# Hospodality — Beer, cider and the cellar Source: https://www.hospodality.com · hello@hospodality.com ## Beer, cider and the cellar (207) ### Cask cellarmanship #### Cask delivery and stillaging A cask arrives having been rolled off a dray, bumped down a drop and left in a yard, so the first job is getting it on to the stillage gently and in the right place. Lift rather than roll where you can; a rolled cask stirs the finings and the sediment and you will add a day to conditioning. Set it on the stillage with the shive uppermost and the keystone at the front, then chock it so it cannot rock. Most modern cellars use self-tilting stillages, which lift the back of the cask as it empties, but if you are on fixed racking you set the cask with a slight forward tilt from day one and never move it again. Moving a cask that has dropped bright clouds it for hours or days. Write the date of arrival, the brewery’s best-before and your planned venting date on the end in chalk or on a cask tag. A good cellar keeps casks in a strict first-in, first-out order, and puts the next one on the stillage while the current one is still on sale so it has a full settling period before it is needed. Cellars that stillage on the day they run out are the ones serving cloudy, green beer. - Lift, don’t roll, where possible - Shive up, keystone forward, chocked firm - Never move a cask once it has dropped bright - Stillage the next cask while the current one sells #### Venting a cask: soft and hard spiles Venting releases the excess carbon dioxide built up during secondary fermentation in the cask. With a cleaned mallet, drive a soft spile, which is porous wood or a soft-tipped peg, through the centre of the shive. If the beer is lively it will fob up through the spile hole; leave it working, wipe away the foam and check it every few hours. As the fobbing slows the soft spile is doing its job, letting gas escape while the beer conditions. When the top of the spile is dry and there is only a slight hiss when you lift it, replace it with a hard spile, which is non-porous and seals the cask to hold the remaining condition. The art is in the timing. Too long on a soft spile and the beer goes flat and lifeless; too short and the pint is gassy, fobs at the bar and wastes beer. Some lively ales take a day or more to calm, while some dark milds barely work at all. During service you lift the hard spile or fit a cask breather to let air or gas in as beer is drawn, then replace the hard spile at close so the cask holds condition overnight. - Soft spile lets gas escape; hard spile seals - Swap when the spile top stays dry - Over-venting gives flat beer, under-venting gives fob - Re-seal with a hard spile at every close #### Tapping a cask Tapping drives a tap through the keystone, the rubber or wooden bung at the front of the cask. Do it after venting has begun, so internal pressure is not pushing beer out at you, and ideally a day after stillaging so the sediment is undisturbed. Sanitise the tap and the face of the keystone, place the tap squarely in the centre, and drive it home with one or two firm, confident blows of the mallet. Hesitant tapping is how you end up with a split keystone, a fountain of beer and a cellar floor to mop. Make sure the tap is closed before you strike. Once in, the tap should not be touched again until the cask is empty; knocking it later can dislodge sediment. Many cellar teams tap and vent in the same session, then leave the cask to condition for the brewery’s recommended period, often a day or two. Keep a clean cloth and a spare keystone nearby, and never tap a cask still being moved into place. If the tap hits the inside of the cask badly or the keystone lets beer weep around the tap, it can be a source of air ingress and infection, so check the seal after tapping. - Vent first, tap second - Tap closed, struck squarely and firmly - Never knock the tap once the cask is set - A weeping keystone lets air in #### Conditioning time and the bright test Cask beer is alive and goes on sale when it is ready, not when the rota says. After venting and tapping, most cask ales need around 24 to 48 hours to drop bright and reach condition, though some will be ready in less and some dark or strong beers need longer. Check readiness with a small sample drawn into a clean glass: hold it to the light and look for clarity, smell for off notes, and taste for condition. The beer should look bright, have a fine prickle of carbonation and taste clean. A hazy sample at this stage usually means it needs more time; a murky one that will not clear after several days may have a finings problem or be an unfined beer that is meant to be hazy, so read the pump clip and the brewery’s notes. Draw the sample from the tap at the cask rather than the bar, to avoid pulling through a line full of old beer. Log each check on the cask tag. Experienced cellar managers taste every cask before it goes on, and a pub that does this consistently rarely has to pull beer back off sale. - Usually 24 to 48 hours before sale - Sample at the cask tap, not the bar - Check clarity, aroma and condition - Some beers are deliberately unfined and hazy #### Finings: isinglass and alternatives Traditional cask ale is cleared with finings, most often isinglass, a collagen product derived from fish swim bladders. Added at the brewery, it carries a positive charge and binds with negatively charged yeast cells, which then settle to the belly of the cask. That is why moving a cask after it has settled is so damaging: once disturbed, finings may not work as well a second time. Because isinglass is animal-derived, beers fined with it are not vegan, which matters on menus and to guests who ask. Many breweries now use alternative clarifiers, or produce unfined beer that is served hazy, often labelled as such on the pump clip. Some modern methods include centrifuging or filtering before casking, though fully filtered beer is less traditional for cask. Front-of-house should know which of the house beers are vegan and be able to say so with confidence; check with the brewery, not the internet. If a guest is avoiding animal products, an honest answer of ‘that one is fined with isinglass, this one isn’t’ builds trust. Never guess on dietary claims, and keep a current list behind the bar. - Isinglass is derived from fish - Isinglass-fined beer is not vegan - Unfined beers are often labelled hazy - Confirm vegan status with the brewery #### Cellar temperature control Cask ale is served at cellar temperature, and the widely used trade standard is 11 to 13°C, with 12°C the usual target. Cask Marque and most breweries use this range. Colder, and the beer tastes thin, dull and may show chill haze; warmer, and it tastes flabby, loses condition quickly and is more vulnerable to infection. Keep a calibrated thermometer in the cellar, ideally a max-min type, and record temperatures at least daily. Cellar cooling units fail more often in heatwaves, precisely when you need them most, so have the engineer’s number on the wall and service the unit annually. Keep the cellar door shut, the floor dry, and don’t store hot items, boxes of food or cleaning chemicals that give off fumes in the same space. Stock that isn’t beer, such as wine in cardboard, adds clutter and harbours mould. If the cellar warms overnight, beer conditioning on the stillage will work faster and can go off before you have sold it. Many pubs also keep a probe thermometer to check the temperature of the beer in the glass at the bar, which may be a degree or two higher after pulling through the line. - Trade standard 11–13°C, aim for 12°C - Use a max-min thermometer, log daily - Service cellar cooling yearly - Warm cellars shorten cask life #### Cask life once broached Once a cask is tapped and on sale, air replaces the beer drawn off, and oxidation and bacterial spoilage begin. The general rule in the trade is to sell a cask within about three days of broaching, which is why sizing matters. A pub selling 30 pints of a beer a day can sustain a nine-gallon firkin (72 pints) comfortably; one selling ten pints a day cannot, and should look at pins (four and a half gallons, 36 pints) or reduce the number of cask lines. Ullage, the beer left in the bottom of the cask that cannot be served, is part of the cost; with