Serve Better Beer
Workbook
ver 6.0
Serve Better Beer Workbook
Table of Contents
Why are you here?
Better Quality = Better Sales = Better Tips
6
6
The $1,000,000 Secret Revealed - Why Sell Draught?
7
Help The Environment - Drink Draught
8
Lighter Tare Weight (the weight of empty containers):
8
Less Paper:
8
Who is this guy?
8
Direct Draw vs. Long Draw
9
How Does The System Work?
How Cold is Cold?
10
11
The Walk-in
14
Guinness (U-style coupler)
15
Most Domestics (D-style coupler)
15
Some Imports – Heineken & Stella (S-style coupler)
15
Tips & Techniques
16
FOB Vent Line
18
What are the correct steps to properly pour a pint of beer?
19
The three big reasons for Proper Pour:
19
Reason #1 - Profitability
Let’s do some math - How much does it cost my bar?
19
19
Reason #2 - Quality (Release the CO2)
20
Reason #3 - Consistency
20
Proper Pour – Best Practices
21
“That’s so cool – there’s an iceberg in my beer!”
22
Storing Glasses
24
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Serve Better Beer Workbook
Wiping Glasses
The only thing to go into a beer glass is beer.
24
25
Glass Washing Kits
26
Nucleation
27
What you need to know about branded beer glasses:
27
Tips & Techniques
28
Straight Foam
29
Flashing Beer – Beer-Foam-Beer
29
Dirty Lines
30
The First Pour
30
Flat Beer
31
Foamy/Wild Beer
32
Cloudy Beer
32
Other
33
More Math!
34
Selling Techniques
34
Trading Up
34
The Sullivan Nod
34
Assume The Sale - Get Them While They Still Have Beer In The Glass
34
First & Last
34
Coasters
34
Families With Kids
34
Follow The Leader
34
Other Techniques
35
Pitchers
35
Million Dollar Beer Secret
35
Don’t Hard Sell
35
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Don’t Over-Serve
35
What Is BetterBeer.com (Lesson 12)
36
Monthly Reviews
36
On-line Staff Draught Quality Training
36
Marketing Support
37
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3
Serve Better Beer Workbook
This training program is one component of the BetterBeer.com program. Simply taking this course does
not certify your establishment. You still need to subscribe to the full program. If your establishment is
not currently on the full certification program, you can get more information at ​BetterBeer.com/why
Welcome!
Thanks for signing up. Here are some things that you need to know:
✔ Your passcode is only for you – do not share it.
✔ Upon successful completion, we will mail you out an awesome personalized certification card
that looks like this... ​http://www.betterbeer.com/vip/cert-card/
✔ You have thirty days to complete the course. Every time you login, the number of days
remaining are displayed on your dashboard.
✔ You can only move onto the next module once you successfully pass the current one.
✔ A pass is 85% or higher.
✔ There is a handout with each module; please read it before watching the video. You can find all
of the handouts together in the Serve Better Beer Workbook, which you can download in the
Introduction lesson. You can print or download the handout to a jump drive if you wish, but it’s
not mandatory.
✔ Test questions are based on the handout and the video. ​You need to read the handout a
​ nd
watch the video pass​.
✔ You only get three chances to pass each test. If you fail a test three times, you will be locked out
of the course until your manager/teacher unlocks your access, where you will be given three
more attempts.
✔ Test questions will appear in random order in each test, so no two students will see the same
questions in the same order.
✔ You can change your account details (including your password) by clicking on My Account, top
right from any page on the backend of our site.
✔ If you are using a public computer - Logout (top right) before you walk away. I know - it should
go without saying, but it doesn’t.
✔ You should have the latest version of Adobe Flash. You can check to see if your version is
up-to-date here: ​https://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player.html
✔ You should be using an up-to-date version of your browser. Chrome and Firefox typically update
by themselves, but Internet Explorer may not. You need to be using at least IE 10 to play and
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hear the videos. To find out which browser version you are using, go to
https://www.whatismybrowser.com/
✔ We guarantee that you will learn at least three techniques that you can use to sell better quality
beer, increase your sales, and increase your tips.
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Why are you here?
You are in sales. You sell beer. Like beer or not, you sell it. If you sold cars, you’d figure you might want
to know how they work. You don’t need to become a Master Mechanic (or a Draught Service Technician
in this case), but you need to know the basics.
