Glassware Cleanliness in Establishments

And this is a common/chronic/recurring problem at this place (either for you / your friends directly, or based on other reviews about the place)?

 

What's the source of the smell that you're experiencing?

 

Yeah, I'm interested in what aroma you were getting too. Glass is fairly impermeable, and it shouldn't retain any scent from a restaurant situation. Other than maybe some sanitizer from the glasswasher. Might it have been from the servers cologne/perfume/deodorant?

 

I have never had a smelly glass but wife and I have sent back glasses with lipstick stains on them. Ya, I have previously read in other posts how hard those can be to remove. The fact that so many establishments manage to do it successfully just shows that it can be done, and a server should be paying attention even if the bartender isn't.

 

I

It's odd that no one else had a foul-smelling glass. Were all of the glasses in your group the same style, or perhaps wine glasses, etc. that may have been washed differently? Like you said, it sounds like a faulty dishwasher that has a poor rinse cycle, and residual soap film is the likely smell that you're getting.

If you go back there and experience the same smell, you've got to complain about it. That place needs to know.

 

The only thing I don’t like is the antiquated, dip the glass in “sanitizer” water that has been sitting there, followed by the twisty brush, and then finally into another dip into water that has been sitting there for who knows how long. Give me a dishwasher, please.

 

The three tank method, at least as approved by my local health department, goes in this order: Wash tank, rinse tank, sanitizer tank, then let the glasses air dry. I can't think of anyplace locally that still uses that though.

 

When done correctly, the three bay sink is a proven method to clean and sanitize glassware.
It works, when done correctly. This is not debatable.
Unfortunately it is often not done correctly. Which is a shame because it is the best way to clean glassware.

Automatic dishwashers have a few drawbacks of their own though.

• Expensive. Requires under bar real estate, electric and plumbing, which is in short supply. Requires a plan, which is basically non-existent.
• If the temp is not high enough they do not sanitize. And the temp needs to be HOT.
• If the incorrect ratio of cleanser and sanitizer is not used, they will not clean properly.
• If the utility water is not filtered there will be a mild to strong odor of chlorine, and this is not something you can ignore. You will absolutely be greeted with a whiff.
• When the door is opened you get a cloud of hot steam. Sometimes a cloud of hot chlorine steam. See it on the window?
• If the glassware is pulled right from the auto and put into service you are getting a hot glass filled with cold beer, which is a luke warm beer to drink.

The advantage of a dishwasher is that they can clean lots of glasses quickly. As long as the machine is set up and operated correctly then no problem.

Give me a good three bay sink used correctly, please.
Cheers

 

Unfortunately, some of the immersion cleaners used in the 3 bay system have a distinct (though usually faint) vomit odor to me, and no, it is not from traces of actual vomit. And the 3 bay system sometimes becomes the 2 bay system when things get too busy.

 

Yep. At major chains of seen some pretty lazy practices. Barely dunking the glass in the water as if it’s being baptized, not cleaned.

 

This step was too often skipped if things got busy. Of course, that was in the era when it was much more common for the bartender to simply refill your glass rather than start with a new one every beer.

Last time I saw a bar using the 3-sink method, I noticed that the glasses wet with the sanitizer went directly into the freezer for the "coldest beer in town". That "ice" was frozen sanitizer!

JK: "Uh, gimme a Dogfish Head 60 Minute Ale...and, oh, can I get that in a room temperature glass?"
Bartender: "We don't have any room temperature glasses."
JK: "Oh, just rinse one of the frozen ones under running water for me, thanks."
NEXT VISIT-
JK: "Yeah, I've have a Victory Hop Devil in a-"
Bartender: "Oh, yeah - you're the guy who wants a hot glass..."
JK: >thinking< "Well, not exactly "hot" - I didn't bring my welder's gloves or anything..."

In another local bar with frozen glasses, they do have room temp glasses - Guinness Imperial pints (I guess it's easier to pour the nitro stuff into them?) - so I'll get that glass + a few ounces more beer than the bar's frozen shaker pints.

 

Lipstick is the worse thing to clean off glassware. A 3 bay system will not remove it. My gripe with 3 bay systems is how often is the water changed out?

 

Especially when busy.

 

I think I've sent beer back once for having a fishy smell. It was a beer I drink all the time and just reeked of fish.