careful tilting it can be small, but rough handling increases it. A cask breather, which supplies carbon dioxide at atmospheric pressure to replace drawn beer, can extend life by a few days and is accepted by many breweries, though some traditionalists object to it. The best fix is ranging: fewer, faster-moving cask beers rather than six handpulls of which three sit stale. Track each cask’s days on sale; anything going over three days needs a decision, and that decision should not be to keep selling it until a customer complains. - Aim to sell within about three days - Firkin = 72 pints; pin = 36 pints - Cask breathers can add a few days - Too many handpulls means stale beer #### Cask sizes and terminology British cask sizes are expressed in gallons and have old names. A pin holds 4.5 gallons, or 36 pints. A firkin holds 9 gallons, or 72 pints, and is by far the most common size for cask ale in pubs. A kilderkin is 18 gallons, or 144 pints, used by busy houses for their best-selling beer. A barrel is 36 gallons and a hogshead 54 gallons, both now rare in pub cellars though barrel remains the unit breweries use when talking about volume. Brewers also talk in hectolitres, 100 litres, roughly 176 pints, especially in duty and production figures. Casks are mostly stainless steel or aluminium today, though a few breweries use wooden casks for special beers. The parts are worth knowing: the shive on top takes the spile; the keystone at the front takes the tap; the belly is the widest part, where sediment collects. Plastic casks exist but are uncommon. Breweries own their casks and charge if they are lost, and cask theft is a real cost to the industry, so return empties promptly, keep them secure and never use them for anything else. - Pin 36 pints, firkin 72, kilderkin 144 - Barrel 36 gallons, hogshead 54 - Shive on top, keystone at the front - Return empties promptly; breweries own them #### Beer engines and handpulls The handpull operates a beer engine, a simple piston pump that draws beer up from the cellar with each stroke. Each full pull typically delivers around a quarter or half pint depending on the cylinder size, so staff learn the pump’s rhythm. Long, smooth strokes are better than short jerky ones, which create uneven foam and more fobbing. The engine contains washers, valves and seals that wear, and a pump that starts to feel stiff, sticky or loses its prime needs servicing. Many engines are fitted with check valves and sight glasses; in some older engines, a small chamber at the top of the cylinder can be adjusted. Because the beer engine draws beer up from the cellar, the line length matters: a long run from cellar to bar means the first pull of the day is warmer beer that has sat in the line. Many pubs pull through and discard, or use in cooking, the first half pint of each cask beer daily. At the end of a session, the bar team should not leave the handpull partly drawn; return it to the upright position so the engine’s valves sit correctly. - One pull is roughly a quarter or half pint - Long smooth strokes reduce fob - Stiff pulls mean worn seals - Pull through standing beer at opening #### Sparklers and the north–south divide A sparkler is a perforated nozzle fitted to the end of a handpull swan neck. It forces the beer through small holes, knocking carbon dioxide out of solution and producing a tight, creamy head. In the north of England, particularly Yorkshire and the north-east, sparklers are the norm and many brewers there design their beers to be served this way. In the south, many drinkers and brewers prefer beer without a sparkler, arguing it strips hop aroma and condition. Both camps are right about their own beers. A sparkled pint looks impressive and gives a smoother mouthfeel, but it can flatten a hoppy pale ale and make it taste sweeter. Pubs serving beers from across the country often fit the sparkler on some pumps and not others, or use a swan neck with a removable nozzle. Ask the brewery how they intend their beer to be served. Sparklers are also a hygiene point: they clog with yeast and residue, and should be removed and soaked in sanitiser at every close. If a guest asks for a pint ‘without the sparkler’, the courteous answer is yes, and it takes seconds to remove. - Sparklers give a tight, creamy head - Common in northern England - Can mute hop aroma in pale ales - Remove and soak every night #### Cask breathers A cask breather, or aspirator, is a demand valve that lets carbon dioxide into the cask at atmospheric pressure as beer is drawn, replacing the air that would otherwise enter through the spile. Because it does not pressurise the beer, it does not add carbonation; it simply blankets the beer to slow oxidation. This can extend the saleable life of an opened cask from about three days to perhaps five to seven, depending on the beer and the cellar. CAMRA historically did not accept beer served with breathers as real ale for some purposes, though its position has been relaxed in recent years, and individual festivals and guides may still have their own rules. For a small rural pub that wants cask beer but cannot sell a firkin in three days, a breather can be the difference between offering cask and not. The equipment is relatively cheap but must be installed correctly, using food-grade carbon dioxide at a very low regulated pressure. It is not a substitute for good cellar practice. Staff must still vent, tap and sample as normal, and must still notice when a beer has gone off. - Adds CO₂ at atmospheric pressure, not above - Extends cask life by several days - Accepted by many breweries - No substitute for cellar discipline #### Cask Marque Cask Marque is an independent accreditation scheme for pubs serving cask ale. Assessors make unannounced visits and test the temperature, appearance, aroma and taste of every cask beer on sale; pubs that pass are awarded the plaque you see by many pub doors. The temperature standard is 11 to 13°C in the glass, and beers must be clear unless deliberately hazy, with no off flavours. Pubs pay an annual fee for the scheme, which also offers training and resources such as cellar management guides. Accreditation is a useful selling point and a signal to cask drinkers, and some pub companies require or encourage it for their tenants. The visits work best as a discipline: if your cellar can pass an unannounced test on any day, it is probably running well. Failing a beer is not the end of the world; it is feedback, and assessors usually explain what they found. The scheme also runs or supports beer-related qualifications and online learning for bar staff, which can be a cheap way to train a new team. Check the current fees and standards directly with the organisation when budgeting. - Unannounced checks on every cask beer - Temperature standard 11–13°C - Annual fee for accreditation - Also offers staff training #### Cask ullage and returns Ullage is beer that cannot be sold: the dregs in the bottom of a cask, line pull-through, overspills and beer that has gone off. Some ullage is inevitable, but it is also one of the biggest controllable costs in a wet-led pub. Brewery credit for faulty beer is common, but terms vary: many breweries will credit a cask that is faulty on arrival if it is returned largely full and reported promptly, but they will not credit beer that has gone off because it was left on sale too long or kept too warm. Keep any faulty cask, label it with the problem and date, and call the brewery or supplier promptly. Don’t empty it before they agree, unless food safety or space dictates otherwise. Track ullage weekly by comparing what was delivered with what the till recorded. Many pubs use a stock-taker or a flow-monitoring system to show yield per cask or keg. Consistent losses above the expected few per cent usually point to a cellar or staff problem: long lines, poor pouring, over-generous measures, free drinks not rung through, or theft. - Ullage: beer that cannot be sold - Report faulty beer promptly - Keep the cask until the brewery agrees - Track yield to spot losses #### Cellar hygiene routine A clean cellar is the foundation of good beer. The floor should be swept and mopped regularly with clean water, and spills dealt with immediately, since stale beer feeds moulds and bacteria and attracts