% ( yeast index; yeast pitching rates; yeast generation; Global Taste Sample)
• Reducing fermentation beer loss through the monitoring of yeast growth processes and implementation of work practices
• Reviewing MSGIII and end-states in developing problem solving tools and re-defining frequencies of plant maintenance based on technical auditing gaps
• Leading problem solving and use of problem solving tools as per World Class Manufacturing standards in resolving situational and systemic issues for both production and engineering failures
Responsibilities:
• Utilising planning principles when ensuring yeast propagation is carried out at the correct time, that yeast generations are compliant to brewing manual specifications as well as plant hygiene and brewing processes
• Working closely and collaboratively with members of different departments, including the Laboratory, Brewing Management and Planning and ensuring the efficient transfer of knowledge all times when providing training
• Applying applicable yeast propagation specifications in the breweries propagation process, ensuring consistent compliance
• Making sure quality outputs are trended and corrective actions completed as well as optimising each propagation stage in ensuring the optimisation of the quality / quantity of the yeast
• Carrying out both routine and non-routine measurement at the correct frequency and effectively communicating the same to the relevant personnel
• Fully accountable for the implementation of process control in achieving the optimisation of the propagation process and zero generation fermentations in meeting agreed specifications
• Monitoring the upstream effects of the propagation process and making any required propositions based on the same, as well as initiating improved procedures and managing projects and trails
• Ensuring the timely repair of any plant and equipment when required and ensuring the placing of measures to crop and re-pitch the highest quality of yeast
• Tracking cellars beer loss and making sure the development and implementation of relevant systems and training so yeast cropping can be carried out in line with good brewing practice
• Putting systems and training in place regarding system data entries for yeast handling and storing activities and for ensuring the pitching of yeast occurs against specifications
• Measuring and monitoring effects of corrective action and updating all relevant documentation, including work aides and instructions
• Monitoring / tracking results from environmental surveys and analysing micro results with supporting gap lists and action plans in highlighting improvement
• Effectively achieving CIP regimes through auditing and ensuring targets relating to hygiene are consistently achieved
• Adhering to all governing guidelines in relation to health and safety, hygiene and cleanliness
• Additionally responsible for scrapping yeast in line with governing standards and specifications
• Gaining a wealth of knowledge within a number of different areas, including yeast food and growth pattern in fermentations and the biochemistry of the fermentation process
• Understanding flavour formation and control, process of fermentation, micro-organisms, microbiological sampling / testing, the taxonomy, morphology and physiology of brewing yeast

FILTRATION MANAGER (2011 – 2013)
Sabmiller (Rosslyn Brewery, Pretoria)
Key Achievements:
• Achieving a reduction of downtime to packaging as well as dissolved oxygen pick-up to less then 30 ppb across process, resulting in an improvement to flavour stability and shelf life of beer
• Improving throughput in area through the development/implementation of effective planning tools and optimising processes in preventing short filter run-lengths and through software improvements
• Saving costs through the identification of major causes of beer loss from maturation en route to filtration as well as reducing quality-related incidents resulting in quarantined beer at bright beer tanks and packaged beer
• Proactively achieving operational excellence through the management of health and safety and risk as well as participating in brewing specific supplier partnering
• Successfully implementing processes aimed at improving efficiency in relation to the delivery of KPI’s
• Leading defect elimination activities
Responsibilities:
• Personally responsible for the effective management of productivity through minimising waste and controlling fixed / variable costs
• Managing brewing process through conformance to brewing process and specifications, process optimisation and ensuring maintenance integrity as well as contributing to the improvement of brewing performance
• Playing an instrumental role within the maintenance and improvement of World Class Manufacturing (WCM) through coaching a mission directed team, modelling and complying to the manufacturing principles, leading change and supporting 5S
• Effectively managing Human Resources through the development of employees and ensuring a healthy IR climate through the application of performance management and effective leadership

BREWING SUPERVISOR / TEAM LEADER (2010 – 2011)
Sabmiller (Rosslyn Brewery, Pretoria)
Key Achievements:
• Playing an instrumental role within the First Shift team in successfully exceeding targeted volume throughput and completing improvement project assigned for the year and solutions implemented, resulting in beer loss cost savings
• Successfully turning around team morale through implementing coaching sessions for skills development, team building events and regular team-on-team reviews
• Achieving competency acquisition target of 80% and improving the team work practice score from 43% to 60% in three months
Responsibilities:
• Personally responsible for the optimisation of team performance through the creative of team dynamics and ensuring the efficient transfer of knowledge at all times when communicating with other members of staff
• Applying Performance Management Practices and 5S Principles as well as providing valuable support to both planned and exceptional maintenance activities
• Effectively managing performance and safety through the interpretation and implementation of the production plan on shift as well as ensuring the consistent maintenance of a safe and healthy work environment
• Facilitating production meetings, communicating performance measures and motivating other members of staff in achieving challenging performance targets
• Fully accountable for managing and applying personnel practices, support strategic resourcing and developing employees to achieve their own potential
• Analysing quality and process data and complying with Quality Assurance requirements
• Additionally responsible for the effective management of product and process quality, monitoring and controlling the production process and optimising product quality

BREWING TECHNICAL TRAINEE (2009 – 2010)
Sabmiller (Rosslyn Brewery, Pretoria)
• Developing in depth working knowledge within a number of different areas, including:-
o Raw materials and wort production, the barley and malting process, sources, treatment and use of water in brewing, fermentation, yeast, maturation and beer filtration, microbiological control and hygiene in the brewing process and of the maturation and storage of fermented beer
o The post filtration and carbon processing of flavoured alcoholic beverages, the quality systems in use at SAB, non conformance procedures, the quality management system and plant maintenance in the brewing process
o Main requirements of brewery plant construction and design, production and supply of utilities within the brewery, management of effluent waste and environmental factors and packaging / trade
o Packaging and plant process, impact of packaging on the quality of the final product, supply chain from warehouse to customer and trade quality implications
o Application of the manufacturing principles and practices and 5S standards and work practices in the workplace
• Understanding the nature and use of barely malt and adjuncts in the brewing process, the nature of hops and their use in brewing, beer flavour and properties and the production of flavoured alcoholic beverages
• Measuring, analysing and interpreting process and quality data as well as achieving critical quality assurance and quality management