If cleaning beer lines is a hated job among bar owners it is for two very good reasons; the amount of beer wasted equals money down the drain and the amount of time that is dedicated to it. However it is clear that if neglected it can prove catastrophic to a business.
The question of how often lines should be cleaned is one we are asked at Beer Piper all the time but it’s not only us; popular Google searches – including the wonderful “how often do you have to clean beer lines?” which certainly has the ring of someone who finds it a chore – indicate that it’s not only a widely asked question but a valid and critical one.
There are varying claims as to the length of time one can safely leave between cleans from one week to six weeks. If you have noticed a drop in trade or your staff are beginning to outnumber your customers, you may well be one of the many bars that believe that any more than a week is an acceptable standard.
Yeast build up can occur in a very short space of time and the raw materials, grain and water, contain varying levels of calcium which can clog lines. The longer the periods between cleaning, the greater the risk to your product and the more intensive the clean required when you do finally get around to it.
Given the challenge to remain profitable in the face of stiff competition from supermarkets, government regulation and so on, it makes economic sense to review your operation and make adjustments where possible. The latest research recently published by Cask Marque into pub operations shows that low yields can be the result of poor cellar management and beer line cleaning in particular. The difference, the report claims, could be as much as 50 barrels a year between a bar that cleans its lines regularly against one that doesn’t.
If you are one of those Landlords/ladies that allocates time to clean the lines when customers are still in their beds on a Sunday morning, help is at hand in the form of Beer Piper. Imagine being able to clean lines on demand while selling virtually all of the beer in the line first. Not only are you demonstrating your duty of care through superior cleanliness, you’ll be able to ensure your beer tastes immaculately crisp and fresh day after day.
Caring for your lines will improve the length of their life too; replacements are costly and time consuming to install.
To remain part of our much loved social landscape, pubs have to offer a premium experience and providing consistent quality is the way to the heart of a loyal customer.
Take a free trial of Beer Piper and see how clean beer lines can help your profits and maintain your reputation.