fruit flies. Drains should be kept clear and flushed. The stillage, couplers, taps, spiles and mallet must be cleaned regularly. Equipment used for venting and tapping should be sanitised before use. Walls and ceiling should be free of mould; if mould keeps coming back, the cellar may be too damp or poorly ventilated. Keep the cellar free of food, cardboard and unnecessary items. Use the correct chemicals, stored safely and away from beer. Staff should wash their hands before handling cellar equipment. Many pubs have a written cellar cleaning schedule posted on the wall, with daily, weekly and monthly tasks, and a sign-off sheet. This not only keeps standards up but helps show diligence to environmental health officers and accreditation schemes. A cellar visit tells an experienced operator almost everything about how a pub is run. - Sweep and mop; deal with spills fast - Keep drains clear and flushed - No food or cardboard in the cellar - Post and sign off a cleaning schedule #### Cellar safety basics Cellars are hazardous workplaces. Manual handling is the most common risk: a full firkin weighs around 50 kilograms or more, and kegs are heavy too. Use correct lifting technique, keg lifters or trolleys where possible, and never lift alone if a load is beyond you. Drop-hatches and stairs cause falls; keep hatches closed when not in use, use barriers and lighting, and keep stairs clear. Carbon dioxide and mixed gas from dispense systems can build up in enclosed cellars, as CO₂ is heavier than air and can collect at floor level; gas detectors and alarms are widely recommended and often required by pub companies, and staff must leave the cellar immediately if an alarm sounds. Gas cylinders must be secured upright with chains or brackets and handled with care. Cleaning chemicals for lines are corrosive and need gloves and eye protection. Employers have legal duties under health and safety law to assess these risks and train staff. A written cellar risk assessment, a first aid kit and clear emergency procedures are part of running a responsible operation. - A full firkin weighs around 50kg+ - CO₂ collects at floor level - Secure cylinders upright - Use PPE for line chemicals #### Beer festivals in the pub A pub beer festival can draw crowds and showcase cask ale, but it puts the cellar under strain. Planning starts weeks ahead: choose the beers, confirm delivery dates, and work out how many casks you can stillage and keep cool. Many pubs set up temporary stillage in a function room or marquee, with cooling jackets or ‘python’ cooling systems to keep casks around 11 to 13°C; without cooling, warm weather can ruin a festival. Casks should arrive several days before the festival to settle, be vented and tapped in good time and sampled before opening. Gravity dispense, serving directly from the cask via the tap, is common at festivals and suits short-term use. Order quantities carefully: you want to sell out on the final day, not pour away half-full casks. Offer thirds and halves to encourage tasting, with clear tasting notes and ABV displayed. Train volunteers or extra staff on pouring, measures and age verification. Check whether you need any variation to your premises licence for the event or the space, and contact the licensing authority early if in doubt. - Casks need several days to settle - Cool temporary stillage - Gravity dispense suits festivals - Check licensing for extra spaces #### Gravity dispense Gravity dispense means pouring beer straight from the cask tap into the glass, without a beer engine. It is how beer was served before handpulls and is still used at festivals, in some traditional pubs where casks sit behind the bar, and for occasional specials. The beer tends to be softer and less foamy, with little head, and some drinkers prefer it. The main challenge is temperature: casks behind the bar warm up unless they are cooled with jackets or chilled stillage. The beer cannot be pulled through a sparkler, and pouring speed depends on the cask level, slowing as it empties. Tilting needs to be gentle and careful to avoid stirring sediment. Gravity is also a practical option for a short-run special beer in a small pub without a spare handpull: stillage the cask on the back bar on a cooled cradle, vent and tap as normal, and sell it over a weekend. Make sure the tap and the area around it stay clean, and that drips are collected, since a sticky back bar attracts flies. - Beer poured straight from the cask tap - Softer, lower head - Needs cooling behind the bar - Useful for short-run specials #### Choosing cask range size The number of cask beers a pub can sell well is determined by throughput, not ambition. A simple calculation helps: each cask line should empty a firkin within about three days, so it needs to sell roughly 24 pints a day or more. A pub selling 60 pints of cask a day can run two or three lines well; one selling 200 can run six or more. Too many lines means slow turnover, stale beer and higher ullage. It also spreads the cellar manager’s attention thin. A common structure is one or two core beers that never change, such as a house bitter and a pale ale, and one or two rotating guest beers to keep interest. Watch sales by line and cut lines that don’t move. Seasonal adjustments make sense: more dark beers in winter, more golden ales in summer. If you want variety without volume, use pins, cask breathers, or bottles and cans for niche styles. A smaller range of perfectly kept beer earns more trust and repeat custom than a long row of handpulls where every third pint is tired. - Each line needs ~24 pints a day for a firkin - Core beers plus rotating guests - Cut lines that don’t move - Pins for niche or slow beers #### Cask ale pricing and margin Cask ale often carries a lower wholesale price per pint than premium keg beer, but its true cost includes ullage, staff time and cellar equipment. Typical gross profit targets for draught beer in UK pubs sit around 55 to 65 per cent, depending on the business model, but cask margins are often eroded by waste. Calculating the cost per pint is straightforward: divide the cask price by the number of saleable pints, allowing for ullage, which many operators estimate at several pints per firkin. Then add VAT to your intended selling price. Price perception matters: many drinkers expect cask to be slightly cheaper than lager, and a local bitter priced well can be a reason to choose your pub. Guest beers and stronger ales can carry higher prices. Tied tenants may have limited control over buying prices, and should calculate margins carefully. Monitoring yield is the main lever: if you are getting 66 saleable pints from a firkin instead of 70, that difference goes straight off profit. - Typical draught GP target 55–65% - Allow for ullage in cost per pint - Price perception favours cask - Yield per cask drives profit #### Teaching new staff the cellar Cellar knowledge is often concentrated in one person, which leaves a pub vulnerable when they are off sick or leave. Training more of the team reduces that risk and improves standards. Start with observation: let new staff shadow the cellar manager through deliveries, venting, tapping, line cleaning and gas changes. Then let them perform each task under supervision, with clear written procedures. Explain why, not just how: why casks must not be moved, why temperature matters, why spiles are swapped. Cover safety first, especially manual handling and gas. A simple cellar manual with photographs, posted near the stillage or held on a shared device, is useful. Accredited qualifications are available through industry bodies and schemes, and many breweries offer free or low-cost cellar training to their customers. Make tasting part of training: new staff should taste good and faulty beer so they can recognise problems. Rotate cellar responsibilities on a rota once staff are competent, while keeping one named person accountable for standards. - Don’t rely on one cellar expert - Shadow, then supervised practice - Explain the reasons behind each step - Breweries often offer training #### Cask ale and the guest experience Cask ale is a point of difference that supermarkets and many chains cannot match, so it pays to present it well. Pump clips should be clean, current and facing guests; a clip