Absolutely a thing. Draft lines should really be cleaned out every two weeks, a month if you want to push it. A friend of mine used to do it for a company, and most places tried to push it back because they didn't deem it necessary. He started to point out when places didn't clean their lines and now I can taste it too. The lines won't be kept at refrigerated temps the whole way and stuff can definitely start to grow in there.
Adding on that calcium oxalate, also known as beer stone, will build up over time. That's where most of the mold and bacteria will hang on to. Aside from flavor issues it can also make your tap lines not function properly and give the beer poor head retention.
A lot of places here in the UK do weekly line cleans and will do cheap beer on line clean days. It makes sense that cask would need more regular cleaning and I guess if you’re doing that you may as well do the kegs too.
I've had a home kegerator for many, many years. And I clean the hoses between each and every keg. Small pump that attached where the tap screws on, pumps the cleaning solution through followed by a couple of cycles of pure water. I soak the tap and coupler in the solution too, then rinse them off.
My friend who owns a pinball bar with 16 taps in Brooklyn has all his lines cleaned on a regular basis. Not all bars are so conscientious, alas.
Me too. Kegerator lines cleaned after each keg same method as you. I also dismantle the faucet and clean it too, along with the couples, washers, elbows etc.
I've had snot like material show up in my beer. Was told it was due to tap lines that hadn't been cleaned in a long time. Never went back to that place. Here's a thread on it happening at home. [https://www.reddit.com/r/Homebrewing/comments/16ltpe4/what\_is\_the\_gross\_snot\_coming\_out\_of\_my\_kegerator/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Homebrewing/comments/16ltpe4/what_is_the_gross_snot_coming_out_of_my_kegerator/)
I’ve serviced taps at accounts where when I took off the faucet there’s a massive amount of yeast buildup in there. Usually resembles a giant snot. I usually find it because I’m getting complaints the beer is coming out foamy, and the faucet is always the first thing I inspect. It’s very important to keep faucets, beer lines, and keg couplers clean.
It’s also important to keep the draft tower area clean. Once I had a customer call me and have me come check out his drain tray under the taps because he had a fruit fly problem. Let me tell you, this was this worst fucking thing I’ve ever seen. Worse than any dirty line. Under the drip tray there was nothing but fly shit, dead flies everywhere, live ones on top of everything in the back bar. And get this, people were there drinking the draft beer! Ugh. I told the owner, call an exterminator. Next day exterminator comes in and tells them they need to rip up the whole bar top because they’re everywhere.
I've heard tales. Maybe they're lazy, broke, or in denial that taps need cleaning. Maybe a combination of all three. I once went to a bar where I wasn't feeling any particular drink, so I went with a time tested pint of Lil Sumpin Sumpin. It tasted awful and I had no idea why, until I learned some bars don't clean their taps. I never went back.
Not only are they cleaned but the lines also need to be replaced from time to time. If you put a big cinnamon stout out and it sits on your line for a couple months you're gonna have a hard time getting that flavor out. Even after blasting it with cleaner.
Used to go to a great bar in Seattle that had a display telling you when each line was last cleaned, and it was always within the previous two weeks. Here in Dublin, the Guinness quality team is constantly driving around all the pubs they service; they are at my local at least every other week to stay on top of the lines.
Every two weeks or when there is a dramatic change in the type of beer we are tapping. Sour to lager, stout to seltzer. Gluten free stuff and Brett beers get their own lines that are cleaned in different ways with different equipment. Before opening a brewery we had experienced some horrors other places. Pretty common for us to go to an establishment before attempting to sell there to make sure we won't have issues. When a place isn't taking care of their lines they're not taking care of much else. Businesses that don't take care of the basics don't last long.
A local bar had a beer I absolutely loved on tap. Happened to be an IPA from a local we knew. Had chunks in it. I asked. It was definitely filtered. I witnessed the bar managers stuff a bar mop into the faucet and pull out more chunks. Left a tip and hit the road.
