Beer Line Cleaning and Your Profits
Why is draft beer among the most profitable items that I serve?
The average profit for you per keg of beer is $360. On a percentage basis you may be pulling in up to 300% or more
in profits from draft beer sales. Yet, this important part of your profit picture can often be overlooked in terms of the
quality the beer and the resulting experiences of you customers. You may look at the number of kegs being emptied
and redelivered without considering how much you are not making because of quality issues with your draft system.
With each pour you have the opportunity to make money . You should be encouraging draft beer sales, not
discouraging them!
Over the years draft beer has gotten a bad rap in relation to other drinks because of issues within the draft systems of
bars, club and restaurants. These quality issues such as off tastes, sour beer, foam and a host of others have
caused customers to relegate draft to the back of shelf as a choice. In many establishments if it weren't for happy
hour "$1" draft specials, draft beer wouldn't move at all.
Its time to put draft beer back on the front of the shelf as a viable high-class flavorful drink and not just the cheap swill
that customers gulp down at happy hour!
Why Must the Draft Lines Be Cleaned?
Beer within the draft system is vulnerable to a number of outside contaminants that can affect its taste, look and
quality. Yeast and molds grow inside the faucets and on the keg couplers. These colonies give beer off tastes and
smells causing customers to select less profitable items such as bottled beer.
Bacteria can reside in the beer lines even with the cold temperatures that draft beer is served. These bacteria can
also affect the taste and smell of beer. They cause the beer to look “hazey” in the glass and create sulfur and sewer
smells. In some cases your customers can become ill by drinking infected beer. futhermore, since draft beer is
servied at very cold temperatures, solids will deposit out of the beer within the lines. this "beer stone" causes floaters
in the beer glass and can impart unusual, bitter or metallic tastes.
Regular maintenance of your draft system is necessary to eliminate and prevent these issues. No one wants to drink
smelly, bad tasting beer. Treat your draft system like the ultimate profit center of your business that it is. Have my
professional quality service clean and maintain your system twice a month.
But How Does Line Cleaning Affect My Profits?
That’s easy … the more draft beer you serve the more profitable your business is. If customers do not like what they
taste or have been conditioned against draft beer because of bad taste, your business is not maximizing its profit
potential.
You may think your draft beer is selling fine because you see the number of kegs going out the door empty. But are
you getting the most out of those kegs? If the beer tastes bad your bartenders may be pouring off significant amounts
of your profit to get a “clean” beer. There may also be foam issues related to dirty lines that caus your bartender to
pour off significant quantities of beer in the form of foam. Foam is 25% beer.
Don't let these issues continue. My regularly scheduled maintenance service will keep your system in top shape so
that every pour is a money maker for you!
Isn’t All Line Cleaning is the Same? What Makes You Different?
There are numerous techniques for cleaning your draft system. Some methods still in use today date back to the
1930’s. But draft systems have changed substantially since then and the methods for cleaning them have evolved as
well. Because of the lengths of plastic tubing involved, most systems need to be cleaned with sanitizing agents that
do not damage the expensive and hard to replace components of the system. This eliminates such methods as
using glass-bead crystals, sponges, and harsh caustic chemicals.
Today’s best cleaners are very low-caustic, clear rinsing products that leave no residue in the components. However,
how these cleaners are used can make a very big difference in the outcome. Many line cleaning technicians will
simply introduce the cleaning solution into the lines, let the lines soak for a period of time and then flush the solution
out using the system’s CO2 pressure. My method uses the power of continuously circulating solution through the
lines at higher pressures to scrub out beer stone and other impurities. Using this recirculating action is 80% more
effective then simply allowing the solution to soak in the lines.
Faucets and keg couplers are also removed, disassembled and cleaned independently to remove hidden yeast and
bacteria colonies that grow on the inside and outside surfaces. Most line cleaning technicians do not do this! So a
freshly cleaned system will still produce foul smelling beer due to a yeast colony growing on the underside of the
faucet opening. This is an area that is typically submerged in a beer as it is poured, thus introducing that yeast colony
right into the customer’s beer. (Watch the bartenders pouring beer. Sometimes they will immerse the entire faucet
spout into the beer as it is poured in an effort to reduce foam - a big no-no by the way).