turned around signals the beer is off and should be replaced with an alternative quickly. A chalkboard or printed list with style, ABV, brewery and a short description helps guests choose and invites conversation. Offer tasters freely; a small sample is one of the best sales tools a pub has. Glassware should be clean and suitable, with branded glasses for core beers where available. Present the pint with the pump clip facing the guest and the head neat. If a guest returns a pint, replace it without argument and check the cask. Train staff to say something about each beer. Events such as tap takeovers, meet-the-brewer nights and tasting flights build loyalty. Cask ale drinkers are often regulars, and they talk: a reputation for well-kept beer travels through local CAMRA branches, beer apps and word of mouth. - Turn clips round when beer runs out - Display style, ABV and description - Taster glasses sell beer - Replace returned pints without fuss ### Brewing for the bar #### Why cask ale tastes different Cask ale is unfiltered and unpasteurised beer that undergoes a secondary fermentation in the container it is served from. It is not artificially carbonated. The live yeast in the cask consumes residual sugars and produces a low, natural carbonation, which is why cask ale feels softer and less fizzy than keg beer. It is served at cellar temperature, warmer than lager, so the malt and hop flavours are more pronounced. Its flavours also change over the days it is on sale: fresher on the first day, rounder in the middle and, if left too long, flat and vinegary. Guests who say cask ale is ‘warm and flat’ have often had it badly kept or served too warm. Explaining it well matters: ‘it’s conditioned in the cask and naturally carbonated, so it’s softer and you get more flavour’ is more persuasive than a technical lecture. Offering a small taster is the best sales tool. Because it is alive and short-lived, cask ale is also the product most dependent on the skill of the person running the cellar, which is why a well-kept pint is a mark of a good pub. - Unfiltered, unpasteurised, naturally conditioned - Served at 11–13°C - Softer carbonation than keg - Taster glasses sell cask #### Real ale definition The Campaign for Real Ale, founded in 1971, coined the term ‘real ale’ to describe beer brewed from traditional ingredients and matured by secondary fermentation in the container from which it is dispensed, served without extraneous carbon dioxide. Cask ale is the main form; bottle-conditioned beer, which contains live yeast and referments in the bottle, also qualifies. Keg beer, even from a small craft brewery, generally does not qualify because it is filtered or pasteurised and served with applied gas, though some kegged beers contain live yeast and the boundaries have been debated. ‘Key keg’ style containers, where beer is held in a bag and gas presses on the outside of the bag, can hold beer that meets the definition if it contains live yeast and is served without gas contact, and CAMRA has accepted some such beers. In practice, guests rarely care about the definition but do care about whether the beer is good. Staff should understand it well enough to answer a question from a knowledgeable drinker accurately, and should never describe a kegged lager as real ale. - CAMRA founded in 1971 - Secondary fermentation in the dispensing vessel - Bottle-conditioned beer can qualify - Not the same as ‘craft’ #### Malt and the mash Malt is grain, mostly barley, that has been steeped, germinated and dried in a kiln. Malting develops enzymes and converts the grain’s starches into a form brewers can use. The kilning temperature determines colour and flavour: lightly kilned malts like pale ale malt and lager malt give biscuit and bread notes; crystal malts are stewed to caramelise sugars inside the husk and give toffee and sweetness; roasted malts like chocolate and black malt give coffee, cocoa and roast. Britain has a strong malting tradition, and varieties like Maris Otter are prized by many brewers for flavour. In the brewery, crushed malt is mixed with hot water in a mash tun, where enzymes convert starches into fermentable sugars. The sweet liquid, called wort, is drained off and the grain rinsed, or sparged, to extract more sugar. Spent grain is often sold to farmers as animal feed. For staff, the key is linking colour to flavour: pale beers lean to bread and biscuit, amber to caramel, dark to roast and chocolate. Guests can taste this, and it helps them choose. - Malt is germinated and kilned grain - Kilning sets colour and flavour - Maris Otter is a prized British variety - Mash converts starch to sugar #### Hops and hop character Hops are the flowers of the hop plant, and they give beer bitterness, aroma and some preservative power. Added early in the boil, they contribute bitterness as their alpha acids are converted; added late, or after the boil, they give aroma and flavour. Dry hopping, where hops are added to the beer during or after fermentation, gives intense aroma without much extra bitterness, and is behind the big tropical character of modern pale ales and IPAs. British hops, grown mainly in Kent, Herefordshire and Worcestershire, tend to be earthy, spicy, floral and woody: Fuggles and East Kent Goldings are classics. American hops like Cascade, Citra and Mosaic give citrus, grapefruit, pine and tropical fruit. New Zealand and Australian varieties offer lime, passion fruit and white wine notes. Bitterness is measured in IBUs, international bitterness units, though perceived bitterness also depends on malt sweetness. Hop aroma fades with time and warmth, which is why hoppy beers should be sold fresh and kept cold. Staff who can say ‘this one’s citrusy and dry, this one’s earthy and traditional’ sell more beer than those who just read the ABV. - Early hops bitter, late hops aroma - Dry hopping gives big aroma - British hops: earthy, spicy, floral - Hop aroma fades; sell fresh #### Yeast: ale and lager Yeast turns sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide and creates much of a beer’s character. Ale yeasts, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, ferment warmer, often in the high teens to low twenties Celsius, and produce fruity compounds called esters: banana in German wheat beer, pear and apple in some English ales, clove-like phenols in Belgian styles. Lager yeasts, Saccharomyces pastorianus, ferment cooler, usually below about 13°C, and produce a cleaner, crisper profile, followed by a long cold maturation called lagering. That cold, slow process is why good lager is more expensive to make than its reputation suggests, and why rushed lager can taste of sulphur or buttery diacetyl. Wild yeasts like Brettanomyces and bacteria like Lactobacillus are used in sour and farmhouse beers. In cask ale, live yeast continues working in the container, which is why it needs care and why it carries a small sediment. For service, the easy explanation is: ale yeast is warm and fruity, lager yeast is cold and clean. Guests often think lager means a type of beer colour; it actually describes how it was fermented and matured. - Ale yeast: warmer, fruity esters - Lager yeast: cooler, cleaner - Lagering is cold maturation - Wild yeasts make sour and funky beers #### Water and brewing liquor Brewers call their water liquor, and its mineral content shapes beer. Burton upon Trent’s hard, sulphate-rich water helped make its pale ales crisp and bitter, and brewers elsewhere still add gypsum to ‘Burtonise’ their water. Soft water, as in Pilsen, suits delicate pale lagers. Dublin and London’s water, with more carbonate, suited darker beers like porter and stout, where roasted malt’s acidity balances it. Modern brewers can treat water to match almost any style, so geography is less decisive, but the history explains why styles grew where they did. For a front-of-house team, water is useful storytelling more than practical knowledge. It also matters in the pub: the water used to rinse glasses and clean lines affects beer. Hard water leaves scale on glasswashers and can create deposits; many pubs fit water softeners on their glasswashers to keep glasses clean and avoid streaks that kill a head. Never use a glass straight from a washer still hot, and never polish beer glasses with a cloth