Seen as a legitimate way of maximizing the yield from a cask and helping the profitability of the landlord’s business, most if not all cask ale pubs used to do this. I say used, because for sometime now most of the big brewers have not encouraged landlords to continue this traditional practice.

Having spent the best part of 40 years working as a cellar man, now known as technician by the way, I have seen plenty of reasons why I think filtering back is not a good idea.

It used to go like this…Old Fred at the Dog and Spanner used to have a bucket. The bucket used to live behind the bar. Now into this bucket Old Fred used to put all sorts of beer from all sorts of places. Beer from his drip trays was one, another was beer people had left behind in glasses and not drunk, “Nowt up with that lad.” Sometimes the bucket used to live in the cellar and once again it used to attract all sorts of beer…beer from the bottom of casks, known as cask bottoms, full of spent hops. Sometimes if a cask of mild say was beginning to get a little light in colour due to all the bitter that had been added, Old Fred would add a couple of bottles of Guinness to darken things up a little. Yes this bucket certainly got around. At the end of a typical day the bucket would be quite full and put in a safe place in the cellar, uncovered, and left until time permitted filtering back or a suitable cask became available. I remember the very traditional dirty crust that used to form on these buckets and the wildlife that was attracted to this feast of free beer. The good old days eh!

Apart from contaminating the rest of the cask that beer is being filtered back into, there is a possibility of altering the ABV of the cask. If different products have been returned into the cask or too much beer returned the alcoholic content of the beer may be raised or lowered. If a weights and measures check is done and beer found not to be at the indicated ABV then there might be a risk of prosecution.

All in all despite the tradition behind the practice of filtering back I feel it should not be apart of modern cellar management. With cask beers being the only real growth area in today’s beer market, it is hoped that people will realise that filtering back may well jeopardize this. Consistency and quality are the key market drivers of cask ale sales. Any practice that affects these factors in a negative way should not be continued.

Related posts:

1. Cask Beer back on the bar
2. Cask beer…I wish I had the space (Vertical Stillage)
3. The things you find in beer cellars

In my career as a dispense engineer I have once or twice contemplated joining the National Union of Mine Workers, reasoning that I have probably spent more time underground than your average miner. So my knowledge of beer cellars and what lurks within them is quite extensive.

Too often the cellar becomes a dumping ground for everything. The results can be a nightmare. The clutter process usually begins when it is decided that the best place for the icemaker, chest freezer, fridge and post-mix machine would be in the cellar. Fine you may think out of the way and handy. Think again. Most beer cellars are refrigerated in order to keep the beers, both keg and cask in a controlled environment, to prolong shelf life and keep beers in condition.

The cellar cooling costs you money to run in terms of electricity and is an expensive and vital part of the beer system. So what you are doing in placing these machines within the cellar is rather like running an electric heater to counter the affect of the cellar cooling. It doesn’t make sense. However I appreciate sometimes you have no choice when space is at a premium. All that I am saying is that in a perfect world keep anything that creates heat out of the cellar if at all avoidable.

One day calling to repair a faulty gas pump, I found myself having to clamber over not just the usual casks and kegs, but a rather lovely Ducati motorbike. I love motor bikes so was completely happy to fix the gas pump and then spend ten minutes looking over this lovely bike. The smell of petrol, lingered with the odour of beer. Some might say a perfect match.  Being serious, the Ducati was extreme, but having anything in your cellar that contaminates the air with fumes, not just petrol, but even food can cause you major problems and affect you beer quality. Storing food, from onions to cooked meats, should be avoided. I know the cellar is nice and cold but you are running the risk of introducing bacteria and odours into your beers.

The question of filtering back cask beer is another area, which can present concerns if you want to keep things spick and span in the cellar. The practice of filtering back is discouraged by many brewers and is something I agree with. That aside if you do filter back don’t leave buckets of beer laying about the cellar. There is nothing worse than the smell of sour beer, which has been forgotten about. If you cannot filter back quickly then get rid of it. Inndoctor constantly bangs on about hygiene and with good reason. Keeping your cellar tidy and clean is a must if you want to sell consistently good quality beer.

If you treat your cellar with the respect it deserves your daily routines of beer line cleaning, stock rotation and general cellar husbandry will be a lot easier and dare I say enjoyable.

There are other issues concerning tidiness in the cellar I haven’t touched on, but I think I can hear the groans from here, so I will end the lecture and get back to my paid work. Now if I could just find my car keys, I know they are here somewhere……….

