I have never started a thread regarding an article that I have read, but I found this interesting and wondered if it is a real concern. The attached article from The Takeout discusses the possibility of contamination if the beer server allows the tap to come into contact with the glass or beer in the glass. While I have never heard of The Takeout previously, the article states that there is “an industry standard laid out by the U.S. Brewers Association” which dictates the proper pouring technique. Further, scientifically speaking, contamination does seem probable in this scenario. I have never noticed or even paid attention to whether the bartender violates this standard and am wondering if other BAs have seen it. https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/articles/brewery-makes-beer-pouring-mistake-120000432.html
This is right below whether the toilet paper roll is installed to pull from the top or the bottom in terms of life priorities for me.
Saw this article myself. I don't think that this is a problem if you clean lines regularly and also clean and sanitize taps at the end of every night .
I remember seeing this a long long time ago, then I went and saw our local Master Cicerone doing it at his beer bar, so I stopped worrying about it.
Why even put a roll on the toilet paper holder? You have to constantly replace the rolls once they’re empty, plus the rolls I buy are too thick to fit inside those things anyways.
It's a nothingburger. But, the health department has shown that it's possible, no matter how improbable, to transfer some germs. and that a very few amount of people might get sick from those few germs. Theoretically, as long as a clean glass is used for each pour it shouldn't matter.
In the big scheme of things, illness from an improper beer pour ranks at the bottom of my things to fear list. Besides, the servers at my local beer pub are certified cicerones so I gotta trust them to do it right. Cheers!
I wouldn’t think there would be any cause for contamination since a clean glass is used for every pour. This, as long no one touched the rim of the glass or you have a careless or lazy bartender that re-fills used glasses because they don’t feel like washing them later. The places I’ve had Growlers filled use an anti-splash hose that is kept in a glass with antiseptic solution. Many will spray the Growler with an alcohol solution inside and out before hand.
This is why I've long included health inspectors in ACAB. Been straight up told "I'm here to find something wrong." No you asshole, your job is to make sure everything is safe. There's a reason most kitchens leave out something very minor and obvious out, it's to give you a box to check and move on.
In Germany I've had beers from bottles that were simply inverted in the mug and pulled out when it had emptied. No issues so far, but I guess the health issues might be slow to kick in.
Hey all, I apologize for jumping in a bit more directly on a thread like this. This is one of those topics that has always sat in the back of my mind from brewery training and from helping train staff in Montana and Wyoming, so I wanted to add a little context. There is a bit of truth on both sides here, but it helps to separate “contamination” from “draft quality.” The no contact rule is real. It is referenced in Brewers Association draft guidance and reinforced through Cicerone training at multiple levels. The Draught Beer Quality Manual in particular emphasizes keeping the faucet out of the beer and off the glass to maintain sanitary serving conditions and consistent pours. The intent is not fear of getting sick. Beer is a relatively hostile environment for most harmful microbes due to alcohol, pH, and carbonation, so the actual health risk from a single instance is very low. That part tends to get overstated in articles like this. Where the practice does matter is on the process side. When a faucet repeatedly contacts beer or glassware, you can get residue buildup on the tip of the faucet. Over time, that can contribute to flavor carryover, inconsistent pours, or subtle quality issues. More importantly, it can be a signal. In well run draft programs, small details like pour technique, glass cleanliness, line cleaning frequency, and gas balance all tend to align. If one area is getting overlooked, it sometimes reflects a broader approach to draft maintenance. In practical terms, the things that usually matter more in the glass are: - Clean, beer clean glassware - Proper line cleaning intervals - Correct temperature and gas settings - Stable foam formation and retention So I would not view a one off faucet touch as a serious concern. But if it is happening consistently, it is worth paying attention to as part of the bigger picture of draft quality. Just my perspective from time spent around draft systems and training. Curious how others have seen it handled in different places.
Giovanni, it is my understanding that beer line cleaning is regulated at the state level, is that correct? I have also been told that in Pennsylvania that beer lines must be cleaned every 2 weeks. Does the state actually enforce/monitor this? As regards contact of beer glasses to the faucet, can contamination work its way up the beer line? Cheers!
Hey Jack, good question. Since we are both in Pennsylvania, you are right that line cleaning is mandated at the state level. The standard is every 2 weeks, which aligns with Brewers Association guidance. That routine cleaning is typically a caustic cycle to remove organic buildup like yeast and protein. On top of that, there is also a longer interval acid cleaning, usually around every 3 months, to remove beer stone and mineral deposits that the caustic cycle does not address. Enforcement here is tied to inspection and recordkeeping, so places are expected to log when cleanings are performed, though how closely it is monitored can vary. In contrast, when I was out in Wyoming, it was much more driven by industry practice rather than strict statewide regulation. A lot of the consistency came from distributor support and internal training. That was something we emphasized heavily, especially working alongside my business partner at the time, who brought brewing experience from Luminous Brewery. The focus there was making sure staff understood not just the schedule, but the why behind it. On the faucet contact question, under normal draft conditions it is very unlikely anything is traveling back up the line. The system is under constant positive pressure pushing beer outward. What you can get is localized residue at the faucet if it repeatedly contacts beer or glassware, which is more of a surface level issue than a line contamination issue. One other small point that ties into overall draft quality. If a tap has been sitting for a while during a slow period, the beer in the faucet and the very end of the line can warm slightly or lose some carbonation. In practice, well run programs train staff to be aware of that and do a quick initial pour or brief purge before serving, just to make sure the beer in the glass is representative of how it should taste. Cheers!
How does the BA / Cicerone program handle use of Lukr side-pull faucets, where the nozzle is required to be submerged in the beer while pouring? I believe I have seen servers rinse the nozzle once a pour is completed, but I don't know if this is the standard practice.