Why Do I Need You - The Distributor Does It For Me?
Let me put this answer into the form of a question: Do you really want to turn over control of the quality of your entire
draft beer system to contractors that work for Budweiser, Coors or Miller? That line cleaner doesn’t work for you and
may not have your best interest at heart! The distributor's goal is to sell you more of their beer. Believe me, most
distributors are beholden to the major brands even when they sell secondary brands also – and that line cleaner
works for them. It may be a free service, but the adage is “you get what you pay for.” That could mean poorly
maintained lines for secondary brands. Furthermore, as I explained above, not all line cleaning is the same. Is the
distributor’s cleaner using the best methods and products for the job? Do you have any control of how they do the
job?
There are ABC rules for wholesalers and distributors commonly known as “Tied House Statutes” or “Tied House
Rules” that govern what products and services a wholesaler can provide a retailer. These are in place to prevent
unfair, prejudicial and/or monopolizing practices by wholesalers and distributors. These rules are there to protect
YOU - THE RETAILER. Free maintenance services, including line cleaning by distributors fall into this category. For
you, it may seem like you’re saving money, but the truth is you are not making the most money from your draft beer if
one brand has unseen advantages over another. If your Higher Priced (higher profit) micro-brews and secondary
brands don’t get the treatment they deserve – you lose!
There are at least Ten Good Reasons why you should NOT allow the distributors to clean or maintain your draft
system - even for free.
We Clean the Lines Ourselves
Some owners and managers will take on the responsibility to clean the lines in-house. However, this is not a safe
and effective strategy. Who on your staff is going to be responsible for the cleaning? Do they understand the cleaning
equipment and its proper use? Do they have the time and willingness to do the job right? Will they get distracted by
another important matter and forget that the lines are filled with dangerous chemicals until they pour a pint of poison?
Depending on the number of draft lines that you have, it can take from 30 to 60 minutes or more to complete the
cleaning properly. Does someone on your staff (or do you) have that kind of time? In order to be effective the cleaning
routine has to be done on a regular schedule with all the facets of the cleaning performed each time. Are you able to
monitor that?
The best way to assure the quality of your draft beer is to use my superior service!
The average profit for you per keg of beer is $360. On a percentage basis you may be pulling in up to 300% or more
in profits from draft beer sales. Yet, this important part of your profit picture can often be overlooked in terms of the
quality the beer and the resulting experiences of you customers. You may look at the number of kegs being emptied
and redelivered without considering how much you are not making because of quality issues with your draft system.
With each pour you have the opportunity to make money . You should be encouraging draft beer sales, not
discouraging them!
Over the years draft beer has gotten a bad rap in relation to other drinks because of issues within the draft systems of
bars, club and restaurants. These quality issues such as off tastes, sour beer, foam and a host of others have
caused customers to relegate draft to the back of shelf as a choice. In many establishments if it weren't for happy
hour "$1" draft specials, draft beer wouldn't move at all.
Its time to put draft beer back on the front of the shelf as a viable high-class flavorful drink and not just the cheap swill
that customers gulp down at happy hour!
Why Must the Draft Lines Be Cleaned?
Beer within the draft system is vulnerable to a number of outside contaminants that can affect its taste, look and
quality. Yeast and molds grow inside the faucets and on the keg couplers. These colonies give beer off tastes and
smells causing customers to select less profitable items such as bottled beer.
Bacteria can reside in the beer lines even with the cold temperatures that draft beer is served. These bacteria can
also affect the taste and smell of beer. They cause the beer to look “hazey” in the glass and create sulfur and sewer
smells. In some cases your customers can become ill by drinking infected beer. futhermore, since draft beer is
servied at very cold temperatures, solids will deposit out of the beer within the lines. this "beer stone" causes floaters
in the beer glass and can impart unusual, bitter or metallic tastes.
Regular maintenance of your draft system is necessary to eliminate and prevent these issues. No one wants to drink
smelly, bad tasting beer. Treat your draft system like the ultimate profit center of your business that it is. Have my
professional quality service clean and maintain your system twice a month.
But How Does Line Cleaning Affect My Profits?
That’s easy … the more draft beer you serve the more profitable your business is. If customers do not like what they
taste or have been conditioned against draft beer because of bad taste, your business is not maximizing its profit
potential.