Related posts:

1. Why is there different coloured pipe in Pub Cellars?
2. Beer Cellar Refrigeration
3. Filtering back cask beer

You know the old saying,”you are never to old to learn”well dear reader that certainly applies to me. The other day whilst doing a beer line clean and waiting for the lines to soak, I was standing having a brew behind the bar dreaming about spending my imaginary lotto winnings on this and that, when I happened to notice the usual glass full of cask sparklers and diffusers soaking away in water. Great I thought ,just as it should be. But hold hold on, taking a closer look at one of the diffusers in the glass what did I see, yes you’ve guested it, yeast!

The perceived methodology for cleaning sparklers and diffusers, the bits that make your beer creamy, usually fitted toTetley, Guinness, Boddys taps etc, is to soak them in fresh water or as some prefer carbonated water. I have often told my customers to do this very thing and as far as I know it is common practice.

What I noticed when examining these diffusers was a build up of yeast on the inside behind the diffuser disc. I have since checked other diffusers in other accounts and found more or less the same thing. So what does this mean? Well to me it means the practice of just soaking diffusers overnight in water does not work, and that bacteria and yeast are untouched by this process. You may think that a bit of yeast might not do any harm since once the beer is in the glass it will be drunk soon enough. The point is any beer passing through these devices will be tainted with wild yeast and will perhaps have off flavours, or appear to be less bright than it should be. Whats the point of having the cleanest beer lines in Britain if yeast is lurking at the tap.

Anyway can I suggest that you have a look at your diffusers and check for this problem.

Can I also take this opportunity to apologist to all those people I have wrongly instructed over the years, please forgive an old man…..

I think there may be a better way of doing this necessary job. When cleaning your beer lines and you are pulling detergent through, fill a drip tray or other suitable container with the detergent mix, I wouldn’t recommend using a beer glass as this could be dangerous. Then place all sparklers and diffusers in to it. Soak for the same time as your lines and then thoroughly rinse. Hey presto, the yeast is gone. For the rest of the week or until you clean your lines again use the old method of soaking in fresh water.

Well as I say “You are never to old to learn”.

If you know a better way of doing this job or you have any other hot tips, please let us know, even old F**ts like us at Inn Doctor don’t know everything.

Related posts:

1. My keg beer is cloudy
2. Glass Care
3. Test your beer glasses

If you look through the pages of Inndoctor you will see the importance we place on good beer line cleaning procedures in the cellar. The basic methodology is quite simple and is covered in some detail on this site.

However there is an area which we believe we have not covered and that is the question of leaving beer lines soaking in beer line cleaning fluid over night. It seems plausible to think that a good long soak will get rid of all the yeast and bacteria in one easy hit. Not so.

Equally the old chestnut of using hot water to clean beer lines is another recurring question.

The reasons for not doing either of the above mentioned are quite simple and I will explain further.

Firstly let us take a closer look at the beer line itself. The inside of a standard beer pipe has a special microscopic lining which is designed to stop the beer becoming tainted with polypropylene tastes as it passes through. This lining is quite fragile and leaving it in contact with beer line cleaner for extended periods can strip it away,  allowing a plasticised taste to form in the beer. Equally hot water and beer line cleaner should not be used for the same reason. Hot water can damage beer cooler components, tap seals and pumps as well. Another reason why prolonged soaking of beer lines does not work is that after 15 to 20 minutes the beer line cleaner losses it’s effectiveness and becomes less potent. Overnight soaking can also lead to beer coolers freezing the product coils, stopping service and requiring a breakdown call.

All brewers recommend the practice of leaving beer lines soaking overnight is avoided. Once damaged, beer pipes cannot be repaired and have to be replaced, costing hundreds of pounds.

So the simple answer is, read the label on the beer line cleaning fluid container and stick to the instructions. If for some reason you feel your beer lines are badly contaminated with yeast and require a deep clean, contact your brewery technical services for their advice.

Related posts:

1. My keg beer is cloudy
2. Beer Line Rescue
3. Something to think about

As well as putting the old decorations up, dragging the Christmas tree from behind the boiler and hanging dear old Santa over the mantle piece, we need to be pro-active with ensuring that are beers are presented in tip top condition. OK, you say, I have studied all the boring stuff on Inndoctor and my beer is absolutely brilliant, no problems there, but what about your glasses. Well they seem clean enough to me you might say!

Well they may look clean but to ensure your beers are presented totally at their best, you must Renovate them. That is, to use one of the many beer glass renovation products that are available to thoroughly clean all the acrued grease and dirt fom your glasses. For those who already do this on a regular basis, we at Inndoctor salute you, it’s nice to know someone is reading all the stuff we write. Anyway back to the lecture, yes if you can’t remember the last time you Renovated then it is time to get it done.

There is no point in doing this job shelf by shelf over a few days. You must do all your glasses at the same time, otherwise as people migrate from room to room glasses get mixed up and you cannot ensure all glasses have been done.

