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The Fresh Draft: Wisconsin Breweries Uniting to Ensure Your Pint Is All It Should Be.
New Glarus, WI
October 12th, 2009:
There are few experiences more memorable
than savoring a fresh pint at your favorite Wisconsin pub. However,
despite the best efforts of the brewer, the final pour makes all the
difference. This is why New Glarus Brewing Company continues to drive
quality in Wisconsin by uniting Wisconsin brewers, beer distributors
and tap line cleaners in a quest to ensure your next beer is the
'perfect pint'. Together, for the first time in Wisconsin, they have
collectively published an industry endorsed letter reinforcing the
importance of regular line cleaning. Also, the American Brewers
Association recently published a very informative 'Draught Beer Quality
Manual'. Visit http://www.draughtquality.org/FrontPage for details.
Generally draft beer will always taste better than bottled beer....
unless the draft lines are dirty. Customers expect clean tables, clean
rest rooms, and clean dishes. They should also expect clean draft
lines. As Daniel Carey (Diploma Master Brewer, New Glarus Brewing
Company) says "Dirty draft lines makes an otherwise great beer taste
sour, flat or suppressed. That is, lacking that crisp flavor one
expects in fresh beer. Dirty glassware results in an unappetizing flat
appearance. The wrong blend of CO2 and Nitrogen Gas makes beer taste
dull and flat, lacking foam, sparkle and crispness." For these reasons
New Glarus Brewing Company recommends that taverns clean their lines
every two weeks and post documentation of the line cleaning cycle in
all keg coolers.
The brewery is also reaching out to companies that install, clean, and
maintain beer equipment in Wisconsin to ensure the 'perfect pint'.
Cleaning draft lines is a specialized process that if not done properly
is ineffective. When done right, the cost for line cleaning is small
compared to the resulting increase in draft sales for a restaurant and
the overall enjoyment of the tasting experience.
New Glarus Brewing also employs a Draft Specialist, Jeff Schaefer, to
conduct in-house draft seminars at the brewery for tavern and
restaurant owners. These 6 hour seminars detail the many factors that
go into creating a great pint. New Glarus Brewing Company is also using
the distributor network to help train retailers on proper pour, clean
glassware, and draught maintenance.
When a customer spends his or her hard earned money on draft beer it is
the brewers' responsibility to insure it tastes great! Brewers work
very hard to insure beer is "just right" when it leaves the brewery.
Unfortunately, souring bacteria grow quickly in dirty draft lines,
spoiling taste. So education and quality standards for proper tap line
cleaning are paramount.
The easiest way to determine if your favorite local pub cleans their
lines? Just ask! Pubs will have the information on hand, as it is part
of their regular restaurant maintenance. Some draft cleaning companies
even award certificates to those establishments that regularly clean
their lines. A quick checklist for you;
- is the draft system cleaned every 14 days?
- is the beer carbonated properly
- does the beer taste like it does at the brewery?
You can stop by the Hilltop Brewery in New Glarus, WI to compare for
yourself: lines cleaned every 14 days by Jim's Tap Cleaning Service,
pushed using a McDantim Gas Blender, and beer fresh that is straight
from the brewery warehouse. It is worth the trip!
Just like a properly cooked steak, sizzling on a warm plate, beer
served with a proper gas blend, clean draft lines and clean glassware
makes for a "Wow" experience. Once you have found a responsible pub be
sure to congratulate them on a 'Job well done'!
8:39 PM
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