The key to a good pint involves three things which can all be achieved by good cellar management, according to specialists.
And in the majority of cases, any cellar faux pas can easily be resolved by good cleaning and by good temperature control.
Steve Lakin of Innserve said a consistently good pint is all about “temperature, clarity and taste”.
“The simple cleaning rule is once every seven days,” said Lakin.
“I would suggest cleaning on the day of your delivery, this will allow the cellar to be cleaned when it holds the least stock.”
A great pint, he said, is all about “temperature, clarity and taste” which “can all be delivered via good cellar management”.
“The key to a good clean is good quality line cleaning chemicals, at least three ten-minute soaks with cleaning chemical and lots of fresh water,” said Lakin.
“When cleaning always remember to clean keg connectors and tap nozzles.”
Matt Munro, on-trade sales director at Wallaces TCB, agreed with the importance of line cleaning, describing the cellar as “the number one priority in controlling the quality of draught beer”.
“Fluctuations of the cellar temperature, even by just a degree or two, can deteriorate the quality of beer and result in tens of thousands of pounds in wastage over the course of a year,” said Munro.
Lakin at Innserve advised operators not to scrimp on cleaning materials.
He said: “Spend more. Sounds strange, but good quality cleaning chemicals will deliver a better result than cheaper ones and a modern cellar cooling unit will cost less to run than an older one.”
Cleaning isn’t the only important aspect of cellar management.
Lakin added: “As beer is a live product and all kegs and casks have best before dates, rotating your stock is key to avoid wastage.”
Top cellar tips
• Clean the cellar weekly
• Maintain at a temperature of 11˚C to 13˚C
• Only store beer in the cellar
• Clean beer lines regularly with quality line-cleaning materials
• Rotate stock and observe best before dates on kegs
• Always remember to clean keg connectors and tap nozzles
