All about beer - a few words about light beer, bottled beer, local and imported

Light lager, or German, beer is very well known in America and many other countries of the world, so I will limit myself to just a few comments regarding this drink. Beer requires the same close attention as wines, liqueurs, etc. Or maybe more than some of them. Whether it will have a cool, refreshing taste depends on how it is handled. Light beer should be stored at a constant temperature, depending on the season. For example, in the summer, before opening the barrel, it is kept at 5-8°C in a glacier for 3-4 days. I constantly remind and advise anyone who wants to sell light beer: pay attention to your icebox, it needs to be kept in good condition, filled with enough ice to maintain the required temperature at all times of the year. The icebox should be large enough to meet all the requirements of your business, and then you will have no problems providing your guests with good light German beer.

How to pour and serve light beer.

The most correct way to remove beer from a barrel using a glass or mug is to wait until it flows freely and then plug the hole.

If the beer is extracted by pipes, they must be made of very good material, such as English tinplate, and kept in a very clean condition. It became common to use carbonic acid or to apply constant high air pressure to the beer as it flowed through the pipes. Then it will not fizzle out along the way and will retain its fresh, pleasant taste. Particular attention should be paid to the tank containing air. It must be in exceptionally clean condition. If the tank is located in a place where the air is polluted, it is necessary to connect it through a pump using a pipe to an opening where access to clean air is provided. Dirty air makes beer taste bad and can even make people who drink it sick.

Beer left in the tube overnight should not be used. You definitely need to drain it early the next day. The air pressure on the beer should not be very high, as this slows down the flow rate of the drink, foaming it, and thereby making the bartender's work more difficult. If the air pressure is very high, there is a risk of rupture of the barrel and pipes connected to the tank. According to my observations, such explosions occur more often at night than during the day.

Before pouring beer from a barrel, the bartender should make sure that the prepared glassware is clean. After filling the mug, remove excess foam with a small ruler, this will protect the countertop and floor from excess moisture. When a visitor to your establishment orders a second serving of beer of the same type, use his mug without rinsing, because the beer in it will be even better than the previous one, both in color and taste. If a company of two or more people sitting at the bar asks to repeat an order, you should fill the mugs one at a time so as not to confuse them and cause dissatisfaction among visitors. This is what you should do if the bartender has free time. But during rush hour, it's best to place your used mug in a visible place and let guests know you're taking clean dishes. The same rule should be followed when serving visitors sitting at tables in the hall. I consider all these recommendations important when working with beer. Remember to always keep your beer cold in the summer and at the right temperature in the winter. Moreover, I strongly advise, if possible, not to use air pressure on the beer, as it will always develop a bad aftertaste and lose some of its true aroma. Of course, using pressurized carbonation is more expensive, but it is worth the cost because the beer stays fresh longer, the foam always bubbles, and guests are completely satisfied with its quality and taste. If your carbon dioxide tank and pipes are in good working order, as they should be, one cylinder will be enough for 10-15 barrels of beer.

About bottled beer, local and imported.

The handling methods for bottled beer are completely different. First of all, bottles should not be stored on ice, but only in a very cool place on your icebox and only in an upright position to avoid sediment forming in them. The responsibility of every bartender or waiter when working with bottled beer is to choose suitable and absolutely clean containers for it. This applies equally to both imported and locally produced beer. Lately, bottled beer has become very fashionable; it is ordered and purchased much more often than in previous years, especially in hotels and restaurants. Owners should stock all the best bottled beers as today's consumers demand quality and variety. However, I don't recommend overloading your inventory with too many bottles or sticking to one beer that's popular at the moment. The olderit becomes, the more it loses its taste. Bottled beer cannot be stored for more than two to three weeks in an icebox, and when selling, it is best to put it on the shelf in the first row as the first thing to be sold.

When opening a bottle of beer, the bartender must be careful and immediately remove small particles of cork from the neck using a clean towel or napkin.

To summarize, I want to emphasize that bottled beer should be handled with the same care as wine. Sloppiness and inattention, which, unfortunately, many bartenders are guilty of, are unacceptable here.

Cleaning tubes for light and dark beer.

Nowadays, almost every salon that sells light beer, ale or porter (dark beer) in barrels is equipped with a boiler, pipes, rubber stoppers and other devices that must be kept absolutely clean and tidy. This is easily done as follows; If a barrel of beer or ale is empty and it becomes necessary to clean its pipes, take one or two buckets of hot water and stir about 300 grams of soda into them. Pour the liquid into an empty barrel, tighten its valve and apply pressure to the internal volume. Then open the barrel tap and let the liquid drain through the tubes. When the barrel is empty, close the valve and pour several buckets of ordinary clean water into it. Open the valve and pressurize it through the tubes.

In this way, all pipes and connections can be washed easily and thoroughly. This procedure will provide guests with a pleasant smell of newly poured beer, and you will be confident that the equipment is in good condition. This cleaning should be done once or twice a week as the barrels are emptied.

Book by Harry Johnson.
Translation: Alexey Shaposhnikov /BARNEWS/