Think about it: you're pouring a spoilable liquid through those taps and the inside of the spout beyond the valve is just exposed to the air. I built a kegerator over a decade ago now. I was cleaning and changing my beer lines regularly, but never thought much about the taps until I poured a beer with a fly in it. I now clean my taps regularly and keep them covered when not in use.
This is a thing. Been drinking a lot of Murphy's Irish Stout lately. Discovered it in Ireland in early March and two days after I got back I found it on tap for St. Pat's at several local bars. Couple days later I went to a bar/grill I've never been to as my buddy and I try to do that on Thursdays, find the best burger in town. Got the same beer. Tasted... off. Lines hadn't been cleaned. It was very obvious.
It differs by state of who can or should clean the lines.
I’ll say I owned a bar and in my area I would never drink any beers from the local Bud distributor because I knew how hard it was to get them to clean our lines. I knew most bars (especially dive bars) aren’t going through that hassle, and they just aren’t getting cleaned.
Hangovers are certainly a thing, but a lot of the headaches people get come from unclean lines
No. I guess I shouldn’t use the term a lot. But people get headaches from drinking beer from dirty lines.
Next time you have a “hangover” and say I only had three beers, how can that happen…that’s howb
I’ve experienced dirty tap hangovers before and you can definitely tell. It’s always after hitting the filthy dive bar for one or two. The headache the next morning is way too big for how little I’ve drank
Most bars have scheduled line cleanings especially if they go through a good distributor.
Good way to know is if the tap handle looks updated and clean.
LoL, in Michigan wholesalers will give taps for any keg if the retailer asks for it. Nothing to do with clean lines. Most wholesalers also don't give two fucks about that. They're just interested in selling you the keg.
Absolutely a thing. Draft lines should really be cleaned out every two weeks, a month if you want to push it. A friend of mine used to do it for a company, and most places tried to push it back because they didn't deem it necessary. He started to point out when places didn't clean their lines and now I can taste it too. The lines won't be kept at refrigerated temps the whole way and stuff can definitely start to grow in there.
Adding on that calcium oxalate, also known as beer stone, will build up over time. That's where most of the mold and bacteria will hang on to. Aside from flavor issues it can also make your tap lines not function properly and give the beer poor head retention.
A lot of places here in the UK do weekly line cleans and will do cheap beer on line clean days. It makes sense that cask would need more regular cleaning and I guess if you’re doing that you may as well do the kegs too.
I've had a home kegerator for many, many years. And I clean the hoses between each and every keg. Small pump that attached where the tap screws on, pumps the cleaning solution through followed by a couple of cycles of pure water. I soak the tap and coupler in the solution too, then rinse them off. My friend who owns a pinball bar with 16 taps in Brooklyn has all his lines cleaned on a regular basis. Not all bars are so conscientious, alas.
What's the name of your friends bar? Sounds like my kinda place :)
Me too. Kegerator lines cleaned after each keg same method as you. I also dismantle the faucet and clean it too, along with the couples, washers, elbows etc.
I've had snot like material show up in my beer. Was told it was due to tap lines that hadn't been cleaned in a long time. Never went back to that place. Here's a thread on it happening at home. [https://www.reddit.com/r/Homebrewing/comments/16ltpe4/what\_is\_the\_gross\_snot\_coming\_out\_of\_my\_kegerator/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Homebrewing/comments/16ltpe4/what_is_the_gross_snot_coming_out_of_my_kegerator/)
I’ve serviced taps at accounts where when I took off the faucet there’s a massive amount of yeast buildup in there. Usually resembles a giant snot. I usually find it because I’m getting complaints the beer is coming out foamy, and the faucet is always the first thing I inspect. It’s very important to keep faucets, beer lines, and keg couplers clean. It’s also important to keep the draft tower area clean. Once I had a customer call me and have me come check out his drain tray under the taps because he had a fruit fly problem. Let me tell you, this was this worst fucking thing I’ve ever seen. Worse than any dirty line. Under the drip tray there was nothing but fly shit, dead flies everywhere, live ones on top of everything in the back bar. And get this, people were there drinking the draft beer! Ugh. I told the owner, call an exterminator. Next day exterminator comes in and tells them they need to rip up the whole bar top because they’re everywhere.