We GUARANTEE that you will pick up at least three techniques to help you lower your spillage and
increase your sales and tips by taking this course. Quite possibly much more, but we’ll guarantee three.
So, why invest your valuable time? Guests can purchase the same brands that you pour at possibly a
dozen other places within the local area of your bar. They can even drink them at home. You need to
pour better pints than your competitor, so when the guest has a choice to make, they make the right
one.
And when guests visit you more, you sell more. What happens when you sell more?
$$$
Exactly.
That’s why you’re taking this course.
Better Quality = Better Sales = Better Tips
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The $1,000,000 Secret Revealed - Why Sell Draught?
Want to know why we, as an industry, focus on selling draught beer over bottles and cans? Here’s why
– The Million Dollar Beer Secret – how bars can increase sales by up to a million dollars by selling
draught over bottles:
1. You sell more draught than you do bottles, so your draught beer is fresher than the bottle
brand. The bottles are still fresh, but the draught is typically fresher because of the higher
turnover. The best beer in the world is fresh beer – the fresher it is the better it tastes. It’s
like bread or milk – fresh wins every time.
2. Most people can’t get draught beer at home. When you get a quality pint that is done right,
it beats its counterpart in a bottle every time. There is nothing better than a fresh, cold pint
that is properly poured, through clean lines and taps, into a clean, branded beer glass.
3. The margins on draught beer are much better than bottles – the bar makes more money
selling draught than bottles.
4. People drink beer in units, not in ounces. When a guest sits down, they do not order in
ounces. “Let’s go to the bar and have 12 oz of beer with lunch today,” said no one. Ever.
You can sell the guest a bottle or a pint; a beer is a beer to the guest, they don’t
differentiate between bottles and pints. Sell them a bottle for $4.50 or a pint for $6; a beer
is a beer. Typically it is a 20-30% increase in sales, which means more tips for staff.
5. Going from a 12 oz bottle to an 18 oz pour into a pint glass is a 50% increase in liquid volume
for only a 20-30% increase in price. That’s a better price per ounce for the guest.
So…
✔ The guest gets a fresher, better price per ounce beer that tastes better than a bottle.
✔ The bar makes more money.
✔ You sell more – you make more.
✔ The brewers sell more.
Everyone wins.
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Help The Environment - Drink Draught
The average beer bottle (12 FL oz/341ml) in Canada gets refilled 15 times in its lifetime.
A standard domestic 58.7L keg will provide the equivalent of 172 bottles of beer (7.17 cases of beer).
The average 58.7L keg gets refilled 120 times in its lifetime (20 years, refilled about six times per year), it
will provide the equivalent of 20,640 bottles of beer over its life.
Because a bottle is used 15 times, it requires 1,376 glass bottles to equal the life of one stainless steel
keg.
Lighter Tare Weight (the weight of empty containers):
An empty beer bottle weighs 9.5 ounces. An empty case of 24 beer bottles, plus empty case weight, is
about 15.25 pounds.
With over seven cases of beer in a keg, the empties equivalent is over 100 pounds. An empty keg
weighs less than a third of that - only 30 pounds.
Lighter tare weight = less fuel to deliver and return = less emissions.
Less Paper:
A stainless steel keg has no paper labels or paper case. No metal bottle caps to
throw out.
Just a stainless steel keg. Made once, and used for over 20 years.
Who is this guy?
Steve Riley is the Founder and President of BetterBeer.com® and a ​Certified Cicerone​™. He is also a
Recognized Beer Judge, who helps judge home brewing and commercial brewing competitions.
Steve spent twelve years in both high and low volume restaurants in various management roles across
Canada and the US. Feeding his desire to teach, Steve taught Hospitality Management for five years at
George Brown College from 2001 - 2006, was the Lead Developer in creating the curriculum for the
Advanced Beverage Management Post-Graduate Program, and revised curriculum for Hospitality Cost
Control, Bartending, Menu Management, and How to Open a Restaurant.
In 2006, Steve launched Draught Prophets Inc., a draught installation and service company in Ontario
and then sold this successful company in 2010 to focus on expanding BetterBeer.com Ltd. In 2015,
BetterBeer.com began expanding across North America.
You can reach him for questions or comments at ​steve@BetterBeer.com
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How Does The System Work (Lesson 2)
Beer Gas
The gas that pushes the beer through the system must be the correct blend of nitrogen and CO2 (Carbon
Dioxide). Compressed Air is completely antiquated and unacceptable in today’s draught system.
