Dirty rotten lines #1

Several years ago, I was a representative for a craft and import beer wholesaler in Maryland. One of my accounts was a martini bar, which, in addition to that cocktail, also served up a few Belgian drafts. From me, they obtained a strong golden Belgian ale.

There came a short period in which the beer was temporarily unavailable. It was on a ship coming to America, but was still somewhere on the Atlantic. So I arranged to substitute with a similar Belgian beer.

When I went to swap the keg couplers in the refrigerated outside draft box, I noticed dirty draft lines. In fact, so much so, that the lines contained large chunks of yeast and protein. And it wasn't just my unfiltered-Belgian-beer line. The lines for Stella Artois and Miller Lite, if not chunky, were also filthy.

I told the owner that he needed to clean his draft beer lines, and pronto. His initial response was a blank stare. "Clean the lines? What do you mean?"

It seems the beer lines had never been cleaned in the 6 months that his martini bar had been open. He had had no idea.

Had he failed to change the frying grease in the kitchen? No! Had he failed to change his car's engine oil? No!

I arranged for his lines to be cleaned. In the weeks following, his draft beer sales went up.

Clean the beer pipes: if not every week, or every 2 weeks, then at least regularly. Treat your beer with care, and it will reward you with consummate enjoyment (and profit).