Draft Beer is the to-go option for many beer lovers. It is fresher, smoother, and colder in optimal conditions, but the market share of draft beer has dropped by almost 50% in the last two decades. We need to dig down to the question of “What is draft beer quality?” to understand how to reach the perfect draft beer.
Many factors affect draft beer quality. The hardest part of it is to standardize it. Behind the counter, many factors affect the taste like:
The thing is, all of these factors change in every pub. Or even during the day, even in the same pub. If these aren’t done properly, we get bad surprises like the metallic taste or bad smell.
“Without regular and proper maintenance, your investment in draught technology won’t bring you the dividends you expect.” -Brewers Association
Temperature is one of the key aspects of Draft Beer Quality. If beer is warm, it not only tastes unsavory but also disrupts the beer filling process and creates huge problems behind the counter. The warm beer that waits in pipes produces excessive amounts of foam. Since it is really hard for the bartender to remember how much time has passed after the last serving, it becomes a typical case. The ideal serving temperature is 2-3°C for most beer types. -Although, it might be better to wait a little bit for some craft beers after the serving to catch all the taste profiles.- It is overwhelming to try to control all these aspects for the bartender. Thanks to Pubinno, we now have internet of beer. With products like Smart Tap, you can regularly monitor the serving temperature. Bad news for warm beer, you never get to pass the Smart Tap. Also, a cold glass helps a lot to keep the beer at the ideal temperature.
The keg is an essential part of the draft beer quality. It is the best transportation and storage method since it preserves the beer from air and light. Also, it is a must for the keg to be fresh and not to be served after 3 days from the first serving. As a side note, not all kegs are made of stainless steel. You should prefer stainless steel kegs. The keg valve is equally important for providing the ideal carbonation of the beer. None of us want to drink too foamy or too flat beer. The keg is everything for the draft beer.
Beer is more than a drink. It is alive with its yeast, proteins, and fauna. It is delicious to drink, but it is not the same scenario for beer pipes. Yeast and proteins attach to the pipes and choke them up by the time. It causes taste spoilings and yeast smell. Regular beer line cleaning is crucial to prevent disrupting the beer quality. Doing this cleaning manually might cause even further problems. It is a very sensitive process that requires maximum attention to hygiene standards. It also takes hours to complete. Smart solutions are also crucial at this point. With the help of technology, Smart Clean allows pubs to complete it without any need for a cleaning team. It is a 20 minutes process with 400% efficiency. Beer lines should be cleaned at least every 14-days both for the perfect beer taste and, more importantly, to prevent any health hazards.
When everything is ready behind the counter, the rest depends on the pouring skills of the bartender. The details like 1-inch-thick foam not only make beer visually attractive, but also affects the taste. A glass of quality draft beer is only fully enjoyed when you can taste the foam alone and smell every flavor. Of course, even the best bartender might fail sometimes, but a high-tech tap designed for the perfect pour can’t. Products like Smart Tap can be a bartender’s best friend by automating the pouring process and letting the bartender do the other tasks. It also gives them some time to chat with their customers.
You can also check out our manual for achieving the perfect pour.
Draft beer is an art that is hard to perform. Although, this complicated process makes you say, “It’s worth it all” when you take a sip from a perfect glass of draft beer. As with many different things, technology is always there to make everything easier. The Draft Beer ecosystem is no exception with high-tech smart solutions. Pubinno is ready to re-design the draft beer to make it reach perfection. Please contact and let us re-design your draft beer experience too.
Cheers! 🍻