History lesson​ – In the old days, bars only poured one or two draught brands so they would sell a keg a
day, sometimes a keg a shift. Draught used to be considered a lower grade beer, “Swill in a glass” was a
common term; it used to sell for pennies a glass. Bar owners would buy an air compressor designed for
powering air tools and use compressed air to push the beer through the system. This air compressor
would sit on top of the beer fridge where it would pick up all of the bacteria and aromas from the
kitchen that would end up in the beer. Why spend $20 a week on cylinders of CO2 when you could buy
a $100 air compressor that would last for 10+ years?
The problem is that air makes beer go flat, and it gives it a wet paper/cardboard taste. It mutes the hop
characters and the beer just tastes “off”. Unfortunately, there are some “old-school” owners who still
think that this is acceptable. If your bar is one of these places (probably not as you are investing in the
program), then you should print off the handout “The Impact of Air Compressors” in this lesson.
With the easily accessible beer gas systems and the ever-increasing price of draught – there is no reason
for anyone these days to be using air. ​Using an Air Compressor makes your beer flat and go cloudy.
Direct Draw vs. Long Draw
In this course, we will be talking mostly about “Long Draw” draught systems, where the kegs are located
in a walk-in fridge and the beer travels to the bar through the trunk line.
A “Direct Draw” system is where the kegs are located directly below the taps, usually in a self-contained
fridge that not only cools the keg but acts as the tower and taps too. Typically, we see this in bars that
only have 1-3 taps and don’t sell much beer or are seasonal (golf courses, banquet halls, beer
festivals,...). Sometimes bars will want to add in more taps, but can’t add any more lines from the
walk-in beer fridge, so they will install a Direct Draw behind the bar. The material covered in this course
is the same for both systems with the exception that direct draws don’t have trunk lines, glycol decks, or
FOBs and they use 100% CO2.
We’ll cover Long Draw and system basics in Lesson Two and Direct Draw systems in Lesson Three.
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How Does The System Work?
A Blender/Generator takes bulk _____________ and ____________________ (which it makes from
_________________________) and blends it into _____ different blends of gas.
Gas comes in to the keg through __________________________________________.
The gas goes into the keg and is released through ___________ in the top of the keg.
The ______________ sits about half an inch (a centimetre) off the bottom of the keg.
The beer then goes through the ____________________ line out to the bar.
How does the beer stay cold between the beer fridge and the bar?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
What does it do?
Coupler:
Keg:
Trunk Line:
Taps (Tower/faucets):
What is Glycol?
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How Cold is Cold?
In the video, Steve talked about how “Cold” for beer is 38°F / 3°C
The thermometers that are built into the fridges, where the gauge is outside the walk-in door, may or
may not be correct. Even if they are functioning properly, they measure the ambient temperature,
which can change rapidly as soon as the door is opened.
We prefer a better method for checking the temperature of a walk-in beer fridge.
Place a bottle of water inside the walk-in on a shelf. After it has been in the fridge
for at least 24 hours, you can use a thermometer from one of your Chefs in the
kitchen to take the temperature of the bottle of water. Leave the bottle in the
fridge and you can add it to a list of Manager Walk-thru duties where twice a day
the temperature of the walk-in is monitored.
A warm walk-in (anything above 42°F / 5.5°C) will start to develop bacterial growth
quickly and put a lot of stress on your glycol deck.
Notes:
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Direct Draw (Lesson 3)
How is a direct draw different than a long draw?
What are the three things that Steve talked about to make sure the direct draw is set up properly?
1.
2.
3.
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Receiving (Lesson 4)
How long does it take a warm keg to cool down to 38°F / 3°C?
When we receive kegs, what should we do?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Generally speaking,​ the shelf life of draught beer is as follows:
Domestics, big brewery: About 60 days (dates on the keg are usually Kegged On date – you have
about 60 days from that date)
Domestics, micro brewery: 30-45 days (dates on the keg are usually Kegged On date – you have
30-45 days from that date)
Imports: 150-180 days (dates on the keg are usually Best Before date – you have until then to
sell it)
CHECK WITH YOUR DISTRIBUTOR / SALES REP TO FIND OUT
THE SHELF LIFE OF EACH BRAND.
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How To Change A Keg (Lesson 5)
The correct steps to changing a keg:
What do we need to check for when changing a keg?
The Walk-in
Describe an ideal beer walk-in fridge:
1.
