The Joy of Beer Clean Glassware

How clean is beer-clean? Pretty darned clean. That’s how clean it is. Beer clean goes beyond the basic health department standard for sanitized glassware. A glass can technically be sanitary yet not beer clean. Beer clean is a higher, very important standard to craft beer service.

How important is beer clean to craft beer service in a restaurant or bar? The Brewers Association (BA) states that a “perfectly poured beer requires a properly cleaned glass,” and we agree. The Cicerone Certification Program strongly stresses the importance of beer clean glassware even in its basic level Beer Server Certification Exam. Everyone in the know puts a major emphasis on this.

Indicators of beer clean vs. dirty

A good indicator of a dirty beer glass is finding patches of small bubbles (carbonation) forming on the inside wall of a glass full of beer. A beer clean glass should have no bubbles forming on the sides of the glass. Those bubbles are a sign that the glass has not been properly cleaned.

A dirty beer glass can cause the following:

• A headless beer caused by a chemical film or grease residue on the glass that attacks the beer’s effervescence causing it to quickly dissipate.
• A bad odor or taste caused by a film or residue stuck to the glass from improper cleaning or added to the glass by dirty dishwater, improper dishwashing chemicals, or improper handling.
• A gag response when the drinkers discover the lipstick on the rim of the glass is not theirs.

Proper beer clean procedures important

Proper beer-glass washing, rinsing, sanitizing, drying, storage, and handling all have a role to play in beer clean. An establishment should pay attention to these points:

• Use appropriate detergents and sanitizers in the correct concentrations designed for beer glassware.
• Always keep rinse water fresh and clean.
• Rigorously follow proper washing procedures
• Drain and air dry beer glasses on a proper, clean draining mat or rack or heat dry in an automatic glass washer.
• Do not wipe dry or polish glassware with towels. This can actually transfer lint, aroma, or films to the glass from the towel. A properly washed and rinsed glass does not require wiping.
• Store beer glassware upside down in clean glass racks (or for footed glasses, hanging by their feet in overhead racks) away from sinks, dirty dishes, and food preparation areas.
• Remind bar and wait staff that aromas can easily be transferred to a glass by an employee who has recently applied a perfumed hand lotion.

Step by step instructions

For step-by-step instructions to the cleaning process, check out this concise video from Miller Coors narrated by Pete Coors.

An important part of beer service

Having beer clean glassware is yet another way for a bar or restaurant to differentiate itself and show it cares about beer service. It may seem at first like a small thing, but it is a feature that will be greatly appreciated by craft beer drinking customers. Certainly, any establishment calling itself a “craft beer bar” or one featuring mostly craft and local beer should go above and beyond to ensure it is offering beer clean glassware.

If you are served a beer in what appears to be a non-beer-clean glass, don’t let it slide, but politely bring it to the attention of the bar manager. They may not be aware of the proper protocol for beer-clean glassware and may need to get their procedures up to snuff. Give them a chance to correct the problem. You are paying good money for a craft or local beer. You deserve to have it served in a beer clean glass. Period.

LINKS

Cicerone Certification Program Beer Clean Guide

CraftBeer.com article on beer clean