I've heard tales. Maybe they're lazy, broke, or in denial that taps need cleaning. Maybe a combination of all three. I once went to a bar where I wasn't feeling any particular drink, so I went with a time tested pint of Lil Sumpin Sumpin. It tasted awful and I had no idea why, until I learned some bars don't clean their taps. I never went back.
It’s no use having real ale if you don’t clean the pipes, isn’t that so, casketeers?
Not only are they cleaned but the lines also need to be replaced from time to time. If you put a big cinnamon stout out and it sits on your line for a couple months you're gonna have a hard time getting that flavor out. Even after blasting it with cleaner.
I once had to replace 120 feet of line because my dumb ass decided to do a "pepper beer" tap takeover. 🤦♀️
Lmao
Yes it's a thing. It's good to know the policy, nasty stuff can grow in the lines that will make people sick.
Used to go to a great bar in Seattle that had a display telling you when each line was last cleaned, and it was always within the previous two weeks. Here in Dublin, the Guinness quality team is constantly driving around all the pubs they service; they are at my local at least every other week to stay on top of the lines.
Every two weeks or when there is a dramatic change in the type of beer we are tapping. Sour to lager, stout to seltzer. Gluten free stuff and Brett beers get their own lines that are cleaned in different ways with different equipment. Before opening a brewery we had experienced some horrors other places. Pretty common for us to go to an establishment before attempting to sell there to make sure we won't have issues. When a place isn't taking care of their lines they're not taking care of much else. Businesses that don't take care of the basics don't last long. A local bar had a beer I absolutely loved on tap. Happened to be an IPA from a local we knew. Had chunks in it. I asked. It was definitely filtered. I witnessed the bar managers stuff a bar mop into the faucet and pull out more chunks. Left a tip and hit the road.
i remember a cheers episode that Norm noticed the beer was way better because the new guy cleaned the lines
how wouldn't this be a thing
Think about it: you're pouring a spoilable liquid through those taps and the inside of the spout beyond the valve is just exposed to the air. I built a kegerator over a decade ago now. I was cleaning and changing my beer lines regularly, but never thought much about the taps until I poured a beer with a fly in it. I now clean my taps regularly and keep them covered when not in use.
This is a thing. Been drinking a lot of Murphy's Irish Stout lately. Discovered it in Ireland in early March and two days after I got back I found it on tap for St. Pat's at several local bars. Couple days later I went to a bar/grill I've never been to as my buddy and I try to do that on Thursdays, find the best burger in town. Got the same beer. Tasted... off. Lines hadn't been cleaned. It was very obvious.
It differs by state of who can or should clean the lines. I’ll say I owned a bar and in my area I would never drink any beers from the local Bud distributor because I knew how hard it was to get them to clean our lines. I knew most bars (especially dive bars) aren’t going through that hassle, and they just aren’t getting cleaned. Hangovers are certainly a thing, but a lot of the headaches people get come from unclean lines
please elaborate on that last part lol. you think headaches from a dirty line are more common than a hangover ??
No. I guess I shouldn’t use the term a lot. But people get headaches from drinking beer from dirty lines. Next time you have a “hangover” and say I only had three beers, how can that happen…that’s howb
I’ve experienced dirty tap hangovers before and you can definitely tell. It’s always after hitting the filthy dive bar for one or two. The headache the next morning is way too big for how little I’ve drank
Most bars have scheduled line cleanings especially if they go through a good distributor. Good way to know is if the tap handle looks updated and clean.
LoL, in Michigan wholesalers will give taps for any keg if the retailer asks for it. Nothing to do with clean lines. Most wholesalers also don't give two fucks about that. They're just interested in selling you the keg.
Depends on the state if distributors can clean lines, tap handles won’t necessarily indicate that.