2.
3.
If you have to store food in your beer fridge, what should you do?
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Guinness (U-style coupler)
Most Domestics (D-style coupler)
Some Imports – Heineken & Stella (S-style coupler)
Note​ that the S and D ​look​ very similar EXCEPT the S has a longer probe (red arrow). The D keg valve has
a black rubber seal, where the S does not. Tapping a D keg with an S coupler will destroy the keg.
Images courtesy of MicroMatic
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Tips & Techniques
✔ Guinness has its coupler (see U-style, previous page) as do Heineken and Stella (S-style).
✔ Place keg caps on the top of the keg so that you can easily tell which brand it is OR throw them
in the garbage. ​At no time should they be thrown on the floor. Ever.
✔ Write the date received on the keg cap, so you know when you received them.
✔ Practice changing a keg on an empty keg so if you make a mistake, you won’t get soaked with
beer.
✔ Try not to touch the handle when the coupler is out of the neck of the keg.
✔ Make sure that the coupler is lined up with the neck – that it is horizontal.
✔ Kegs need to be sitting flat on the floor or flat on a shelf. Because the beer comes from the
bottom of the keg, a keg laying on its side or leaning to one side will not empty completely.
Notes:
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Foam On Beer Detectors - FOBs (Lesson 6)
After changing the keg, what are the three steps for using any FOB?
1.
2.
3.
How long should you vent?
What if I forget to pull the pin back down?
What happens if I release the ball before venting?
What should you check every time you go into a beer fridge?
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FOB Vent Line
When venting makes sure that ​if​ the vent line is not drained into a bucket that you ​do not​ just spray the
FOB foam all over the walk-in walls. This beer spray will eventually develop growth and become
mouldy. If there is just a short vent line (6 inches or so), use an empty beer bottle to capture all of the
foam that is vented out of the FOB.
We HIGHLY recommend that the FOB vent line does NOT flow into a drain, but into a bucket instead. It
has happened in the past where the FOB vent becomes sticky and will stay in the venting position so
that the FOB continues to vent after you have walked away from the fridge. If the vent line goes into a
bucket, the bucket will eventually fill and overflow. Yes, it makes a mess, but hopefully you can catch it
before the keg empties. If the vent line flows into the drain, you will never know if it gets stuck in the
vent position. About 6-8 hours after you tapped the keg and it emptied down the drain (literally),
another bartender/manager will come in and tap a new keg and then it empties too. We had a client a
few years ago that didn’t heed our advice and emptied four kegs of Guinness over two days – a cost of
over $1,200 in beer down the drain. ☹
KEY POINT:​ After venting you should make sure that there is no movement of liquid in the vent line to
ensure the FOB has stopped venting.
If you notice any beer/stickiness/growth near the top of the FOB, you should clean it with some warm
soapy water and then wipe dry.
Growth like this under the cap needs to be cleaned.
FOB vent line.
Notes:
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Perfect Pour (Lesson 7)
How much is the right amount of head on a pint?
What are the correct steps to properly pour a pint of beer?
1.
2.
3.
4.
The three big reasons for Proper Pour:
Reason #1 - Profitability
Based on a $200 keg, how much does it cost per pint if you do NOT put a head on it?
Let’s do some math - How much does it cost my bar?
How many kegs a week does your bar sell? __________ x $20 per keg = $_____________
That is how much you are losing per week in over pouring.
Take that figure and multiply by 52 for a year’s loss = $ _________________________
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Reason #2 - Quality (Release the CO2)
Pouring a pint with a dime sized heads allows the CO2 to _____________________________ so the
guest doesn’t get ____________________ and _________________________.
The dime-sized head acts like a ____________________ or a ______________________ and
__________________________________________________ inside the glass so the pint stays
________________________________________ all pint long.
Reason #3 - Consistency
Why is it important to consistently pour every pint with a dime-sized head?
When a guest pushes back because of the head on the beer, you can respond with the following
information:
1. You won’t get full and bloated because it’s not over carbonated.
2. It is as the Brewmaster had intended it to be served; they want a head to be on it.
3. It stays carbonated all pint long
4. It tastes better than a pint without a head on it.
5. You can drink more.
6. Show me an image of a commercially shot pint of beer that doesn’t have a head on it.
Something that you would see on a billboard or the side of a bus. It doesn’t exist. Do you know
why? See point #2.