that has fabric softener or residue on it. - Brewers call water liquor - Burton’s hard water suited pale ale - Soft water suits pale lager - Glasswasher water quality affects heads #### The brewing process in plain terms Every beer follows the same basic path, which is useful to explain to curious guests. Malted grain is crushed and mashed with hot water to make a sugary liquid, wort. The wort is boiled with hops for bitterness and aroma, then cooled quickly and moved to a fermentation vessel, where yeast is added. Over days to weeks, yeast converts sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide. Ale ferments warmer and faster; lager cooler and slower, followed by weeks of cold conditioning. After fermentation, beer for keg or can is usually chilled, often filtered and sometimes pasteurised, then carbonated and packaged. Cask ale is racked into casks with live yeast and sometimes a little priming sugar and finings, and conditions further in the pub cellar. Bottle-conditioned beer has yeast and sugar added at bottling so it carbonates in the bottle. Timescales vary: a cask bitter can go from mash to pub in around a week or two, a lager in several weeks, a barrel-aged stout in months or years. Telling a guest ‘this was brewed ten miles away last week’ is a strong selling point, and true for many local cask beers. - Mash, boil, ferment, condition, package - Cask beer can reach a pub within weeks - Lager needs longer cold conditioning - Freshness is a selling point #### ABV, original gravity and strength Alcohol by volume, ABV, is the percentage of the liquid that is alcohol and must be shown on packaged beer and, in practice, displayed at the bar. Brewers calculate it from the drop in density between the original gravity, the sugar-rich wort before fermentation, and the final gravity after fermentation. A traditional British session bitter sits around 3.5 to 4.2 per cent ABV; best bitters around 4 to 4.8; strong ales and IPAs 5 to 7; imperial stouts and barley wines can exceed 10. UK beer duty is now charged by ABV bands, with lower rates for lower-strength beers and draught relief for products sold on draught in larger containers, so strength has a direct effect on cost and price. Beer at or below 0.5 per cent ABV is outside the duty regime. For service, ABV is a responsibility point as well as a style point: staff should notice when a guest is working through strong beers quickly, and should be able to steer them to something lighter. Serving a strong beer in a smaller measure, such as a third or a half, is a good default for anything above about 7 per cent. - ABV derives from original and final gravity - Session bitter typically 3.5–4.2% - UK duty is banded by ABV - Serve strong beers in smaller measures #### Priming sugar and cask condition When beer is racked into casks, some brewers add a small dose of priming sugar to give the live yeast something to ferment, ensuring the beer develops enough condition in the pub cellar. Others rack beer before fermentation has completely finished, so residual sugars do the same job. Either way, the cask arrives with active yeast and some fermentable sugar, which is why it needs venting: the CO₂ produced builds pressure in the sealed cask. The amount of condition a beer develops depends on the brewery’s method, the yeast’s activity and the cellar temperature. A warm cellar speeds conditioning and can make beer lively and prone to fobbing; a cold one slows it, leaving beer flat and sometimes hazy. That is why cellar managers learn the behaviour of each brewery’s beer: some are vigorous and need longer on a soft spile, others barely work. Notes on how each beer behaved last time are useful when it comes round again as a guest. - Priming sugar feeds secondary fermentation - Some beers racked before fermentation ends - Warm cellars speed conditioning - Keep notes on each brewery’s behaviour #### Adjuncts and their purpose Adjuncts are ingredients other than malted barley that contribute fermentable sugar or texture. Maize and rice lighten body and flavour and are common in mass-market lagers, which is not in itself a mark of poor quality; they create the crisp, light character those beers aim for. Wheat adds haze, protein and a soft mouthfeel, essential in wheat beers and many hazy IPAs. Oats give a silky texture, used in oatmeal stouts and hazy pale ales. Sugar, including invert sugar used in traditional British brewing, raises alcohol without adding body, giving drier beers; Belgian brewers use candi sugar in strong ales. Lactose adds sweetness and body to milk stouts and some modern sours and IPAs, and is a dairy ingredient that must be declared as an allergen. Fruit, spices, honey, coffee and chocolate are flavour additions rather than structural adjuncts. When guests ask why a beer is hazy, smooth or sweet, the adjunct is often the answer. Staff should check labels for lactose and honey when guests are vegan or allergic. - Maize and rice lighten body - Oats and wheat add texture and haze - Sugar raises alcohol, dries the finish - Lactose must be declared as milk #### Brewery fermentation vessels and conditioning tanks After the boil, wort is cooled and transferred to fermentation vessels, often conical stainless steel tanks in modern breweries, or open square fermenters in some traditional British breweries, where yeast is skimmed from the top. Once fermentation is complete, beer may move to conditioning tanks, sometimes called bright beer tanks, where it matures, clears and is carbonated before packaging. In brewpubs and some city bars, beer is served directly from serving tanks, often large copper or stainless vessels visible behind the bar, which hold unpasteurised beer under gas, sometimes in bags inside the tank. Tank beer is marketed for its freshness, and some lager brands supply tanks to high-volume bars. Tank systems need careful hygiene and are usually maintained by the brewery or supplier. For staff, the distinction is useful: cask conditions in the pub, keg is finished at the brewery, and tank beer is brewery-fresh, bulk-delivered and served without small containers. - Conical fermenters are standard today - Bright tanks condition and carbonate - Tank beer served from large vessels - Tanks need supplier-managed hygiene #### Pasteurisation and filtration Most mainstream keg, bottled and canned beer is filtered to remove yeast and haze and pasteurised to kill microbes and extend shelf life. Pasteurisation heats the beer briefly, either in the package, tunnel pasteurisation, or before packaging, flash pasteurisation. It gives stability for months but can slightly dull fresh flavours. Sterile filtration achieves similar stability without heat. Many craft breweries choose not to pasteurise or filter, arguing that it preserves aroma and texture, which means their beers are more perishable and should be kept cold and drunk fresh. Unpasteurised keg beer typically has a shorter on-tap and shelf life, so check brewery guidance and rotate stock carefully. Cask ale is unpasteurised and unfiltered by definition. For guests, the trade-off is simple: pasteurised beer is stable and consistent; unpasteurised beer can taste fresher but is more sensitive to how it is stored and served. Unpasteurised cans and kegs should be kept chilled in the cellar or fridge rather than warm storerooms. - Pasteurisation adds stability - Can slightly dull fresh flavour - Unpasteurised beer is more perishable - Keep unpasteurised packs chilled #### Colour and bitterness numbers Brewers measure colour and bitterness on scales that sometimes appear on menus and labels. Colour is measured in EBC, European Brewery Convention units, or SRM in the United States; pale lager might be under 10 EBC, a bitter around 20 to 30, a stout well over 70. Bitterness is measured in IBU, international bitterness units, based on dissolved hop compounds; a mainstream lager might sit around 10 to 20 IBU, a bitter 25 to 40, a strongly hopped IPA 60 or more. These numbers help brewers keep beers consistent, but they don’t tell the whole story at the bar. Perceived bitterness depends on malt sweetness, alcohol and carbonation: a strong, sweet beer with high IBUs may taste less bitter than a dry, lighter one with fewer. Use the numbers as a guide on menus for enthusiasts, but describe