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Getting Your Glassware "Beer Clean"

1st Jul 2017

If you’ve been a subscriber for a while you’ve probably read our previous articles discussing beer glassware and the benefits of drinking beer from a glass. However, one topic we’ve never tackled is the best way to clean beer glasses. So here it is… but first, how to tell if your glasses are really clean (even if they look clean).

The industry calls it “beer clean”, as in the glass has been well cleaned and will properly showcase a beer - from clarity to head retention and carbonation. Here’s 3 ways to determine if your glass is beer clean:

1. Salt Test: Wet the inside of the glass and sprinkle salt on the sides of the glass. Salt will adhere evenly on a clean glass. On a dirty glass, salt will not adhere evenly. Areas where the salt doesn’t adhere are dirty.

(the glass on left is clean) 

2. Bubbles on Inside: Pour a beer into the glass. If bubbles appear on the side of the glass and head retention is ordinary the glass is not clean.

(the glass on left is clean)

3. Lacing Test: As you drink beer do you get nice lacing around the glass? Foam will adhere to the side of a clean glass.

(the glass on left is clean)

what’s the best way to clean a beer glass? Here are our top tips:

1. Hand wash glassware - it takes less than a minute. Dishwashers can leave an invisible film and can damage branded glassware by stripping logos.

2. Have a dedicated brush or sponge just for your beer glasses. Don’t use one that is used for other dishes / pots etc.

3. Don’t use dishwashing soap – these contain oils and create suds which can cling to the glass, killing head retention. Instead use bicarb soda sprinkled inside the glass or on a sponge/brush. Give it a light scrub and then rinse.

4. Drip dry your glassware upside down on a tray, allowing ventilation.

5. Rinse your glass with cold water before pouring a beer - this removes any possible dust and cools the glass down a few degrees.

6. Buy new glassware from time to time - glass quality can degrade, so new glasses can be just what your next beer needs!

So why not test your glassware before the next pour and enjoy this months beers!