OFF-TASTE BEER
Often bitter and bitey, sometimes completely odor, carrying an unpleasant taste.
Beer lines should be flushed after each barrel is empty. Maintain fresh, Clean, sanitary
conditions at bar. Smoke, kitchen odors, fly sprays, and disinfectants will harm the tast
and flavor of beer, making it unpalatable. These conditions, as described, may come
from an air source, or from actual contact with the glass at bar.
Causes Corrections
1)
Improper, or no cleaning of coils, hose,
leads, and direct draw system.
1)
Coils should be thoroughly cleaned at least once a
week.
Brush and clean faucet. (see Wild Beer, Correction #2)
Taps, rods, and tap-Seal fitting should all be scoured,
using a detergent, then rinsed clean.
Direct draw Systems must be cleaned the same as coil
systems: 4 feet of direct draw line accumulates as much
per foot as any other system.
2)
Contaminated Air Line. Defective Thomas
or Tongue Bents.
2)
Air hoses, air lines and vents, should be examined,
and if contaminated, replaced.
Dirty air lines should be washed with a good cleaning
compound, normally used for cleaning coils, and
then rinsed clean.
3)
Rubber hose will absorb and retain odors.
3)
Rubber hose will absorb and retain odors. An
approved Vinyl tubing is best for air since it does
not absorb moisture, and is not affected by oily
substances.
A fresh, outdoor, air line is imperative when air is
the source of pressure.
4)
Unfiltered air, Air is moisture ridden or oily.
4)
Air must always be filtered.
See Flat Beer, Correction #8 for moisture ridden air.
SOUR BEER
May taste and smell extremely yeasty, or moldy.
Causes Corrections
1)
Contaminated Air Line.
1)
See Cloudy Beer, Correction #3
See Off-Taste Beer, Correction #2
See Flat Beer, Correction #7
2)
Improper transportation of barrels of beer,
Beer delivered on open truck, during high
summer temperatures, may be the cause
for starting secondary fermentation.
2)
If at all possible, deliver beer barrels in closed body,
refrigerated truck. If open staked body truck is used,
cover barrels with a tarpaulin for protection against
summer heat, and circulating warm air.
Truck should never be loaded the night before
morning delivery, unless beer is refrigerated in truck.
3)
No refrigeration, and improper rotation.
3)
The rule is first barrel in, first tapped.
Refrigeration must be left on winter or summer.
Sour beer is generated as a result of secondary
fermentation, above 45 degrees. Retail outlets that
do not have refrigeration should ice up barrels, or at
least cover barrels with tarpaulin or burlap bags.
Best temperature for barrels is 38°to 40°.
WILD BEER
Beer, when drawn, is all foam, or too much foam, and not enough liquid beer.
Causes Corrections
1)
Improper drawing beer into glass.
1)
Open faucet quickly and completely.
Check and find the correct distance to hold glass from
faucet when drawing. Proper foam should be a tight,
creamy head, and the collar on the average glass
should be“3/4”to “1” high.
2)
Yeast growth, or other obstructions in faucet.
Worn faucet parts and worn faucet washers.
2)
Clean faucet spout with a good brush daily. Scour
all internal faucet parts at least once a week.
Replace worn washers as required. If faucet does
not open wide, worn parts or entire faucet must be
replaced.
3)
Kinks, dents, or twists in coils, or direct draw
lines: obstructions in line, near, or behind
faucet.
3)
Check for, and replace kinked, dented, or twisted
line from barrel to faucet.
Examine for frayed coupling washer behind faucet
that may cause obstruction.
4)
Sag, or trap in line.
4)
Keep all metal beer lines straight from barrel to
faucet; never permit lines to sag, as this creates
traps that may cause wild beer.
5)
Beer too warm at faucet;
Beer too warm in Coil System.
Beer too warm in Air Shaft System.
5)
Temperature at faucet must always be at least 2
degrees colder than at barrel.
In sweet-water refrigerated, or ice-water system,
faucet shank must always be submerged.
In Cold Air System, the coldest air from the blower
must first be directed to the faucet, and then
circulated back to pre-cooler.
6)
Hot spots in line.
6)
Insulate all beer lines; a long beer run must be
constantly refrigerated. Insulation helps. But
insulation is not refrigeration.
Keep all beer lines away from hot water pipes, hot air
ducts, and steam lines. A cold steam pipe in the
summer is a hot steam pipe in the winter.
7)
Pre-Cooler, or Direct Draw Dispenser, too
warm.
7)
It is always summer indoors and in the basement,
therefore, maintain pre-cooler, and direct draw
dispenser temperature at 40 all year round. If direct
draw temperature cannot be lowered, increase applied
pressure; however, balance the system by changing to
smaller diameter length of vinyl tubing or install a foam
control faucet.
Never shut off refrigeration day or night.
8)
No cold storage space for delivered beer;
beer becomes warm in barrel.
8)
Coil systems, and direct draw systems, must be properly
balanced in order to apply pressure required for warmest
temperature to which barrels of beer will be exposed.
A control beer faucet can be used in place of a restricted
coil to balance system.
9)
Too much air pressure.
9)
Check source of pressure. Adjust pressure to suit properly
balanced system. For correct beer flow, fill a 10 oz. Glass
in 4 seconds at proper temperature.
Check and replace a creeping regulator and gauge.