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Proper Pour – Best Practices
When we place the beer in front of the guest, what should we do?
What never touches the glass while pouring?
How is pouring a Nitro pint (Guinness, for example) different than a regular pint?
What is the point of pushing back on the faucet during the last step of the Nitro pour?
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“That’s so cool – there’s an iceberg in my beer!”
Why we are not big fans of frozen glasses.
The last step in a glasswasher machine is to spray the glassware with a sanitizer solution (usually Iodine
or Chlorine). This is similar to the sanitizer you put on your hands – it sanitizes right away, but it needs
several minutes for the residual sanitizer to evaporate. Because glasses are so wet when they are being
washed, it usually takes 20-30 minutes for beer glasses to air dry and the residual sanitizer to evaporate.
If you take a glass from the glass washer and place it in the freezer with the residual sanitizer still inside
the glass, the sanitizer freezes to the inside of the glass. Most commercial glass freezers chill the glass
down to 0°F / -15°C. Beer will freeze around 27°F / -2.5°C.
When you try to pour beer into the frozen glass, the heat from the bartenders hand and the CO2 in the
beer rip the frozen sanitizer off of the inside of the glass, and it creates a nice iceberg of slush on top of
the pint. Most people think that it is beer. It’s not. It is frozen sanitizer. An iceberg of frozen sanitizer.
Some guests will remark that the beer smells “really clean” or “bleachy”. That is the frozen sanitizer.
Sanitizer also kills head retention.
If an iceberg of frozen sanitizer isn’t enough to convince you not to use them, then let’s talk about lost
profits. When beer freezes, it becomes extremely foamy. The bartender pours this foamy beer down
the drain (or worse, keeps it and sells it later). If you have ever had a bottle of beer freeze in your
freezer at home, you know what we’re talking about.
We know why you use frozen glasses – the guests love them. However, beer poured into a room
temperature glass goes up by 1​°C
​ (2®F). That’s it. Most people can’t tell that minute temperature
variation in a liquid. Room temperature is the best temperature for pint glasses.
If you do use frozen glasses, you should always rinse/spray them before filling them with beer.
We are big supporters of glass sprayers/glass rinsers behind every bar. Even if you use room
temperature glasses, you should have one. Taking a glass straight from the glasswasher and pouring
beer in it still leaves the sanitizer inside which as we mentioned kills head retention and leaves the beer
smelling like sanitizer. Sprayers cost about $400 installed, but they are well worth the investment
because you will ensure pints don’t get returned and there is better head retention.
Notes:
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Beer Clean Glasses (Lesson 8)
Don’t you mean “​clean​ beer glasses”? No.
The term “Beer Clean” refers to a glass that is cleaned to be used for beer; it is free of oil and grease on
the inside of the glass. This oil and grease reduces any head retention that the beer may have, makes
the beer go flatter quicker, and destroys the quality.
What are two ways to tell if the glass is beer clean?
1.
2.
What are the four main causes of dirty glasses?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Why are dirty beer glasses a big problem?
1.
2.
3.
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How do you get the glasses beer clean?
Storing Glasses
Glasses should be stored upside down on trays lined with rubber/plastic mesh. The mesh allows the air
to circulate under the glass, which dries the glass.
Glasses stored on a flat surface will not dry properly, and the sanitizer will leave condensation and a
bleachy aroma on the inside of the glass.
You should try to avoid stacking glasses. We understand that it may be difficult to avoid stacking glasses
because of your space limitations, but any grease from the outside of the glass can transfer to the inside.
Also, the air cannot circulate properly inside the glass, to allow it to dry.
Glass storage trays and mesh should be cleaned weekly. Mesh replaced quarterly. All restaurant supply
companies sell a wide selection of trays and mesh for you to purchase relatively inexpensively.
Wiping Glasses
At no time should you be wiping beer glasses. Using a napkin or bar towel to wipe glasses just transfers
grease from one glass to the next. Correctly setting the cleaning chemical calibration in your
glasswasher and weekly beer glass cleaning as demonstrated in the video is all you need.
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There are four sets of pictures in the above image. The picture on the left of each set is in a beer clean
glass. The picture on the right of each set is in a dirty glass.
Top Right Set​ – Salt test. Wet the inside of the glass. Sprinkle salt inside. Where the salt sticks to the
glass, it’s clean. The salt won’t stick to the oil and grease; it just falls away.
