Why do so many bar owners have trouble with their draft beer systems? Learn why dedicated walk-in coolers is the #1 secret of maintaining draft beer systems and increasing bar owner profits.
WALK-IN COOLERS AND DRAFT BEER SYSTEMS
The craft beer craze is still going strong and of course, nearly all of our clients are “all-in”. The most memorable part of our early conversations is the dead silence I hear when I inform them that they’ll need dedicated walk-in coolers for their new draft beer system. Their architect didn’t tell them….but their architect didn’t know! While most recognize and plan for a single walk-in cooler for their new bars, none ever realize the need for separating their case beer from their draft beer.
BAR DESIGN TIP:
These are the two most critical factors in a profitable draft beer system:
- A high-quality glycol delivery system.
- Dedicated walk-in cooler.
This story is about the latter.
THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF OWNING A DRAFT BEER SYSTEM
According to our good friends at Micro Matic, leaders in high-quality draft beer systems, incorrect temperature is the most common problem among draft beer systems. Ironically, it’s the easiest problem to control.
Here are some other critical facts to understand about the nature of draft beer:
- The ideal temperature of storing and serving draft beer is 38 F, and this applies to domestic beer, imported beer and whether the beer is pasteurized or not.
- 38 F happens to be the temperature that will retain the level of carbonation that was created during the brewing process.
- If the temperature is too warm, this will result in excess foaming, because the pressure is no longer able to keep the carbonation in the beer while it’s still inside the keg.
- If the temperature is too cold, the carbonation won’t release until it’s in the customer’s stomach, which will ultimately lead to over-filled glasses and lost sales.
Needless to say, the temperature of the beer is critical from the walk-in cooler all the way to the point of dispensing. Improper temperature leads to excess foaming, improper taste and appearance.
THE MOST CRITICAL ELEMENT OF OWNING A DRAFT BEER SYSTEM
The first step in maintaining proper beer temperature is to dedicate one walk-in cooler for draft beer (as shown in this photo) and a second for case beer. In this manner, the draft beer will not be subjected to the constant opening-and-closing of the walk-in cooler door, which is typical of case beer. If you’re featuring 10-14 brands of draft beer, a 8’ x 10’ walk-in-cooler is entirely adequate, as shown here.
Proper design and planning of your draft beer system and walk-in coolers will enable you to enjoy great success and profits. Don’t rely on your architect to understand the critical nature and inner-workings of this equipment.
DOWNLOADS FOR THIS POST:
ARCHITECTURAL_DRAWING_OF_WALK-IN_COOLER_FOR_DRAFT_BEER
ADVANCE_TABCO_8-KEG_STORAGE_RACK_CUT_SHEET
DEVAULT_KEG_SPACER CUT_SHEET
DEVAULT_SLIM_KEG_STACKER_CUT_SHEET
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