Cellar to glass: serving perfection
1. Fobbing
There is a direct correlation between beer temperature and pressure. Tech services presume, when setting the pressures on the secondary reducing valves (SRV), that the beer will be at 12ºC and it can take 48 hours for a 22-gallon keg to reach that temperature. If the temperature of the beer is lower or higher than this, there will be fobbing.
2. Speed of dispense
Make sure you know how long it should take to pour a pint of lager and a keg ale. If it takes longer than it should on a busy night you will be slow at serving and this will lead to queues at the bar and staff working under unnecessary pressure. This, in turn, leads to errors, spillages and reduces the amount of money going into the till.
3. Slow dispense
Whether it's a gas issue or a temperature issue it is more than likely to result in a fobbing issue. You can reduce the speed of pour to limit fobbing during quiet periods but it will come back to haunt you when you are busy.
4. Temperature in the glass
Do you know what it should be? Extra cold is 3º to 5ºC, standard lagers 5º to 7ºC, keg ales/stout 6º to 8ºC degrees and cask ales 12ºC. If your beer is too warm on a quiet day the system will almost inevitably break down on a busy night.
5. Clean glasses
Dirty glasses will cause the head to collapse and affect the appearance of the beer.
6. Glass management system
With so many different branded glasses nowadays it is vital to have a system to prevent the pub running out of clean glasses with customers having to wait and beer being served in warm, or not properly cleaned glasses.
7. Clean cellar
The cellar should be washed down regularly and kept clean and free from foodstuffs. High cellar standards are particularly important for cask ale. For every pint of liquid served, a pint of air is sucked into the barrel. If the air smells foul, the pint will not taste good.
8. Correct pressure
Ensure the correct pressure is set for the beer on dispense. It varies from beer to beer and if the wrong beer is attached it will constantly fob.
9. Throughput
Make sure there is enough volume going through every font on the bar so the beer is fresh. If needs be, reduce your selection.
10. Clean lines
Are your lines not just clean, but spotless? If not, the build-up of yeast will cause all sorts of beer quality and service problems.
Ed Theakston is drinks quality manager at Scottish & Newcastle Pub Enterprises
