| Is It Clean or Beer Clean? by D. L. Malinak Hello Bob - thought I'd send you an article about something I'm most passionate about which would also be of help to your readers. I'm talking about how to tell if your beer glass is clean; not regular clean but beer clean. Every glass I use at home is 100% beer clean, unfortunately the same can't be said for many glasses used in bars and restaurants. Things like detergent residue and oils are pretty common on glassware but they can alter the aroma and flavor of your beer — and their presence means that glass isn’t really clean. The good news is there’s a really easy way to tell if that glass you’re drinking out of isn’t “beer clean.” Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying a lot of glasses out there are dirty. I'm only saying that they are not perfect for beer. I'm a beer nerd so that bothers me. If you're not don't worry. A glass that isn't beer clean is perfectly all right to use; you won't get sick. But for a full taste experience (after all that's what you're paying for) then you should use these tips to see how clean your glass really is. One last thing. If you like to frequent bars or drink a beer or two at your average restaurant you might not what to read any further. Once you know how to detect a dirty glass you'll notice it every time. So, if you're ready and brave - here goes: 1. You can tell a beer glass isn’t “beer clean” when someone pours a beer for you in a glass and bubbles cling to the side. Think back and I bet that's been the case the last few times you've had a beer out or even in your own home. 2.The head on your beer will also dissipate rapidly in a glass that isn’t beer clean, and/or the foam won’t cling to the side of the glass as you start to drink: This is an easy sign to recognize and you'll find it happening many more times than you ever realized. 3. You can tell if your beer glasses at home are clean by just dipping them in water. If the water coats the inside evenly, then you’re good. If you end up with droplets on the inside of your glass, the glass could use another clean. Go check a few of your glasses out right now and see how you score on the beer clean test. Yes, it's that direct and simple to determine beer glass cleanness. But now that you know how to evaluate the glass what do you do when your fully poored beer fails the test? Since I learned all this a few years ago, I think I’ve sent one beer back. I probably should have done it more often but I lean over backwards giving the place the benefit of the doubt that it was a one time error. . Also, it may sound wimpy, but I wouldn’t recommend pointing it out anywhere you happen to be drinking unless your beer truly is awful. However, if you notice it happening more than once at a spot, you might want to find somewhere else to drink. Beer clean glasses should be the standard in every bar. Maybe the only way to insure that is to send every dirty on back. Then again perhaps a quiet word with management would be even more effective. I raise my (really clean) glass in a toast to you Bob. Love the column and hope you consider printing mine. ---------- Many thanks D.L. for pointing out something every serious beer drinker should know. I'm very wary of bars that don't understand every glass should be rinsed carefully before serving. I enjoyed your article; well done! Please write again. I'd like to invite everyone to send me their own columns about anything related to beer in any way just as D.L. did. I select the best and publish them here. So join in and get writing! Cheers! Bob |
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