Gak. Yik. Gross. Gross Me Blue:
Industry insiders say there's a dirty, little secret that needs to be exposed. The problem they say is dirty beer lines, the lines connect the keg to the tap. "It's one of the big, big problems in the industry," Luke Purcell, of Great Lakes Brewing said. Purcell said he has seen beer lines in some places that are so dirty "it was actually surprising beer could actually flow through it." By law, beer lines must be cleaned once every two weeks.
I don't know why being "grossed blue" is the superlative but it has always been so. I am not only grossed out by the idea of lines so dirty that the beer could not flow but the idea that in Ohio the law lets 14 days pass between cleanings. I am not that educated in the way of dispensing equipment but I have to think that some pretty evil stuff growing down those tubes. Why have a law if that is the standard? Milking equipment needs to be cleaned and sanitized every few hours before Bossy's next milking. McDonald's cleans the bathrooms' hourly. That being the case why can't bars clean the pipes at least once a day?
Comments
Seamus Campbell - February 28, 2011 11:39 PM
Cleaning beer lines daily is no more necessary than cleaning the kegs that the beer is stored in. The problem starts at the taps and works its way back up the line; good tap hygiene and line cleaning every 2 weeks is plenty adequate to keep draft systems in good order. The bars with problematic numbers almost certainly weren't seeing fortnightly cleanings.
Bar owners are reluctant to do so because a) they're not aware of the impact on flavor and b) they're reluctant to pay a cleaner to throw away the beer that's standing in the lines, which for long-draw systems can be a significant volume.
The good news is that the bacteria that are likely to foul up your pint aren't, for the most part, harmful or toxic (unlike the milk spoilage bacteria that dairy farmers are working against).
Seamus Campbell - February 28, 2011 11:40 PM
By the way, the Brewers Association has a technical publication on draft beer systems that addresses some of these issues: http://www.draughtquality.org
Chris - March 1, 2011 8:24 AM
I have come across a couple of pubs that had dirty lines. I just sent it back and asked for a bottle of something else. People have to ask for the manager and tell him/her they might not be back and why.
Alan - March 1, 2011 8:28 AM
That's one voice for gak. And the BA document indicates that the evil lurks from below, not down the taps. Note the test of the 14 day clear is "not visible debris remain" meaning there was gak on day 13.
Note: weekly cleaning recommended by this guy in the UK.
Velky Al - March 1, 2011 9:53 AM
If my future plans come to fruition and I am one day the owner/landlord of a pub (please note, not a bar, not a beer bar, not a bloody beer emporium, a pub), then I would have as a matter of course lines being cleaned after each keg or cask kicked. A few extra minutes work for sure, but worth it for giving customers the best possible beer I can.
Alan - March 1, 2011 10:07 AM
Surely someone can invent a line system that cleans on the flick of a switch for an overnight swish. I recall hearing that the recently and sadly departed Clarks of Syracuse, NY had an accelerated cleaning policy and it really showed.
Ed Carson - March 1, 2011 12:09 PM
This wouldn't be a problem if we were eating our beer out of bowls(see previous blog post).
Alan - March 1, 2011 2:49 PM
BINGO!
Craig - March 1, 2011 2:51 PM
Clarks also reaked of bleach and solvant for a day or two after their cleaning. I loved C's, but the solvent smell could sometimes be a bit overpowering, especially in the winter.
L.C. Pearson - June 17, 2012 4:52 AM
Is there an age limit; or is there any laws that say who is allowed to clean beer lines. I noticed at work, a young lad of 17 has been shifted on to clean the beer lines. He has no COSH training. Using chemicals: I thought there must be some laws or guidelines regarding the cleaning of beer lines.