Do bars/restaurants pay outsiders to clean their beer taps?

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Arkitech

Diamond Member
Apr 13, 2000
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I'm curious if the bars typically pay outside staff to clean their beer taps or is it usually done by in-house staff?
 

sjwaste

Diamond Member
Aug 2, 2000
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Check the health inspection reports for your location. A lot of places just don't clean the lines!
 

lxskllr

No Lifer
Nov 30, 2004
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This is one of those things that it's better to not know. ;)

Whisky's a safe bet unless they those stupid pour spouts. If it doesn't get used regularly the alcohol evaporates and ruins it.
 

dougp

Diamond Member
May 3, 2002
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It depends on a lot, but I know this is how it is in TX.

If a brewery self distributes their beer, they tend to clean the lines themselves to make sure that the customer receives the best beer possible. Once it's being distributed by a distributor, then it's whatever agreement is in place between the distributor and vendor. Most lines should be cleaned once a week, and plugged when not in use.
 

BillGates

Diamond Member
Nov 30, 2001
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The Buffalo Wild Wings by my house has a guy come in to do it. Supposedly the cleaning stuff he uses is pretty nasty stuff.
 

sourceninja

Diamond Member
Mar 8, 2005
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I'm not a bar, but I clean my lines only when I change the keg. I use PBW which is kinda like oxyclean, then I flush with water, then I flush with starsan (a acid, food safe, sterilizer). I clean my taps the day after they get any use and I keep plugs in them when not in use. I use high end taps so they are forward sealing to prevent a lot of the problems that come with cheap taps (sticking, gumming up, etc).
 
Apr 12, 2010
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Most pubs I've spoke to about it did it themselves fairly regularly.
Several times have I went in & they were cleaning on the spot, generally due to replacing kegs.
First pint out of a freshly tapped keg? Always tastes best.
 

Lonyo

Lifer
Aug 10, 2002
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When I worked in a pub (although in the UK, kinda) we had a guy come in on a weekly basis and clean all the lines.
 

DesiPower

Lifer
Nov 22, 2008
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what the heck are you talking about? that would totally ruin the taste of the drafts...
 

cardiac

Platinum Member
Oct 9, 1999
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Like dougp mentioned, around here the beer distributors have guys that make the rounds and clean the lines/taps. A couple of firemen I work with do this as their side gig. Pretty good money...
 

Crusty

Lifer
Sep 30, 2001
12,684
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I'm not a bar, but I clean my lines only when I change the keg. I use PBW which is kinda like oxyclean, then I flush with water, then I flush with starsan (a acid, food safe, sterilizer). I clean my taps the day after they get any use and I keep plugs in them when not in use. I use high end taps so they are forward sealing to prevent a lot of the problems that come with cheap taps (sticking, gumming up, etc).

BLC(beer line cleaner) is better for your beer lines than PBW. With a manual spray pump, some fittings, and a quick disconnect you can create a very easy system to pump BLC through your lines w/o wasting any of your CO2.
 

weadjust

Senior member
Mar 28, 2004
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I was a bartender for 5 years in a college bar. I never cleaned them or witnessed anybody clean the taps. The Budweiser guy may have but never in my presence. He would get pissed when he would catch us serving Milwaukees Best and Best Light out of the Bud and Bud Light Taps. Good times.
 

sjwaste

Diamond Member
Aug 2, 2000
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I was a bartender for 5 years in a college bar. I never cleaned them or witnessed anybody clean the taps. The Budweiser guy may have but never in my presence. He would get pissed when he would catch us serving Milwaukees Best and Best Light out of the Bud and Bud Light Taps. Good times.

No shit, dude. Beast is a Miller product. Could have at least served Natty out of the Bud taps.
 
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