We’ve all been there, you grab a glass, your patron gives you the nod and you get pouring, only to be left with a cloudy and murky concoction that neither of you were expecting.
With cask ale and some of the new generation of craft beers taking months to brew the perfect batch, all that waiting time comes down to the important final stage. So, how do you serve the perfect pint to your customers and make sure they come back for more.
Choosing the right glass
With many different draft beers available the choice of glass can really make a difference to the taste of the beer you’re selling. Of course most breweries will have a recommended and branded glass, perfected for their product to maximise the customer’s enjoyment. But if you find yourself without these resources, it’s worth taking the time to think about how your customer will enjoy the drink. With your nose determining what 60-80% of the things you eat or drink taste like, it’s important to pick a glass that suits the drinks carbonation which can affect its aroma and therefore taste. Traditional ales tend to be served in wider, straight glasses, as they have little carbonation. However Pilsners or Lagers are often best served in a narrower, rounded glass. Not only does this help them to keep their carbonation, a slimmer tapered glass will help to keep the pint cooler for longer.
Getting the Right Serving Temperature
Just like selecting the right glass, the temperature of the beer can dramatically affect the flavour. No one likes a warm lager, and it’s no surprise, it’s brewed to be cold and refreshing, much like a bitter or ale is brewed for its flavoursome aromas that may be lost if served too cold.
It’s recommended by Cask Marque that you should serve standard lagers and keg beers between 5-8°C to stay cold and refreshing. Traditional cask ale on the other hand should be dispensed at a temperature of between 10-14°C to allow for its fresh and vibrant aromas.
Keeping Clean Beer Lines
Finally and importantly, it’s essential to make sure your beer lines are clean. Poorly cleaned beer lines harbour bacteria that can make your beer cloudy and taste unpleasant. If you don’t keep your beer lines clean, before long you could be looking at having deposits of calcium oxalate build up, resulting in flakes of this substance ending up in your customers pint as well as a host of nasty microorganisms. This will dramatically impact the taste and flavour of the beer you are serving and more importantly can be harmful to your customer’s health.
Carefully undertake beer line cleaning regularly on a weekly basis. You can save extra time by installing a Beer Piper beer line cleaning system, replicating the manual beer line cleaning steps but with greatly improved speed and efficiency. Find out more about our Beer Line Cleaning Systems
With all the above in place, you’ll be able to serve your customers the perfect pint time after time and keep them coming back for more.
