How to... look after cask beer

The first 'How to' guide in The Publican's Beer Matters series focused on an aspect of beer quality that won't be considered a chore, the need for licensees to taste their beer to ensure its quality. In this, the second 'How to', the task is a little more arduous but no less important.

The importance of looking after cask beer, from cellar maintenance to pouring perfect pints, comes home in the fact that it guarantees profits from the beer category.

Most of the messages found on this page will have been heard before, but Beer Matters partner Greene King believes they can never be over-stressed.

To spice things up a bit, here you will find a competition that will reward your knowledge of looking after cask beer with the chance to win a top prize.

Answer the multiple choice questions found at the end of each section and you could get Greene King to pay for your pub to go through the Cask Marque accreditation scheme, or for your accreditation to be renewed.

With many of the answers found in the text, it couldn't be simpler to get beer mattering more for you.

Cellar temperature

It is imperative to keep your cellar cool to make sure you are storing your cask beer in optimum condition and avoid problems at the point of dispense. According to Greene King, cellar temperature should be checked daily and it should be 11-13°C.

1. What is the effect of high temperature in the cellar?

A​ The beer will be ready to serve earlier

B​ It makes the beer taste better

C​ It makes the beer fob

2. Should I turn my cellar cooling system off at night?

A​ Yes, its saves money

B​ No, it compromises quality and loses money in the long run

C​ Sometimes

Cellar hygiene

Cellar hygiene is just as important as kitchen hygiene. Cask beer is a fresh, live food product. To make certain it doesn't spoil, it is essential to keep your cellar in tip-top condition. The cellar should be well-ventilated by opening its door for a single 10-minute period once daily.

3. When should you clean up beer spillages?

A​ Daily

B​ When mould starts to grow

C​ Immediately

4. What can be stored in temperature-controlled cellars?

A​ Beer products only

B​ Fruit and vegetables

C​ Fresh garlic mayonnaise

Equipment and line clean

To avoid the growth of bacteria and to produce clean, fresh-tasting beer, it is essential that equipment is kept spotlessly clean and stored correctly. Don't compromise: clean the beer lines using the correct procedures and strength of detergent.

5. How often should you clean lines?

A​ When changing a cask

B​ Once every seven days

C​ When the beer tastes off

6. How do you ensure the correct strength of the line cleaning detergent used?

A​ Use it neat from the container

B​ Use one measure per 10 litres of water

C​ Read the instructions then use a measuring jug to calculate

Cask preparation

In order to produce sparkling beer and provide maximum yields, it is essential that the correct procedures are followed. Using a traditional stillage, casks should be positioned perfectly level with the shive and keystone vertically aligned. This will ensure correct conditioning. Casks should be tilted before closing every day to maximise yields.

7. When should a cask be tilted on a traditional stillage?

A​ At the end of the trading day, when ideally the cask is two thirds full

B​ When you can't get any more beer out of it

C​ When placed on stillage

8. To avoid contamination with bacteria, how should you store clean taps?

A​ In a bucket of water

B​ Dry in a sealed container

C​ Taps are self-cleaning

The perfect serve

By serving the perfect pint each time, you will give your customers a good experience and have them coming back again and again. Never use glasses that are anything less than perfectly clean and never warm ones straight out of the washer. Take care not to warm the beer by holding the glass high up when pouring.

9. To serve the perfect pint every time:

A​ Use a warm glass straight from the glass washer

B​ Use a clean and cool glass

C​ Always refill the customers' glass

10. To pour the perfect pint, you should hold the glass:

A​ By the brim

B​ Standing on the drip tray

C​ By the lower half of the glass

How to enter the competition

Send in your answers and, if they're correct, you will be entered into a prize draw to win a Cask Marque accreditation worth £160. If you are already accredited by the scheme, which presents a plaque to pubs serving quality beer, Greene King will pay for your re-application upon its expiry.

Closing date for entries is August 10, 2009, and The Publican's usual competition rules apply. Email your answers to JoannaKreckler@greeneking.co.uk​ or post them to: Joanna Kreckler, Greene King, Abbot House, Westgate Brewery, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 1QT.

The winner and the answers to the questions will be revealed in the next 'How to' guide, in The Publican's August 24 issue.