The benefits to you are easily apparent, creamy heads, heads that last and lacing on the glass are some that you will see right away. More importantly your customers will see this as well and show their appreciation by buying lots more beer.

So, when your barmaid says she has nothing to do, get her doing this easy but worthwhile job, it will pay you dividends…..Here endeth the lecture.

Bye the way renovation is not just for Christmas, do it regularly. Now where is our plastic Rudolf?

Related posts:

1. My keg lager is losing its head
2. Glass Care
3. Test your beer glasses

It's snowing

Here at Inndoctor we are fed up listening to the same old doom and gloom. If we hear another reference to “50 pubs a week closing”we will lock ourselves in our virtual cellar and get virtually plastered. Anyway the thought arises that despite the “50 pubs…………” thing, we believe that as the economy recovers some, not all closed pubs, will be seen as a viable business again.

With pub chains, chains being a very appropriate word for these companies, dumping pubs, and more freehold premises coming on the market, now might be a time to grab a bargain. As Inndoctor concerns itself with the practical beer dispense side of things, we wondered about the problems of reopening a pub that has been closed for some time.

A major priority would have to be reinstating the neglected beer dispense system. Gone are the days we suspect of just picking the phone up and ringing the brewery and demanding new beer lines and taps.

Like everyone else, even the mighty brewers are watching their pennies. The answer might be a polite go away. So what are you to do? Well most brewers offer a one off special clean , to restore beer lines, which we believe to be very expensive. The cost we feel is pitched to discourage people from neglecting their beer lines in the first place.

You are planning on opening quickly, money is tight, the paint is still drying in the gents toilet and the new carpets have been fitted, but your beer quality is poor. What can I do? Well shop around on the Internet is the answer. We have discovered one or two companies that will do a full Beer Line Rescue service for a great deal less than the brewers. The brewers can sometimes charge up to £25 per beer line, a lot of money if you have a large pub. Our research shows that small independent companies will do this Beer Line Rescue service for a great deal less, saving you lots of cash when you need it most. Typically they will charge you between £10 and £15 pounds per line.

Beer quality is paramount whether you are opening or reopening a pub. It is false economy to neglect cleaning your beer lines. Get your beer quality right and you are starting on the right footing. Anyway the beer lines are clean in our virtual cellar……we hope. We just might have to do a virtual beer line rescue.

Related posts:

1. Something to think about
2. Beer line cleaning using a gas pump
3. Beer Line Cleaning Instructions using a gas pump cleaning system with 1 or 2 cleaning containers

• 1.1 Switch off inline flash coolers.
• 1.2 Fill water cleaning container with water.
• 1.3 Turn off gas supply to keg couplers.
• 1.4 Connect keg couplers to cleaning main and press to open position.
• 1.5 Turn on cleaning main gas pump.
• 1.6 Unscrew sparklers from dispense taps and immerse in a receptacle containing diluted detergent.
• 1.7 Place a receptacle under each dispense tap.
• 1.8 Flush through system until all traces of beer are removed.

2.0 Detergent Soak

• 2.1 Measure the correct quantity of pipe cleaning liquid into the detergent cleaning container, if seperate detergent container is available and fill with cold water, mixing thoroughly.If only one container is available reuse water container.
• 2.2 If using a cleaning main with 2 containers, turn the selector cock from water to detergent container.
• 2.3 Fill the system with detergent solution.
• 2.4 If a fob detector or beer monitor is fitted, the manual vent valve must be opened for a few seconds to allow detergent solution to flow down the vent pipe.
• 2.5 Allow dispense equipment to soak for 15 minutes.
• 2.6 After 15 minutes pull fresh cleaning fluid through system again.
• 2.7 Rinse out cleaning fluid container thoroughly with fresh water and refill with fresh water or use seperate fresh water container if available.

3.0 Final Rinse

• 3.1 If using a cleaning main with 2 containers, turn the selector cock from detergent to water container.
• 3.2 Flush out the system with at least 2 gallons of water per dispenser.
• 3.3 Flush through system until all traces of detergent are removed.
• 3.4 Check with litmus paper supplied with cleaning fluid if available.
• 3.5 If a fob detector or beer monitor is fitted, open the manual vent valve to rinse detergent from the vent pipe.
• 3.6 Turn off gas supply to cleaning pump.
• 3.7 Reconnect keg couplers to beer containers in use.
• 3.8 Turn on gas supply to beer containers.
• 3.9 Switch on inline flash coolers.
• 3.lO Flush through system until all traces of water are removed.
• 3.11Rinse sparklers in running water and refit to dispense taps.
• 3.12Drain and rinse cleaning containers, and replace caps.
• 3.13Pull through to beer and test for clarity and taste.
• The outside of the beer pipes may be cleaned with a warm damp cloth.

