DRAUGHT BEER TROUBLE GUIDE
CLOUDY BEER
When beer in glass appears hazy, and not clear.
FLAT BEER
Foamy head disappears quickly: beer lacks usual zestful brewery fresh flavor.
Causes
Corrections
1)
Over chilling beverage cooler and/or
beverage lines.
1)
Excessive low temperatures may cause hazy, cloudy
beer, particularly when beer lies in cold coil for long
periods of time. Make certain that lines are thoroughly
cleaned, and then raise temperature slightly.
2)
Cracking, or when partially opening beer
faucet.
2)
Open faucet quickly and completely.
Replace worn washers and parts in faucet when
necessary to permit full opening of faucet.
3)
Contaminated air source. If possible
change to CO2 gas as a pressure source.
Defective Thomas or tongue vents.
3)
See flat beer, correction #7
Always draw fresh air from an outside source to
compressor. Attach hair felt filter to the outside intake,
in addition to filter in line.
Bacteria growth may result from beer backing up through
defective vents in air line, air pressure will then carry this
into beer barrel.
Check and replace defective vents frequently, and th
oroughly clean air line.
4)
General conditions causing cloudy beer.
4)
See wild beer corrections #2, #5, #6, and #7, and flat beer
corrections #5, #7, and #8.
5)
Unrefrigerated food placed on barrel on
cold beer.
5)
When unrefrigerated products, such as meats vegetables,
fish, or fruits, are placed on barrel of cold beer, the beer
becomes warm long before these products chill down to
the cold temperature. This change in temperature will cause
Cloudy Beer.
1)
Greasy glass
1)
Do not wash beer glasses together with glasses
that have contained milk or any other fatty
substance. Lipstick is a fatty substance.. Make
sure it is removed from glass.
Excess amount of germicides build up and leave a
fatty film on glass, which may cause flat beer.
It is preferable to steam and sterilize glasses where
health laws permit.
Wash glasses thoroughly with a good detergent.
Do not use soap.
Do not dry-wipe glasses. Permit glasses to air-dry
by placing them on wire or corrugated metal.
Rinse in fresh cold water just before serving beer. It
is best to serve beer in a wet glass.
2)
Improper drawing of beer into glass.
2)
Open faucet quickly and completely.
Check and find the correct distance to hold glass
from faucet when drawing. Proper foam should be a
tight creamy head, and the collar on the average
glass should be
“
3/4
”
to
“
1
”
high.
Beer drawn without head has appearance of being
flat.
3)
Not enough pressure.
3)
Increase pressure if beer runs too slowly.
Correct flow is to fill
4)
Defective Thomas and Tongue Vents.
Pressure is shut off.
4)
Check all washers frequently, particularly the air
vents. A clogged vent will obstruct the flow of air or
CO .
2
Check source of pressure. Check power source when
air compressor is used. Air compressor should never
be connected to light switch. Make certain to have a
separate electric plug outlet for the compressor.
Check CO tank, if empty, replace (See inside cover
2
for proper procedure).
When barrel is tapped, and proper pressure applied,
pressure must always remain on until barrel is empty.
If beer is started without first applying pressure beer
will be wild at the start, and flat towards the end.
5)
Pre-color, or beer system, too cold.
5)
With an accurate thermometer, check temperature
in pre-cooler or box.
Temperature at the faucet should always be colder
by at least two degrees than at the precooler or box.
6)
Sluggish pressure regulators.
6)
A regular seat, or the regulator diaphragm, may
require replacing.
Also, check the same as you would for Corrections
3 & 4.
7)
Contaminated air source.
Oil or grease fumes.
7)
Filter all air after it leaves compressor.
Oil fume from compressor, of kitchen grease fumes,
pumped into beer, will cause Flat Beer.
If possible CO gas should be used as a pressure source.
2
8)
Moisture in Air system.
8)
With the use of an air compressor, it is imperative to
have a moisture trap installed in the Pre-cooler, and
drained daily. This is in addition to an activated
charcoal filter, necessary to purify the air just before
it enters the barrel.
With tank type compressors, drain the tank weekly.
Moisture traps should be drained daily.
9)
Rapid movement of air.
9)
An air fan, or exhaust blower drawing air, or blowing
air, across the bar where beer is drawn, may cause
the dead of foam to fall quickly. Fans or blowers
should be located so that air movement is not directly
across from where beer is drawn.
LOOSE FOAM
Causes
Corrections
Large soap-like bubbles (sometimes called
fish eyes). Foam settles quickly.
This is generally a Flat Beer condition: the Causes and
corrections for Flat Beer should be followed.
Summary of Contents for WHS-209BESS1
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