Bottom Right Set​ – lacing on a clean glass, no lacing on the dirty glass
Bottom Left Set​ – same as the demo in the video; the dirty glass has bubbles stuck to the inside of the
glass and no head retention.
Top Left Set​ – a quick way to tell is to rinse the inside of the glass. If the water sheets off evenly, it’s
clean. If it develops “legs” like you would see with wine in a glass, it’s dirty.
TIP:​ Don’t put cutlery inside of beer glasses as they slowly chip away at the bottom of the glass making it
less durable, which causes it to break easier.
The only thing to go into a beer glass is beer.
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Serve Better Beer Workbook
Glass Washing Kits
To order a glass washing kit (Kiss Kleen Commercial Glass Brush with suction cup, 100 tablets of Beer
Glass Cleaner -2 yr supply based on once a week usage, and an instruction sheet), please visit:
http://www.BetterBeer.com/store
We guarantee better quality beer, with better head retention (better profitability), and better draught
sales when you buy one of these kits. If you don’t get the return on investment from the kit in 3
months, we’ll gladly refund your money. Too easy.
Notes:
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Serve Better Beer Workbook
Branded Beer Glasses (Lesson 9)
Nucleation
You may have noticed that most branded glasses are now etched on the inside of the glass bottom.
Usually, it is in the shape of the beer’s logo, but there is a design in there that has been etched with a
laser.
This is called nucleation. Click on the link under the resources on the lesson page to see a very cool
video from Myth Busters about nucleation.
Nucleation allows the CO2 in the beer to release easier creating a constant stream of free-flowing
bubbles all the way up from the bottom of the glass to the top. Upon reaching the top, the bubbles turn
to foam that helps with the head retention of the beer – making it taste better.
Most generic, unbranded glasses are not nucleated.
What you need to know about branded beer glasses:
Why are they important?
How do we know that the guest values them?
How much is a branded glass worth to a guest?
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Tips & Techniques
✔ Using branded beer glasses help servers when they have several pints sitting on the service bar.
Having each brand in the correct glass helps them identify which glass is which.
✔ Using the correct brand also makes it easier to ask the guest if they “would like a fresh pint of
________”. You can use the correct brand by looking at the label instead of asking them, trying
to remember, or worse, just guessing what they were drinking.
✔ If you have a small bar with not much room to store branded glasses, take a serious look at what
you are storing back there. Do you need 24 cans of pineapple juice? Do you need 500 dinner
napkins or 75 roll-ups? Only store the necessities you will need for that shift and fill your
new-found space with branded glasses.
✔ Most brewers will give you branded glasses for your bar, so there is no (or very little cost) to
you. If you can increase your sales price by 25 cents by using branded glasses (added value) the
dollar or two you pay for the branded glass will be recovered in no time.
Notes:
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Troubleshooting (Lesson 10)
Straight Foam
A column of straight foam flowing from the tap is typically a sign of a _____________________problem.
If only one tap is pouring straight foam, the problem is usually:
If all the taps are pouring straight foam, the problem is usually:
Flashing Beer – Beer-Foam-Beer
Flashing beer is typically a sign of a _______________________________ problem.
What could be the reasons for this?
1.
2.
3.
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Dirty Lines
Draught beer lines need to be cleaned on a regular schedule, typically every 3-6 weeks. This should only
be done by a trained draught service technician.
In simple terms, dirty lines are caused by “Beer stone” developing inside of the lines and equipment.
These beer stones are little calcium deposits (beer contains calcium) that look like grains of sand. Beer
also contains yeast that attaches itself to this beer stone. Over time, yeast will create Diacetyl
(pronounced: die-ass-ah-tall) which gives the beer a buttery taste and a slick mouthfeel. If your beer
tastes like butter and it feels like you are eating a Werther's candy, it is usually from dirty draught lines.
It won’t kill you, but it gives you an exaggerated hangover and an upset stomach; you’ll feel like you had
ten pints, but only had two.
The First Pour
Have you ever noticed that the first pour of the day is sometimes foamy? It happens to the best of bars.
The cause of this foam is that the faucet warms up over the course of the night. When you go to pour a
beer first thing in the morning, the cold beer (kept cold inside the tower by the glycol lines) hits a warm
faucet and warms up instantly. ​Warm beer turns to foam.​ It is only the first ounce or so that is foamy
because after a second or two the faucet becomes chilled by the beer.
