MBAA TQ https://doi.org/10.1094/TQ-60-2-0609-01 | 
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Tony Aiken and Gary Spedding. BDAS, LLC, Lexington, KY, USA
Abstract
A sensory panel is a quality assurance tool available to start-ups and well-established breweries alike. A panel's fundamental use is to find small issues before they become big problems to prevent flawed products from reaching customers. However, a sensory panel alone does not assure success. In addition to panel administrators and panelists, the other stakeholders include QA personnel, front-of-the-house staff, members of the brewing side of the operation, along with every level of management. All these entities have a role to play in the success of the business and in assuring the brewery's product quality and reputation. Enthusiastic new brewery owners often intend to establish a sensory team program immediately, only to then delay its implementation along with a dozen other items new business managers decide are not of an immediately mission critical nature. A sensory panel program requires recruitment and training of panelists, which can be expensive and time-consuming for a start-up. However, some of the earlier and simpler steps, such as building a common vocabulary, can be inexpensive and very beneficial. When the investments of time and money have been made, the effort can pay off with product consistency and a better knowledge of competitive products and can instill more confidence in moving forward in the market.
