A method for producing a refined fermented beverage, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a bright beer composition comprising: i) an acidic congener comprising one or more organic acids, the one or more organic acids selected from the group consisting of: acetic acid; citric acid; lactic acid; propionic acid; butyric acid; caproic acid; valeric acid; isovaleric acid; succinic acid; and combinations thereof; and ii) a microbial contaminant, the microbial contaminant comprising one or more microorganisms selected from the group consisting of yeast, mold, viruses, bacteria, and combinations thereof; (b) neutralizing at least a portion of the acidic congener by adding into the bright beer composition a sufficient amount of an alkaline treating agent to convert at least a portion of the organic acids into salts of the acidic congener; (c) removing at least a portion of the salts of the acidic congener from the alkaline-treated bright beer to form a refined FB, using one or more separation systems selected from the group consisting of: ultrafiltration; nanofiltration; reverse osmosis filtration; adsorption using activated carbon or a sepiolite material; column distillation; vacuum distillation; multi-stage flash distillation; multiple-effect distillation; vapor-compression distillation; ion exchange chromatography, particularly cation exchange chromatography; gravitation; centrifugation; decantation; freeze-thaw systems; solar evaporation systems; and electrodialysis reversal; and (d) treating at least one of the bright beer, alkaline-treated bright beer, or refined FB with ultraviolet light for a time sufficient to cause at least a 99% (log-2) kill of the microbial contaminant. (a) providing a bright beer composition comprising: i) an acidic congener comprising one or more organic acids, the one or more organic acids selected from the group consisting of: acetic acid; citric acid; lactic acid; propionic acid; butyric acid; caproic acid; valeric acid; isovaleric acid; succinic acid; and combinations thereof; and ii) a microbial contaminant, the microbial contaminant comprising one or more microorganisms selected from the group consisting of yeast, mold, viruses, bacteria, and combinations thereof; i) an acidic congener comprising one or more organic acids, the one or more organic acids selected from the group consisting of: acetic acid; citric acid; lactic acid; propionic acid; butyric acid; caproic acid; valeric acid; isovaleric acid; succinic acid; and combinations thereof; and ii) a microbial contaminant, the microbial contaminant comprising one or more microorganisms selected from the group consisting of yeast, mold, viruses, bacteria, and combinations thereof; (b) neutralizing at least a portion of the acidic congener by adding into the bright beer composition a sufficient amount of an alkaline treating agent to convert at least a portion of the organic acids into salts of the acidic congener; (c) removing at least a portion of the salts of the acidic congener from the alkaline-treated bright beer to form a refined FB, using one or more separation systems selected from the group consisting of: ultrafiltration; nanofiltration; reverse osmosis filtration; adsorption using activated carbon or a sepiolite material; column distillation; vacuum distillation; multi-stage flash distillation; multiple-effect distillation; vapor-compression distillation; ion exchange chromatography, particularly cation exchange chromatography; gravitation; centrifugation; decantation; freeze-thaw systems; solar evaporation systems; and electrodialysis reversal; and (d) treating at least one of the bright beer, alkaline-treated bright beer, or refined FB with ultraviolet light for a time sufficient to cause at least a 99% (log-2) kill of the microbial contaminant.