flavour in plain words for most guests. Colour also misleads: dark beers aren’t necessarily strong or heavy, and a schwarzbier or mild can be lighter in body than a pale IPA. - EBC measures colour - IBU measures bitterness - Perceived bitterness depends on balance - Dark does not mean strong ### Beer styles #### Bitter, best and ESB Bitter is the backbone of British cask ale: amber to copper, with a malt base of biscuit and light caramel and a firm hop bitterness, usually from English hops. ‘Ordinary’ bitter, around 3.5 to 3.9 per cent, is a session beer meant for a few pints. Best bitter is a step up in strength and body, roughly 4 to 4.8 per cent. Extra special bitter, or ESB, a term associated originally with Fuller’s, runs stronger again, often 5 to 6 per cent, with a richer malt backbone, more fruit and a more assertive finish. The differences are really in body and strength rather than kind. Bitters are best served at cellar temperature and benefit from careful cellaring, because their delicate flavours are easily overwhelmed by off notes or warmth. Many pubs have a ‘house bitter’ that is a staple and should never run out. Guests who say they don’t like bitter often mean they have had a stale one. A fresh pint of best, well kept, with a roast dinner, is one of the strongest food matches in the British pub repertoire. - Ordinary bitter around 3.5–3.9% - Best bitter around 4–4.8% - ESB often 5–6% - Pairs well with roasts and pies #### Mild Mild was once the most popular beer in Britain, particularly in industrial areas, and is now a minority style that loyal drinkers seek out. It is usually dark, though pale milds exist, and low in strength, often 3 to 3.8 per cent. ‘Mild’ refers to low hop bitterness rather than strength; the flavour leans to malt, with notes of chocolate, caramel, dried fruit and toast. Milds suit a long session and pair well with simple pub food. They are also a good beer for drinkers who want flavour without high alcohol. CAMRA campaigns for mild every May, and some breweries produce one specially for that month. In the cellar, mild can be slower to condition and sometimes needs less venting than hoppy pale ales. Because demand is lower, the risk is that a firkin sits too long; pins are often a better choice. Staff should describe it carefully, since many guests assume it is weak or old-fashioned. A pitch like ‘dark, chocolatey and easy drinking, lower in alcohol’ sells it far better than the name alone. - Usually dark and low in alcohol - ‘Mild’ means low hop bitterness - CAMRA promotes it each May - Consider pins over firkins #### Golden ale and summer ale Golden ale emerged in Britain in the late twentieth century as brewers created pale, hoppy cask beers to win over lager drinkers. Exmoor Gold and Hop Back Summer Lightning are often cited as early examples. These beers are pale straw to gold, light in body, typically 3.8 to 5 per cent, with citrus and floral hop character and a crisp finish. Served slightly cooler than bitter, still within the cask range, they are refreshing and approachable. They are the obvious bridge for a guest who drinks lager but wants to try cask: similar colour, cleaner flavour, more aroma. Golden ales also show faults clearly, because there is less malt to hide them, so cellar discipline matters. Many breweries produce seasonal ‘summer ales’ in the same style. Their sale peaks in warm weather and beer gardens, which is also when cellar cooling is under pressure, so plan ahead. Matching with food is easy: fish and chips, salads, mild curries and lighter dishes. - Created to tempt lager drinkers - Pale, light, citrus or floral - Typically 3.8–5% ABV - Shows faults clearly; keep it fresh #### Porter Porter developed in eighteenth-century London and is named, by most accounts, after the street and river porters who drank it. It is a dark beer made with brown and roasted malts, with flavours of chocolate, coffee, toffee and sometimes smoke. The style faded in Britain in the twentieth century and was revived by craft and cask brewers. Modern porters are usually 4 to 6 per cent, lighter in body than many stouts though the line between the two has always been blurred. Robust porters, Baltic porters (often lagered and stronger) and flavoured porters with vanilla, coffee or smoked malt all appear on bars. Porter is a strong food beer, good with smoked meats, cheeses like aged cheddar, game and chocolate desserts. In winter, a cask porter can outsell a pale ale in some pubs. Explaining the difference between porter and stout is a common guest question; the honest answer is that the distinction is historical and fuzzy, with stout originally meaning a stronger porter. - Originated in 18th-century London - Dark: chocolate, coffee, toffee - Overlaps with stout historically - Strong food pairing beer #### Old ale and barley wine Old ale is a strong, dark, often aged British beer with rich malt, dried fruit and sometimes a vinous or lightly sour note from age. It usually runs 5 to 8 per cent and is a winter favourite. Barley wine is stronger again, often 8 to 12 per cent or more, with intense malt sweetness, toffee, dark fruit and warming alcohol. English barley wines lean malty; American versions are more heavily hopped. Both styles benefit from ageing, and some pubs and bottle shops keep vintages. On draught they should be served in small measures, such as thirds or halves, and some venues sell them by the third as a sipping beer, almost like a fortified wine. Old ale in cask conditions slowly and keeps longer than standard bitter once broached, but still needs care. Pair with blue cheese, Christmas pudding, rich stews and game. For service, staff should be clear about strength, and the price per measure should reflect the higher duty rate for higher-strength beers. These beers make a good feature for a winter festival or a cheese board pairing. - Old ale typically 5–8% - Barley wine often 8–12% - Serve in thirds or halves - Pairs with blue cheese and puddings #### Scottish ales and the shilling system Scottish ales are traditionally malt-forward, less hopped than English equivalents, with caramel and toffee notes. Historically they were labelled using a shilling system, referring to the price per barrel in the nineteenth century: 60 shilling (light), 70 shilling (heavy), 80 shilling (export) and 90 shilling or more (wee heavy). The terms still appear on pump clips and labels. A ‘heavy’ in Scotland is roughly equivalent to an English bitter; an ‘export’ is stronger. Wee heavy, or Scotch ale, is strong, dark, rich and sweet, often 6 to 10 per cent. Scottish breweries today make every style, and many younger drinkers in Scotland drink lager or craft beer, but the traditional terms are worth knowing, especially in Scottish pubs. Pair with haggis, beef and root vegetables, or sticky toffee pudding. For a pub outside Scotland, a wee heavy can be a good winter guest beer. Staff should avoid confusing guests: if a pump clip says ‘80/-’, it is read as ‘eighty shilling’. - Malt-forward, lower hop rates - Shilling terms from 19th-century pricing - Heavy ≈ English bitter - 80/- is read as ‘eighty shilling’ #### Session IPA and modern pale Session IPA is a modern style that takes the aromatic hop character of an IPA and delivers it at a lower strength, often 3.5 to 4.5 per cent. The challenge for the brewer is keeping body and avoiding a thin, watery feel, so they often use oats, wheat or particular malts to fill the mouth. Hops are usually American, New Zealand or Australian varieties for citrus and tropical fruit, and much of the character comes from dry hopping. These beers sit on both cask and keg. On cask they can be superb but fade quickly, losing aroma within a few days; on keg, served colder, they hold aroma better but can taste sharper. For a pub, session IPA is a good bridge between the regular cask drinkers and the craft crowd. It sells well with food that suits bitterness: burgers, fried chicken, spicy dishes. Staff should be able to explain why it costs more than a session bitter, since hops are expensive and dry hopping absorbs beer, lowering yield. - IPA aroma at 3.5–4.5% ABV - Dry hopping drives the character - Aroma fades quickly on cask - Hops push up cost #### Oatmeal, milk and sweet stouts Stouts come in several sub-styles worth