Not all draft beer is kept in the same way. Some places and bars might be less than sanitary when it comes to how often they clean their beer lines and beer dispensers.
This can then lead to bacteria and mold within the actual lines instead, which then makes the beer taste off and bad. Definitely not a pint that you want to be sipping!
In this article, we will lift the lid on some industry secrets and tell you exactly what happens when it comes to cleaning equipment and storing craft beer!
Why Should You Clean Beer Lines?
Beer lines are in regular use when it comes to pouring and serving customers’ pints. Depending on the type of beer that runs through them, you can get a build-up of brewers’ yeast, especially if it’s the first and last pint of the barrel.
This can cause issues within the lines and attribute to pints tasting bad or off. No matter how regimented you are with air exposure with your lines, things such as mold and bacteria can get in overtime. This can lead to beer becoming extra frothy and also unpleasant in terms of taste.
How Often Should You Clean Them?
The general rule is that beer lines should be cleaned at an absolute minimum about once every two weeks. Or you can also clean them every time you change the keg.
Every three months you should also use a heavier purpose cleaner to wash away any of the buildup, known as beer stone. Washing away the sediment every quarter will ensure that your draft beer is tasting as fresh as it can be.
There’s nothing worse than looking forward to a delicious New England IPA or a milkshake IPA draft pint that is full of sediment or tastes overly yeasty.
How to Clean Beer Lines
If you are wondering exactly how to clean beer lines you need to invest in a beer cleaning solution. You will need to turn off the C02 source as well as investing in safety apparatus such as gloves and glasses. A PH kit and a beer wrench can also come in handy when manually dealing with the lines and pumps.
You will need to flush water through the system when you have finished soaking the lines and allowing around 20 minutes to do that. You’ll need to flush around 5 gallons of water to dilute the chemicals and ensure the beer lines are safe to use.
The PH kit will need to register around 7-8 in PH levels for you to know that enough water has been flushed through. The dispensers and faucets will also need soaking and cleaning to prevent any build-up in those areas.
Draft Beer and Great Taste
Draft beer has so many different varieties and providers these days, it can be tricky to know which pint to choose! However, whichever choice you do make, you what to know that the quality and taste of the beer is always fresh and clean.
That’s why regular cleaning of the beer lines is essential to maintain that excellent first sip time and time again.
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