The collection comprises several volumes and guidelines, which have been constantly revised and updated over the decades.
The original division into volumes I through IV has been abandoned with the subject-based division by materials.
Volume I was published in the first edition in 1978. After the third edition, it became necessary to split this volumedue to the innovations that had occurred in the meantime in the sector of analytics and legislation (water) and the resulting larger volume. The expanded contents were divided into the volumes Water and Raw Materials. Both were translated into English immediatelyafterwards.
Volume II followed as early as 1979 and included the analyses of wort and beer. The fourth edition in 2002 was expandedto include non-alcoholic beverages and beer mixes, which are also becoming increasingly important for breweries. This volume was further revised, the corresponding special methods from Volume III were incorporated and published as Volume Wort, Beer und Mixed Beverages in German and English.
Volume III was published in 1982 out of the need to standardize "special methods", which were not yet common knowledgeat that time, and to pave their way into laboratory practice. In 1996, an update was necessary. Volume III was no longer continued, but incorporated all modern instrumental methods into the relevant chapters of the aforementioned volumes.
Volume IV, with a first edition in 1987 and a second edition in 1998, included technical auxiliaries and cleaning anddisinfecting agents. Volume IV was no longer updated and was discontinued.
A sub-commission of the MEBAK had collected the current test methods for the volume on Containers and Product Equipment with an immense amount of work over many years. Because of its size, the collection of methods was published as a CD-ROM.
Furthermore, MEBAK has meanwhile published guidelines for Brewhouse inspection, validation, verification and acceptanceof CIP equipment and cleaning processes. In 2010, the guideline Beverage dispensing systems was published. The Filtration guideline for the acceptance of filtration systems was completed and published in July 2017. In addition, the Membrane Filtration guideline was published in 2021.
