Exploding beer video goes viral

By Nikkie Sutton

- Last updated on GMT

Top tips: make sure your beer is served at its best
Top tips: make sure your beer is served at its best

Related tags Keg Cask ale Brewing

A viral video of an exploding beer keg from a German brewer has prompted the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) chair Buster Grant to give advice on ensuring beer quality.

Brauerei & Gasthof Zwanzger brewery posted a video on its Facebook page showing the keg being tapped with a mallet before exploding.

Grant, who was elected as SIBA chair in February​, has more than 16 years’ experience in the trade and has been heavily involved in SIBA since his first election to the board in 2008.

Time to settle

The Brecon Brewing owner gave his top tips to The Morning Advertiser ​on how to prepare beer correctly and to avoid a similar beer rupture.

He said: “Make sure the cask has had time to settle. With cask beer this could mean you have to vent it, which will release pressure inside.

“This is done through the shive hole at the top of the cask and once it has been vented, you would usually allow 12 to 24 hours for it to settle.

“It is to allow the beer to settle but also for the final conditioning process to take place as, as soon as a beer has been opened, it will tend to be quite green and there could be a sulphurous smell."

Check the beer

He added: “A strong smell of sulphur is a good indication that the beer is green and isn’t quite ready yet so give it a bit more time to vent and then it will be perfect.

“Clean the tap and the keystone (small fitting used in ale casks) and then give the beer a little more time to settle.

“Check the beer by pouring it into the glass to ensure it is bright and tastes good before you connect it up to your beer line and go.”

Related topics Beer Ale & Stout

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