Back to Basics: glass care

It's official - four out of every 10 glasses in pubs are dirty.

The shock statistic comes from Cask Marque, the beer quality accreditation body which checks the cleanliness of glassware as part of the 14,000 pub visits it makes in the course of a year. As well as a visual inspection, water break tests are carried out (see diagram on opposite page) and the results recorded.

"Our analysis shows that more than 40 per cent of glassware is in need of attention," says Paul Nunny, director of Cask Marque. "Customers frequently drink with their eyes, and poor presentation will cause them to drink elsewhere.

"And, apart from the appearance, dirty glasses affect the quality of the product served in them, particularly beer, which comes up flat and lifeless."Here Cask Marque supplies some some simple solutions to this surprisingly widespread problem.

Free guide

For a free copy of the Cask Marque troubleshooting guide or Glasscare Charter to hang by the side of your glasswashing machine ring Cask Marque on 01206 752212 or email info@cask-marque.co.uk

Glassware problems

- Dirty glasses with residual food particles

- Streaky or spotted glasses

- Poor head retention

- Cloudy film caused by mineral deposits

- Brown protein deposits

- Film baked on by excess temperatures

- Lipstick marks

- 'Raindrops' adhering to clean glasses on removal from machine

- Chemical odour and taste

Glasswashers

There are two types of cabinet glass washing machines: those which recycle the wash water and those which replace it after each cycle. The water in recycled wash machines must be drained manually by removing a stand pipe at the end of each working day or when the wash water has become heavily soiled.

Operation is otherwise similar:

- Remove lipstick smears from glasses before placing in the machine

- Ensure wash and rinse tanks always reach their operational temperatures before use, typically 55°C (wash) and 65°C (rinse). Wash cycle temperatures that are too high will result in permanent damage to the appearance of the glasses, giving them a bluish tinge around the lip.

- Use only detergent and rinse aid products specifically formulated for cabinet glasswashers

- Ensure the machine is maintained regularly by the supplier

- Check the level of detergent and rinse aid in the containers on a regular basis and ensure they are correctly connected to the machine

- Check rotating arms spin freely

- Make sure filters are cleaned and spray jets cleared of blockages daily

- Allow adequate drying and cooling time for glassware before using washed glasses

- Leave the door of the machine open at the end of the working day. Closing the door will encourage the growth of micro-organisms

- Don't wash ashtrays, crockery or crystal glasses in the glasswasher.

Glass renovation

A specially formulated chemical, which goes by the brand name Renovate, goes some way towards bringing glassware back into condition. All new glasses need to be renovated as they are covered in residue from the manufacturing process. After that, you can tell whether your glasses need further renovating by carrying out a water break test.

But bear in mind that Renovate deals with the symptoms of poor glass washing, not the cause. If glasses are continually renovated they will be damaged. If this happens call out a specialist glasswashing engineer.

Troubleshooting

John Nelson of dish and glasswashing specialist Nelson conducted a survey of users who actively followed its guidelines. It showed that both efficiency and glass presentation improved by 44 per cent. Here, John suggests solutions to the problems most frequently encountered by his customers.

Glasses don't dry properly after removing them from the glasswasher

Something is adhering to the glasses stopping the water drying off as normal. It could be that staff are using a tea towel to finish glasses and if this has been washed using fabric conditioner an oily film will be transferred to the glass which will not necessarily be removed by the wash cycle. Alternatively, the rinse cycle might not be generating sufficient water to remove all the detergent. If this is the case a booster pump may be required. Another basic cause of this is that the detergent and/or rinse aid containers are not filled or are blocked.

Customers complain their beer looks flat, even though there's nothing wrong with it

The solution could be as simple as changing your glassware. You may have been using toughened glasses which have a very smooth texture and are not conducive to achieving a good head on your beer. Otherwise, your rinse aid and/or detergent dosage might be set too high meaning that a residue is left in the glasses.If neither of these is the case, it could be that oils are getting into the machine from another source. See if staff are putting coffee cups in with glasses (cream and milk might be present) or it could be grease from food such as crisps and nuts.

There are brownish deposits on some glasses, despite washing them in the proper way

This sounds like yeast build-up. The problem will lie with your glasswasher. It is an especially common problem with older models which harbour lots of bacteria in nooks and crannies. Yeast loves warm, damp conditions so kill it off by leaving your machine door open overnight. If this doesn't work try increasing the detergent dose slightly.

As a final resort you may need to use a renovating chemical to remove all traces of yeast from the glasses and the machine.

Glasses have a cloudy appearance which is very unattractive and they feel almost chalky to the touch

This could be caused by one of two reasons. You could be using too much detergent and rinse aid causing a chemical build-up - or there could be an excess of minerals in your water supply. Water quality differs throughout the UK, so apart from moving the only thing you can do is to fit a demineralising cartridge. This is an effective but relatively costly remedy so we strongly recommend you call in a machine expert before taking this decision.

Glasses are fast being destroyed by the glasswasher. They have a scratched, frosty appearance which seems to have penetrated the glass

This is etching, a natural process that will happen to all glasses over time. If it is happening fast, however, you need to slow the process down. Make sure you are using the chemicals recommended by your glasswashing supplier. Etching is frequently aggravated by people 'saving money' and changing to cheap brands which are highly caustic and eat into the glass surface.

Sitting in high temperatures will accelerate the etching process too, so try taking the glasses out of the machine as soon as the cycle has finished.As a last resort change your brand of glasses. Some are more prone to etching than others.

Do's and don'ts

Do

• Ensure that a clean dry glass is used for every drink served
• Ensure you have enough glasses to allow adequate drying time
• Store glasses in cool, dust-free conditions on a ventilated surface

Don't

• Stack glasses on glasses. Store upside down on smooth, impervious surfaces
• Use chemical detergents, laundry treatments or polishes
• Wash drinking glasses with other items such as crockery, cutlery, ashtrays or bar equipment