As Master Cicerone Neil Witte explains on the 5th episode of Perfect Beer Talks by Pubinno,
“Draft beer is one of the unique things that beer has to offer,” and “the ability to serve from a large container is considered to be fresher than in a bottle.” This is why it is safe to say that draft beer tastes better than bottled counterparts. But is it always the case? Even though draft beer can help provide the best experience in the ways we’ll look into in this article, the pursuit of the perfect beer has its challenges as brewers, bar owners, and consumers face hurdles in achieving consistent quality and taste. In this article, we will explore the pain points of perfect draft beer and offer ways to overcome them.
Pouring at the right temperature
Maintaining the perfect temperature is a crucial factor in unlocking the full potential of draft beer flavors. To achieve this, it’s important to ensure that the beer is dispensed with consistency and control. This means that beer should be kept at a constant temperature of between 34° to 38°F as it travels from the keg to the glass, according to the Brewers Association. A slight increase in temperature can result in unwanted problems such as foaming. Also, each type of beer has its own unique optimal serving temperature that needs to be taken into account when pouring, and this is essential to bringing out its distinct aroma and flavor.
However, in the traditional draft beer systems, it is impossible to know and monitor the temperature of the beer in kegs before pouring, and disruptive solutions such as the Smart Tap create measurable value in this sense. Smart Tap connects to sensors that constantly monitor the temperature of the beer in the keg, ensuring that each type of beer is stored and served at its optimal temperature. This not only improves the quality and consistency of the beer being served but also makes the process easier and more efficient for bartenders.
Serving with the optimal foam
Carbonation is a crucial element in achieving the perfect beer taste, and it is also difficult to get it right. Some draft beer systems can serve flat or over-carbonated beer, which deteriorates the drinking experience. The key to tackle this problem is to ensure that beer flows at a specific rate and exits the faucet at the optimal carbonation level, delivering the perfect taste with every pour.
Even though humanity has had it’s fare share with technology and an ongoing love hate relationship, this is one of those cases where the solutions to the problems faced in the draft beer industry can be solved through the integration of technology and AI, with the Smart Tap being a prime example. With its advanced robotic mechanism, Smart Tap can help ensure that the beer is dispensed with precision, controlling both the amount of foam and the flow rate of the beer coming from the keg. This helps to maintain the quality and consistency of the beer, providing a perfect draft beer experience regardless of time, location, infrastructure and the beer type.
Ensuring the utmost line hygiene
When it comes to draft beer, the cleanliness of the lines are crucial factors that can affect the taste and aroma of the beer as yeast and bacteria can accumulate in the draught lines, feeding on the beer and attaching to the walls. If not properly maintained, this can lead to a buttery taste, which you would definitely know if you have ever tasted one.
The solution? Yes, not that easy.
Regular cleaning of the lines is essential to prevent the buildup of organic material. However, traditional line cleaning processes can be time-consuming and resource-intensive, requiring staff to travel to the pubs with trucks and using liters of water and detergent, taking almost 12 hours.
Fortunately, innovative solutions like Pubinno’s Smart Clean have revolutionized the line cleaning process. With just a few touches to connect the equipment and one tap on your smartphone’s screen, Smart Clean’s patented technology and award-winning design can perform a 4x faster process with 400% more pressure on the inner walls, eliminating 85% of human touch, saving 25% of water and 15% of detergent. Sounds too good to be true? You are not alone, so it may feel better to hear an expert opinion about how the Smart Clean makes it easier and more efficient to maintain a well-cleaned draft system, ensuring that the perfectly maintained beer is poured into the glass.
As Master Cicerone Neil Witte explains, “Probably the biggest opportunity for draft beer is ensuring a more complete coverage of well-maintained, well-cleaned draft systems because that is what ultimately gets the right beer in the glass the brewer intended.”
Lack of information about the quality parameters
As Peter Drucker famously said, ‘You cannot manage what you cannot measure.’ This rings true when it comes to the perfect draft beer. Another big challenge is the lack of information and data on the parameters affecting the taste, as we have discussed above, which leads to inconsistent quality and taste.
Fortunately, technology can provide the solution to this issue. By utilizing data, sensors, and analytics technologies, we can monitor and control draft beer quality, improving the taste and increasing customer satisfaction and sales. Pubinno’s Smart Hub is an innovative example of this technology, offering real-time data, and providing insights and predictions.
Thanks to the use of data, quality, and sales, Pubinno enables up to 20% savings per keg. With standardization of perfect draft beer quality through technology, we can provide a consistent and satisfying drinking experience for beer lovers all around the world.
Let’s raise a glass to the perfect draft beer, made possible by innovation and technology.