explaining at the bar. Dry stout, the Irish style, is roasty, bitter and light-bodied. Oatmeal stout uses oats for a smooth, silky texture and is often slightly sweet. Milk stout, or sweet stout, contains lactose, a sugar from milk that yeast cannot ferment, so it adds body and residual sweetness; it is therefore not suitable for guests who are vegan or lactose intolerant, and this must be flagged as part of allergen and dietary information. Pastry stouts are modern, often strong, with additions such as vanilla, cacao, coffee or maple, and can taste like dessert. Imperial stouts are high-strength, intense and sold in small measures. Oyster stouts may contain oysters or simply be designed to pair with them, which is a question to check with the brewery. On a menu, the descriptions should be honest and the allergens clear. Milk stouts are popular with guests who find dry stout too bitter, and pastry stouts make good dessert pairings. Serve slightly warmer than lager to bring out flavour. - Lactose in milk stout: not vegan - Oats give a silky body - Pastry stouts often strong and sweet - Check oyster stout ingredients #### Lager styles beyond pilsner Lager is a family, not a single style. Pilsner is pale, crisp and hoppy, with Czech versions softer and maltier and German versions drier and more bitter. Helles is a pale Bavarian lager, malt-led, softer and less bitter than pilsner. Märzen and Festbier are amber to golden, malty and associated with Oktoberfest. Vienna lager is amber with toasty malt. Bock and doppelbock are strong, malty and often dark. Schwarzbier is a dark lager that drinks lighter than it looks. Kellerbier is unfiltered, often hazy and softer. Many UK pubs stock a mainstream international lager and perhaps a premium one; adding a well-made helles or Czech-style pale lager from a local brewery can lift both quality and margin. Lager is also where the craft movement has gone in recent years, with smaller brewers investing in proper lagering time. Explaining styles helps sell premium lagers: ‘this is a Bavarian helles, softer and bready, not as bitter as a pilsner.’ Serve cold, but not so cold that flavour vanishes; most lagers are best around 3 to 7°C at the tap. - Lager is a family of styles - Helles: soft and malty - Pilsner: crisp and hoppy - Craft lager now a growth area #### Belgian styles on a British bar Belgian beers bring very different flavours to a British bar. Dubbel is dark, malty and fruity with notes of raisin and caramel, usually 6 to 8 per cent. Tripel is pale, strong, spicy and deceptively easy to drink, often 8 to 10 per cent. Quadrupel is darker and stronger again. Saison is a farmhouse ale, dry, peppery and highly carbonated. Witbier is a hazy wheat beer spiced with coriander and orange peel. Lambic and gueuze are spontaneously fermented sour beers, sometimes aged with fruit to make kriek (cherry) or framboise (raspberry). Trappist beers are brewed under the supervision of monks at a small number of monasteries; the term is protected and should only be used for authenticated beers. Belgian beers are traditionally served in their own branded glasses, and doing so matters to enthusiasts. Because many are strong, measures of a third, half or a 33cl bottle are sensible. They are high-value lines; a well-curated Belgian fridge can lift spend per head in a gastropub. - Tripel: pale, strong, spicy - Saison: dry farmhouse ale - Trappist is a protected term - Serve strong beers in smaller measures #### German wheat beer German wheat beer, Weissbier or Weizen, uses at least half malted wheat and a distinctive yeast that produces banana and clove aromas. Hefeweizen is unfiltered, cloudy with yeast; Kristallweizen is filtered and clear; Dunkelweizen is darker and maltier; Weizenbock is stronger. These beers are highly carbonated and served in tall, curved glasses that show off the colour and hold the large, fluffy head. The pour is a ritual: rinse the glass with cold water, tilt it and pour slowly down the side, then for bottles, swirl the last inch to lift the yeast sediment and top the glass. On draught, staff should be taught to pour slowly to avoid overflowing. Wheat beers are refreshing, pair well with salads, white sausage, seafood and spicy food, and appeal to guests who find bitter beers too harsh. Some people request a slice of lemon; it is a habit associated more with American wheat beers and many German drinkers frown on it, but if a guest asks, give it to them. Serve around 4 to 7°C. - Banana and clove from the yeast - Hefeweizen is unfiltered - Pour slowly; rouse sediment in bottles - Lemon is optional, not traditional #### Sour styles in practice Sour beers range from light, refreshing Berliner Weisse and gose to complex, aged lambic and Flanders red. Modern ‘kettle sours’ are made by souring wort with lactic bacteria before boiling, giving clean sharpness quickly; they often have fruit added. Traditional mixed-fermentation sours are aged for months or years with wild yeasts and bacteria and develop funk and depth. On a pub bar, a fruited kettle sour is often the gateway, appealing to guests who drink cider or cocktails. The risk for the cellar is contamination: the bacteria and yeasts used in some sours can infect other beers if lines and equipment are shared without thorough cleaning. Many venues dedicate a line to sour and wild beers or serve them only in cans and bottles. Serve cold, in a stemmed glass or tulip, in smaller measures when strong. Explaining sourness positively matters: ‘tart and fruity, a bit like a dry cider’ works better than ‘sour’. Guests sometimes return sours thinking they are off; staff need to know which beers are meant to taste that way. - Kettle sours: quick, clean, often fruited - Traditional sours aged with wild microbes - Dedicated lines reduce infection risk - Brief staff so sours aren’t mistaken for faults #### Fresh hop and green hop beers Green hop beers, sometimes called fresh hop or wet hop beers, are brewed with hops used within hours of picking, rather than dried. They are made once a year during the English hop harvest, typically late August to September, and Kent has run a Green Hop beer celebration for many years. Undried hops give a grassy, sappy, vivid character that cannot be reproduced at other times of year. These beers are best drunk fresh, within weeks of brewing, and are almost always cask or keg. For a pub, a green hop beer is a timely seasonal feature with a story: local farms, a harvest, a short window. Use it on social media, on the chalkboard and in conversation. Because they fade quickly, order in small volumes and sell them hard. Pair with simple seasonal food, such as autumn salads, pork and apple, or a ploughman’s. The beer may show more haze and less consistency than standard beers; prepare staff to explain that this is part of the character. - Hops used within hours of picking - Brewed once a year, late summer - Kent runs a Green Hop celebration - Sell quickly; flavour fades #### Barrel-aged beers Barrel-aged beers are matured in wooden casks that previously held spirits or wine, such as bourbon, whisky, rum or red wine. The wood gives vanilla, coconut, oak and the character of the previous contents. Strong stouts and barley wines are the most common bases because they can stand up to the intense flavours. Some sours are aged in wine barrels, and many are blended. Barrel ageing takes months or years and ties up capital and space, so these beers are expensive. On a pub bar, they are usually sold in bottles or in thirds on keg. Their strength, often 10 per cent or more, means careful service and appropriate measures. Staff should be able to talk through the barrel and the base beer, and prices should reflect cost and duty. Barrel-aged beers are good for special events, tasting flights, beer and cheese evenings or dessert pairings. Be careful with claims: say ‘aged in ex-bourbon barrels’ only if the brewery states it. - Aged in ex-spirit or wine barrels - Common bases: imperial stout, barley wine - Often 10%+; sell in thirds - Only repeat claims the brewery makes #### Bottle-conditioned beer Bottle-conditioned beer contains live yeast and is refermented in the bottle, giving natural carbonation and a sediment at the bottom. Many British breweries produce bottle-conditioned ales, and CAMRA recognises them as real ale in a bottle. Storage matters: keep bottles upright in a cool, dark place, ideally 11 to 13°C for ales, so the sediment settles at the base. When pouring, tilt the glass and pour in one smooth movement, leaving the last centimetre or so of beer and sediment in the bottle, unless the style is meant to be served with the yeast, such as hefeweizen. The yeast is harmless, but it can cloud the beer and add a yeasty, slightly bitter taste. Explaining this to guests avoids complaints: ‘there’s a little natural sediment, so I’ve left it in the bottle.’ Bottle-conditioned beers often develop over months, and strong examples can be laid down. For a bar, a small range adds interest without a cellar line, and suits slow-selling styles that would not justify a cask. - Live yeast referments in bottle - Store upright, cool and dark - Pour leaving the sediment behind - Good option for slow-selling styles #### Beer-style knowledge for staff Bar staff do not need to know every style, but they need a framework for helping guests choose. A simple approach works: ask what the guest usually drinks or likes, then guide them by colour, bitterness and strength. Pale, light and crisp: lager, golden ale, pilsner. Pale and hoppy: pale ale, IPA, session IPA. Amber and malty: bitter, best bitter, amber lager. Dark and roasty: porter, stout, mild. Fruity or spicy: Belgian ales, wheat beers. Sharp and tart: sours. Offer a taster when there is doubt, and remember that tastes are subjective. Staff should taste every beer on the bar regularly, ideally at a short tasting session with each new delivery or guest beer, and write a one-line description on a card or in a shared document. The aim is to describe flavour in plain words: ‘biscuity with a bitter finish’, ‘like grapefruit and pine’, ‘chocolate and coffee, quite smooth’. A guest helped to a beer they enjoy is far more likely to order a second. - Guide by colour, bitterness and strength - Offer tasters when in doubt - Taste every beer on the bar - Describe flavour in plain words #### Hazy beer and its stability Hazy beers, particularly New England style IPAs and pale ales, are intentionally cloudy from proteins, hop compounds and sometimes yeast held in suspension, thanks to oats, wheat and heavy dry hopping. They are prized for juicy, soft character with low perceived bitterness. They are also among the least stable beers on the bar. Hop aroma fades quickly, often within weeks, and oxidation turns them dull, brown-tinged and tea-like. They should be kept cold from brewery to glass, sold fresh and rotated strictly by packaging date. On draught, many are kegged unpasteurised and should be on and off tap quickly. Haze can drop out over time, leaving a beer that looks clear and tastes flat; that is a sign of age, not improvement. Some guests may think haze is a fault; staff should explain it is intended. Conversely, a normally bright beer that turns hazy is a problem. Check canning dates on delivery and refuse old stock, since a hazy IPA several months old rarely tastes as intended. - Haze from oats, wheat and dry hops - Least stable beers on the bar - Keep cold; sell fresh - Darkening and dullness mean oxidation #### Saison and farmhouse ales Saison originated in the French-speaking region of Belgium as a farmhouse beer brewed for seasonal workers. Modern saisons are typically pale, highly carbonated, very dry and spicy, with peppery and fruity yeast character, and range from around 5 to 8 per cent ABV. Some include spices, though classic examples rely on yeast for spice. Farmhouse ales more broadly include beers fermented with mixed cultures, Brettanomyces or wild yeasts, giving earthy, funky, tart notes. British brewers have embraced the style, sometimes using local ingredients such as foraged herbs. Saisons are exceptional food beers: their dryness, carbonation and spice suit salads, seafood, goat’s cheese, roast chicken and Asian dishes. Serve in a tulip or wine glass, cool rather than ice cold. Bottle-conditioned saisons may contain sediment. Because of their high carbonation, they can gush if warm or shaken; handle and store carefully. For guests, describe saison as ‘dry, peppery and refreshing, almost like a sparkling wine’. - Belgian farmhouse origin - Dry, spicy, highly carbonated - Excellent with a wide range of food - Handle carefully: lively in bottle #### Red, amber and brown ales Between pale ales and porters sits a family of amber, red and brown ales. Irish red ale is malty, with caramel and toast and a dry finish. American amber ales combine caramel malt with citrusy American hops. English brown ales, historically from the north-east and the south, are nutty, malty and gentle in bitterness, with the northern versions drier and stronger. Flanders red is a Belgian sour aged in oak, quite different from the others. These beers can be overlooked between the fashionable pale ales and stouts, but they suit guests who want flavour without intense bitterness or roast. They pair well with roast pork, sausages, mushrooms, nutty cheeses and barbecue. On a pub bar, an amber or brown ale can fill the gap between a golden ale and a stout. In cask form, many traditional bitters overlap with these styles. Staff can describe them as ‘malty, toasty and smooth, with a bit of caramel’. - Malty, toasty, gentle bitterness - Irish red, American amber, English brown - Flanders red is a sour - Fill the gap between pale and dark #### Smoked, spiced and herbed beers Some beers use smoke, spices or herbs to create distinctive flavours. Rauchbier from Bamberg in Germany uses malt smoked over beechwood, giving a powerful bacon-like smoke; other brewers use smoked malt more subtly in porters and stouts. Spiced beers include Christmas ales with cinnamon, nutmeg and orange peel, witbiers with coriander and orange, and modern beers with chilli, ginger or lemongrass. Herbed beers, sometimes inspired by historic gruit, use herbs such as heather, yarrow or bog myrtle instead of, or alongside, hops; Scottish heather ales are a revived tradition. These beers polarise guests, so tasters are important. They work well with food: smoked beers with barbecue, sausages and smoked cheese; spiced beers with festive food and desserts; herb beers with lighter dishes. Staff should warn guests about strong flavours, especially chilli beers. These beers are often limited releases, ideal for features and events rather than permanent lines. - Rauchbier uses beechwood-smoked malt - Spiced Christmas ales - Heather ales revive gruit traditions - Offer tasters; flavours polarise #### Beer and spicy food Pairing beer with spicy food, such as curries, Thai or Mexican dishes, is common in British pubs and restaurants, and a few principles help. Very bitter beers intensify chilli heat, so heavily hopped IPAs can make spicy dishes feel hotter; this suits some guests but overwhelms others. Malt sweetness and moderate carbonation soothe heat, so lagers, amber ales and wheat beers are safer matches. Fruity, aromatic beers can complement spices like cumin and coriander. High alcohol amplifies heat, so lower-strength beers work better with fiery dishes. Indian restaurants in Britain have long served pale lagers with curry for these reasons. For a menu, suggest a crisp lager with hot curries, a wheat beer or saison with aromatic dishes, and an IPA for guests who enjoy heat. Cider, especially medium, also pairs well with spicy food. Staff should ask guests how much heat they like and recommend accordingly. - Bitterness intensifies heat - Malt sweetness soothes heat - High alcohol amplifies heat - Lager and wheat beer are safe matches #### Craft beer movement in the UK The UK craft beer movement grew rapidly from the late 2000s, inspired by American craft brewing and Britain’s own cask tradition. Thousands of new breweries opened, many small and independent, producing hop-forward pale ales, IPAs, stouts, sours and experimental beers, often in keg and cans as well as cask. Brewery taprooms and dedicated craft beer bars became common in cities. Some early craft breweries grew rapidly and have since been bought by larger brewing groups, raising debates about independence. The Society of Independent Brewers and Associates, SIBA, offers an independent craft brewer mark for qualifying brewers. