India: Delhi’s microbreweries must certify beer quality before serving it

To ensure that microbreweries maintain the quality of their products, the excise department of Delhi govt has issued instructions that samples of freshly brewed beer must be certified by their in-house chemists each day before the alcoholic beverage is served to customers, Times of India reported on June 3.

The excise department has also asked the microbreweries to get their samples tested at least once a month in department-owned laboratories and display the certificate prominently at their premises.

"As per the terms and conditions of the L-11 licence, the beer produced in a microbrewery shall be released for sale only after the said chemist certifies that such beer is fit for human consumption on a daily basis," the excise department said in its order.

"The licensee shall arrange to draw the beer samples once every month and forward the same to the excise laboratory for analysis. The report obtained shall be displayed on the premises of the microbrewery," the order added. The department also asked the owners of microbreweries to send the certificate issued by the chemical examiner for each batch of brewed beer.

There are nearly 10 microbreweries in Delhi that sell freshly brewed beer to customers on the premises. These microbreweries are issued an L-11 licence to operate by the excise department.