The problem is that you can’t layer beer on top of the foam, so you end up turning the whole pint into
foam, you dump it down the drain, or even worse – you keep it and serve it later.
Based on ten taps and 2 ounces per day (20c per tap), you will lose $2 per day or about $700 per year.
Here is the solution to save you $700 per year​ – Just before opening each day, fill a pitcher with ice and
water. It should be overflowing with ice and water. Next, you will bury the faucet inside of this ice bath.
This is the only time you bury the faucet! Hold the faucet in the ice bath for 30-45 seconds.
How it works​: The ice bath chills down the faucet so when you open the tap, cold beer hits a cold faucet,
and the beer should pour perfectly every time.
You can do this before you begin your night shift as well, especially to any taps that haven’t been poured
all day.
Seven hundred bucks a year in your bar owner’s jeans. You’re welcome.
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Flat Beer
Cause
Solution
Not using a Beer Clean Glass/greasy
glass.
Beer glasses should not be washed with
other items that have contained milk or
other fatty substances. Be sure to remove
all lipstick from the glass before washing.
Wash glasses with proper detergent. Rinse
glasses with fresh cold water before storing
or pouring. Do not dry beer glasses by
wiping - air dry on lined tray.
Quick-pouring. Pouring the beer on
an angle greater than 45 degrees.
Beer without a head has the appearance of
being flat. Pour the beer properly with a
dime sized head.
Not enough gas pressure.
If the beer pressure is correct, the tap
should fill at a rate of about 2 ounces per
second. Check the pressure source for
obstructions in the pressure line. Check for
a defective regulator. Always ensure the
coupler is attached before pouring beer.
Pressure is shut off or too low.
Check the psi gauge in the keg room.
The keg is too cold.
Beer should be stored at 37°F. To 41°F.
Windy service bar/fan above or near
service.
Air blowing onto a beer will dissolve the
head of a beer, causing it to go flat. Move
the fan.
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Foamy/Wild Beer
Cause
Solution
Recently changing kegs.
Use FOB.
Newly delivered keg.
Let keg settle for about 7 hours, 40+ hours to cool.
More than 2 inches between the
faucet and the glass
Hold the glass closer to the faucet.
Beer is too warm.
Typically, once beer gets over 8C (47F), it turns to
pure foam. Make sure that your beer is stored in a
cold area and has had enough time to cool in the
fridge before tapping.
Too much/too little pressure.
Should fill 18 ounces in about 9 seconds. Any
quicker/slower means the pressure is too high/too
low.
Twisted beer line in the fridge.
Ensure lines are straight and not being pinched.
Not opening the tap far enough.
See proper pouring section.
Cloudy Beer
Cause
Solution
Over chilling of the beer keg or beer
lines, beer has been frozen.
Beer should be stored at 37°F. to 40°F. Excessively
low temperatures may cause hazy or cloudy beer,
especially when the beer is kept too cold for a long
time. Make sure the beer lines are cleaned after the
cloudy beer has been run through them.
Beer is old code. It is past its normal
shelf life.
Check date code; it should be within brewery
recommended shelf life.
The keg was
temperatures.
Storing kegs in a warm environment will cause the
beer to age prematurely. The keg may appear to be
within the correct date, but due to being heated, it
has expired.
stored
at
high
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Other
Cause
Solution
~2 oz of beer pours from the tap after
you shut it off – Dirty faucet vents
Ensure line cleaners are cleaning the faucets at
each clean.
FOB has false trip – ball drops when
the keg is still full – worn/old coupler.
Replace coupler with 100% stainless steel
coupler.
One line is always warm –
insufficient/old/improper insulation.
Check the trunk line insulation to ensure it is
intact, dry, and mould free. If not, replace.
All beer is getting warmer over
several months – glycol/refrigerant in
the deck is low, or compressor air
intake vents are dirty.
Service line chiller.
Notes:
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Serve Better Beer Workbook
Selling Beer (Lesson 11)
More Math!
Steve used $1,000 per shift in the video, but let’s see how much more money you can make.
TO DO:​ Download the Excel Spreadsheet in the Resources section in this lesson to calculate how much
more you can make by increasing your sales.
Selling Techniques
Trading Up
Assuming that you have at least a three-tier pricing system, it’s easy to get most people to trade-up
when they are out. They are spending $20, $30, $40, even $80 to go to your restaurant, so spending an
extra dollar or two on an import or premium seems like nothing compared to the entire bill.