You may think your draft beer is selling fine because you see the number of kegs going out the door empty. But are
you getting the most out of those kegs? If the beer tastes bad your bartenders may be pouring off significant amounts
of your profit to get a “clean” beer. There may also be foam issues related to dirty lines that caus your bartender to
pour off significant quantities of beer in the form of foam. Foam is 25% beer.
Don't let these issues continue. My regularly scheduled maintenance service will keep your system in top shape so
that every pour is a money maker for you!
Isn’t All Line Cleaning is the Same? What Makes You Different?
There are numerous techniques for cleaning your draft system. Some methods still in use today date back to the
1930’s. But draft systems have changed substantially since then and the methods for cleaning them have evolved as
well. Because of the lengths of plastic tubing involved, most systems need to be cleaned with sanitizing agents that
do not damage the expensive and hard to replace components of the system. This eliminates such methods as
using glass-bead crystals, sponges, and harsh caustic chemicals.
Today’s best cleaners are very low-caustic, clear rinsing products that leave no residue in the components. However,
how these cleaners are used can make a very big difference in the outcome. Many line cleaning technicians will
simply introduce the cleaning solution into the lines, let the lines soak for a period of time and then flush the solution
out using the system’s CO2 pressure. My method uses the power of continuously circulating solution through the
lines at higher pressures to scrub out beer stone and other impurities. Using this recirculating action is 80% more
effective then simply allowing the solution to soak in the lines.
Faucets and keg couplers are also removed, disassembled and cleaned independently to remove hidden yeast and
bacteria colonies that grow on the inside and outside surfaces. Most line cleaning technicians do not do this! So a
freshly cleaned system will still produce foul smelling beer due to a yeast colony growing on the underside of the
faucet opening. This is an area that is typically submerged in a beer as it is poured, thus introducing that yeast colony
right into the customer’s beer. (Watch the bartenders pouring beer. Sometimes they will immerse the entire faucet
spout into the beer as it is poured in an effort to reduce foam - a big no-no by the way).
Why Do I Need You - The Distributor Does It For Me?
Let me put this answer into the form of a question: Do you really want to turn over control of the quality of your entire
draft beer system to contractors that work for Budweiser, Coors or Miller? That line cleaner doesn’t work for you and
may not have your best interest at heart! The distributor's goal is to sell you more of their beer. Believe me, most
distributors are beholden to the major brands even when they sell secondary brands also – and that line cleaner
works for them. It may be a free service, but the adage is “you get what you pay for.” That could mean poorly
maintained lines for secondary brands. Furthermore, as I explained above, not all line cleaning is the same. Is the
distributor’s cleaner using the best methods and products for the job? Do you have any control of how they do the
job?
There are ABC rules for wholesalers and distributors commonly known as “Tied House Statutes” or “Tied House
Rules” that govern what products and services a wholesaler can provide a retailer. These are in place to prevent
unfair, prejudicial and/or monopolizing practices by wholesalers and distributors. These rules are there to protect
YOU - THE RETAILER. Free maintenance services, including line cleaning by distributors fall into this category. For
you, it may seem like you’re saving money, but the truth is you are not making the most money from your draft beer if
one brand has unseen advantages over another. If your Higher Priced (higher profit) micro-brews and secondary
brands don’t get the treatment they deserve – you lose!
There are at least Ten Good Reasons why you should NOT allow the distributors to clean or maintain your draft
system - even for free.
We Clean the Lines Ourselves
Some owners and managers will take on the responsibility to clean the lines in-house. However, this is not a safe
and effective strategy. Who on your staff is going to be responsible for the cleaning? Do they understand the cleaning
equipment and its proper use? Do they have the time and willingness to do the job right? Will they get distracted by
another important matter and forget that the lines are filled with dangerous chemicals until they pour a pint of poison?
Depending on the number of draft lines that you have, it can take from 30 to 60 minutes or more to complete the
cleaning properly. Does someone on your staff (or do you) have that kind of time? In order to be effective the cleaning
routine has to be done on a regular schedule with all the facets of the cleaning performed each time. Are you able to
monitor that?
The best way to assure the quality of your draft beer is to use my superior service!
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