|
Draught beer is packaged in kegs of many sizes. The most common
is a half barrel containing approximately 15.5 gallons or 1,984
ounces (nearly seven cases). Following is the best way to handle
and serve draught in your operation:
Fresh draught tastes best.
• Rotate your stock …always sell the oldest kegs first.
• Don’t stock new deliveries on top or in front of barrels
already in the cooler.
• The shelf life for A-B draught kegs is
50 days from the Born On date.
• Regularly check Born On dates to serve fresh-tasting draught.
 Temperature
is important.
• Draught is best if it is kept cold at all times.
• The best temperature range for draught coolers is 36°-38°
F.
• Draught stored over 45° F may spoil and turn cloudy.
• If draught storage is too cold (below 36° F), it will
pour slowly with little foam head, it may look cloudy, and it will
have less flavor and aroma.
• If stored over 42° F, draught will draw wild or foamy
from the faucet.
To do:
• Check cooler temperatures daily by placing accurate thermometers
in glasses of water allowed to chill overnight.
• Remind employees and delivery reps to keep the cooler door
closed to minimize temperature loss.
• Avoid stacking warm goods near cold kegs.
• Never stack other items on top of full kegs.
• Avoid storing kegs against the wall of the cooler, thus reducing
air circulation.
Deliveries
• Kegs should be placed immediately into the cooler.
• Ideally, coolers should be used only for draught, not for
other foods.
Drinking Temperature
Most people like their draught at 38°-40° F. If your glasses
are thick, and the keg temperature exceeds 40° F, drinkers will
get warm draught.
A thick, unchilled glass may warm draught four to six degrees!
Pressure
Draught beer is pressurized by carbon dioxide (CO2),
a byproduct of the fermentation process, giving it the pleasant
effervescence that makes it sparkle. A constant and uniform pressure
is needed while the beer is on tap to maintain carbonation, and
applied CO2 pressure is needed to dispense
the beer from the keg.
• At 38° F, the internal pressure of a keg is 12-14 pounds
per square inch (PSI).
• If less than 12 PSI is applied, the beer will pour slowly
and look flat.
• If more than 14 PSI is applied, the beer will pour fast and
foamy.
• An ideal flow rate is approximately 2 ounces per second.
 Low
vs. High Pressure
Low-pressure draught systems are typically short-draw or
underbar refrigerated units that require approximately 12-14 PSI
at 38° F.
Straight purified CO2 is recommended.
High-pressure systems are generally long-draw systems requiring
+15 PSI. In other words, the applied pressure needed is higher than
the natural carbonation level in the beer.
A 70 percent nitrogen and 30 percent CO2 blend is a preferable
source of pressure in long-draw systems.
Do not use an air/CO2 blended pressure source.
Air and CO2 can reduce the carbonation level and cause the beer
to look and taste flat.
Keep your pressure system safe.
When installing or replacing a CO2 regulator, be sure it has a pressure-relief
device. Also, pressure release tapping devices should be a part
of every draught system.
|