The Sullivan Nod
What is it? _________________________________________________________________________
Assume The Sale - Get Them While They Still Have Beer In The Glass
You are waiting until they are finished. They are waiting until you ask. The never-ending circle of
no-beer-sales. Don’t be afraid to ask if they would like a fresh beer while they still have ⅓ or ¼ of a pint
left. They worst they will say is no.
First & Last
When you list items, you can put the first item in the last spot as well as long as you ________________
___________________________________________ . An example of one is _____________________
____________________________________________________________________________________ .
Coasters
Just not for levelling tables. How else can we use them?
Families With Kids
Extend the window to allow for two drinks by getting their initial drink order ASAP.
Follow The Leader
How does this work?
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Other Techniques
Pitchers
Typically, if you sell pitchers, you offer some incentive to buy them. Usually, it is discounted down by a
dollar or so. There should be the same amount of beer in three pints as there is in one pitcher. They
usually lead to incremental sales, so despite losing some dollar value in sales, you can usually make it up
when they re-order. Even if they only order a bottle, you are still ahead versus three pints.
Million Dollar Beer Secret
Covered in the intro – this is why we sell draught beer. A beer is a beer to a guest; they don’t
differentiate. Sell them a bottle or a pint; it makes no difference to them. Pints are usually a 30%
increase in sales price over bottles. Selling pints increases your cheque average substantially.
Has a technique that works for you that you’d like to share? Let us know and if we include it, we’ll
send you some cool BetterBeer.com swag and give you full credit.
Email Steve at steve@BetterBeer.com
Don’t Hard Sell
People look at the menu, and they ask you what’s good because they want to make the right choice –
they want a great experience. They trust you.
Hard selling the guest breaks that trust. What is hard selling? Hard selling is suggesting the most
expensive item, the second most expensive item, the third most expensive item. Hard selling is
hammering them with sales techniques, aggressively upselling. Hard selling makes them feel like you
are reaching into their pocket or purse and taking their wallet.
You only need to increase your sales by a percentage or two; that’s it. Sell one more item to each table
(not necessarily each guest) and you have increased your sales. Easy Peasy.
Don’t Over-Serve
We need to be clear that we are not suggesting that you at anytime over-serve someone. Assuming that
they have had no drinks before arriving at your establishment, they should be good with having one or
two. The sales techniques above can be used to sell food or any other beverage as well. Use common
sense and your intuition. You know when someone has had enough. “Enjoy responsibly.”
Notes:
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What Is BetterBeer.com (Lesson 12)
We’re recognized as industry leaders for helping bars pour better quality draught beer & increase their
draught sales and profits.
Typically, our clients hire us because they are frustrated with three on-going issues.
One - the amount of draught beer unnecessarily poured down the drain. We find that most bars
experience draught wastage around 10 %, which is about $12k a year in lost profits; even more if
you add in the taxes owed on the spillage.
Two – the high cost of inconsistent hand-me-down staff training that plagues the industry.
And three – It seems that every bar these days is a beer-centric, craft-focused, beer bar. Places that
used to have eight taps now have 24. Rotating taps, seasonal and limited one-off releases combined
with an ever increasing well-educated guest means that competition has never been tougher in the
industry.
How we help solve these problems:
Monthly Reviews
Once a month a BetterBeer.com Draught Quality Consultant inspects the establishment’s draught beer
system. The 20-point review covers areas like:
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
Temperature
Rotation
Date codes
Cleanliness
Proper pouring
Beer clean glasses
Branded glasses
Line cleaning frequency
And much more
The monthly reviews help lower spillage and wastage as they help ensure that the system is working as
it should.
On-line Staff Draught Quality Training
This very course that you are taking. In case you didn’t know, you can add this course to your résumé as
well as your LinkedIn profile.
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Marketing Support
By using social media, contests, coasters, special events, a smartphone app, and door stickers, we
promote your bar as a Certified Establishment. This way your guests know that when they come into
your bar that the beer is fresh, cold and it is properly poured through clean lines and taps into clean
beer glasses.
A BetterBeer.com quality certified establishment must use the following:
●
●
●
●
A mix of CO2 and Nitrogen, not air, to push the beer through the system
A glass sprayer if frozen glasses are being used
Subscribe to a regular line cleaning program
Invest in staff training
If your bar is in our program, you should be very proud as you pour better quality beer than most bars
out there. Make sure to let guests know that you sell quality certified pints.
Notes:
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37