Here are some of our recommended beer line cleaning products:

Prosan Plus A good all round cleaner for use with lightly soiled systems.Product uses special tracer dye that indicates the presence of yeast.
www.proton-group.co.uk

Protinate A very good product designed for use with heavily yeast contaminated systems.
www.proton-group.co.uk

Bactosol A good all round cleaner for use with lightly soiled systems.
www.johnsondiversey.com

CHASER an effective and proven total beer dispense system cleaner/steriliser. Rapidly breaks down yeast and protein .Avoids beer stone deposit. Suitable for use in all hardnesses of water. Maintaining effective hygiene to ensure quality of both Cask / Keg beers to the Glass. Acknowledged by International Breweries
www.klenzan.co.uk/

More safety information and advice on line cleaning
www.solihull.gov.uk/Attachments/ Beerline_cleaner_info_sheet.pdf

Related posts:

1. Something to think about
2. Use of Chemicals
3. Beer Line Rescue

• A simple and effective way of testing your glasses for cleanliness is easy to do.
• Take a glass from the shelf and fill it with cold water.
• Dry the outside of the glass.
• Drain the glass over a sink.
• With the glass held upside down check to see if the remaining water breaks into beads or droplets. If so this might indicate that your glasses are contaminated with grease or detergent residue.
• If the remaining water drains away in one continuous sheet or film then your glass is probably clean.

Related posts:

1. My keg lager is losing its head
2. Glass Care
3. Beer line cleaning using a gas pump

• Often the most neglected item in the bar, a dirty glass can ultimately destroy all your hard work and care in trying to serve the perfect pint .We cannot overstate the importance of a good glass washing regime in all types of bar.
• Bearing in mind how much glasses get used it is quite understandable they can get pretty grotty.

Why are clean glasses such an important part of serving a perfect pint?

• A dirty glass can transmit disease.
• Grease on the glass will affect the appearance of your beer and make it serve flat.
• A clean glass will enhance the appearance of your beer.

So how do we keep our glasses properly clean?

• We recommend that you purchase a good glass washing machine .You might think you can clean your glasses in a sink with a drop of Fairy liquid, and that will do .Not so. Firstly many Environmental Health Officers may not approve of such methods. Secondly it does not work.
• In the modern bar environment it is essential to have a proper consistent method of washing glassware .A glass washing machine used correctly can guarantee such results always.
• When using a glass washer it is important to have it regularly serviced. Correct glass washing detergents and rinse aids should be used and periodically a glass renovator.
• A glass renovator product used perhaps every 4 weeks will remove any accrued grease and dirt and put your glasses in pristine condition. Only use glass washers for dirty glasses, preferably beer glasses only. Other drinks glasses that have been used for creamy liqueurs such as Baileys may contaminate the glass washer with grease. Never put dirty dishes or coffee cups in the glass washer.
• Glass storage is a vital component of good glass care. There is no point in having wonderfully clean glasses only to stack them on a dirty shelf.
• Glass storage mats should be used on all surfaces where glasses are stored .It is best practice to let glasses dry naturally and not use cloths; these may transfer grease or germs.

And finally

• Glasses do not last forever, if they become scratched get new ones, they are cheap enough and will make your beers look great.

Here are some of our recommended Glass Care products:

ULTRGLIDE PLUS Cabinet glass wash detergent. Excellent cleaning with no foam. -no blooming.- free rinsing- gentle on glassware.
www.klenzan.co.uk/

REVIVE Glass refurbishment- free flowing powder- Return ” SPARKLE ” to the glass- Removal of non rinseable films .Will not effect beer head retention. Use manual or automatic cabinet glass wash machines. Improves glass presentation. Handy pack 2.5 kg. tub.
www.klenzan.co.uk/

Related posts:

1. My keg lager is losing its head
2. Test your beer glasses
3. Glasswasher – keep it clean

• Always -Have available COSHH information sheets for all chemicals used {contact your supplier for further information}.
• Always -Store cleaning chemicals out of childrens reach.
• Always -Keep chemicals in the suppliers container until needed for use.
• Always -Rinse clean measuring vessel immediately after use.
• Always -Use manufacturers measuring vessel where supplied.
• Always -Wear protective goggles ,gloves and apron when handling chemicals.
• Never -Put cleaning chemicals into containers intended for other products including aluminium containers.
• Never -Put cleaning chemicals into cups or glasses ; they may be drunk in error.
• Never -Use cleaning chemicals for any purpose other than that for which they are supplied.
• Never -Mix chemicals with one another.

Related posts:

1. Beer line cleaning using a gas pump
2. Beer Line Cleaning Instructions using a gas pump cleaning system with 1 or 2 cleaning containers