How many taps is too many?

My sweet spot is in the 20s. Anything over 50+ is too many in my view. All the people saying traffic matters I say: look at a place like Yard house. They've got like 100~ taps and solid traffic, but because the crowd that goes there might not be looking for that Belgian, super bitter IPA, or dark and heavy stout there are a lot of kegs that sit around for way to long.

 

I've been to places with 10 taps that had old IPAs and I've been to places with 60+ that were great. It has nothing to do with the number of taps and everything to do with the ratio of traffic to taps, and management's commitment to keep lines cleaned.

 

The problem is too many taps and not enough diversity...Like pretty much every fancy tap room has more IPA's than anything else.

 

That is a great and pertinent question. The best places that I know clean their own lines. They allow no "politics" to interfere with their product selection and delivery.To rely on a vendor leaves some lines possibly uncleaned. Beer is a food product and should be carefully tended.

 

Why is that?

Cheers!

 

The bar says that they have someone to come clean the lines, and a guy that has just one tap has been assured that the line will be cleaned. Of course, it isn't. So, while it is his responsibility in the long run, he has been told that the lines will be cleaned. I've seen this on occasion and it can truly be a problem. So, an establishment is always best served to clean their own lines and and prevent petty behavior. Any place serving good draft beer should clean their own lines or have a reputable independent contractor perform the duties- signed and dated!

 

So, you are saying that some contractors are not reputable?

Cheers!

 

No, I'm saying that some distributors that claim that they will clean all lines do not do so. All independent line cleaners that I've encountered do a great job! I certainly did not mean to say anything negative about these enterprising new businesses. It is a great idea and service.

 

Thank you for that clarification.

When I read your statement of "To rely on a vendor leaves some lines possibly uncleaned." I thought that vendor = line cleaner. It would never have occurred to me that you meant wholesale distributor here.

Cheers!

 

JFC. Posts like this make me wanna go all Bud Dwyer.

 

Sorry that it seemed unclear.

 

I never worry about the Freshness of beer if it's a well known beer bar. It depends more on how often the taps get cleaned. Some beers absolutely destroy lines. There are def a few in Boston that every beer taste like the previous 10 beers. It's like high school all over again if you get my drift.

 

In my old pub days in England, as long as we could run the pumps in a session, a pint of each, from one end to the other, that was fine. So about 8.

 

5. One for each style.

 

In my experience, the best case is when there is only one beer served.

 

There was a thread on this a year or so ago, and I was surprised to learn that in some states it's mandated that the distributors clean the lines. Here in WA, it's the responsibility of the establishment, and some self-clean, while others hire a tap cleaning service.

 

There are never too many taps as long as they can keep those lines clean

 

I wonder how vigorously this is policed?

Cheers!

 

Your probably the exception, tap beer doesn't last forever and it's too easy for slow movers to hang around too long.

 

Agree that it depends on the place. There are local places with 20ish taps that I know to avoid because they don't keep up with cleaning their lines, and I really don't think it'd matter if they only had ten--they'd still be gross.

Always think about chains like Yard House when this question comes up--wonder how many of those beers just sit. Are they more likely to adhere to strict cleaning protocols because of corporate policies or less likely because: who cares? And the length of the lines, given that their kegs are on display a hundred plus feet from the taps.

Supposed to be a new plan in downtown Pittsburgh opening this Spring and coming in at 100+ taps and I'm concerned about this for sure. I'm not hopeful.