Wavelength

It’s becoming more common – putting beer quality at risk by pushing a standard beer line clean from weekly or fortnightly, to once every 3 or even 4 weeks – without installing a preventative cleaning system such as CellarControl. Venues of all different sizes (and beer types) are experimenting with extended line cleans, including those with craft beers. While it might seem like a way to save some money, what impact is it REALLY having on your beer quality? Is it safe to extend your line cleans beyond two weeks?

When you go beyond two weeks

Over the last 5 years, the CellarControl team and its partners have undertaken detailed scientific studies on beer quality, namely bacteria count within the beer at various cleaning cycles. The ideal standard is to have this bacterium count as close to 0 as possible.

Working with Australia’s leading food & beverage testing facilities, they found that past the two-week cleaning mark, without the correct equipment and procedures, bacterium counts grow exponentially – which will make your beer taste bad.

“Extending your beer line cleans beyond 2 weeks, without a preventative cleaning system, will have a significant negative effect on your beer quality” Carl Pavett, from CellarControl explains. “It’s also the case that if this practice continues for an extended period of time, bacteria will grow faster and faster in the long run, no matter how good your line clean is”.

It’s more than just a line clean

While a beer line clean is a very important step in keeping your beer tasting great, it’s only a part of a larger approach to beer system maintenance.

Quite often, a reduction in line cleaning frequency is linked to more ‘relaxed’ approach in beer system maintenance, such as cleaning tap heads and couplers, mixing ratios and more. This approach, combined with an over-extended line cleaning cycle, is very dangerous for beer quality.

Carl Pavett explains. “There is more to it than just line cleaning. A full-system approach, correctly executed and monitored, is vital for beer quality. For these reasons we give all our venues detailed checklists and guidelines that include week-by-week procedures, equipment lists and monitoring requirements. While it sounds complicated, it’s actually quite easy and cost effective, and will give your venue the reputation of the best beer in town”.

Note: The CellarControl team have created a quick, one page guide to serve the perfect beer. Check it out here.

Pictured: Bacterial testing at six weeks at the Terminus Hotel in Melbourne, with CellarControl. Read the full case study here.

The safe solution

For those that are looking to extend their cleaning cycles beyond the two-week mark, the only solution is a preventative cleaning system. CellarControl is the only scientifically tested and proven preventative cleaning system on the market, achieving optimal beer quality while extending beer line cleaning to six or eight weeks – reducing wastage and line cleaning costs by up to 80%.

The best part – CellarControl is scientifically proven to inhibit bacterial growth – setting the industry standard in beer quality. View the Case Studies to find out more.

CellarControl inhibits bacterial growth, allowing you to safety extend beer line cleaning cycles beyond 6 weeks, while improving beer quality.

Don’t risk your beer quality – if you’re looking to extend your line cleans, make sure you do it the safe and proven way. Get in touch with the CellarControl team to arrange a proposal today.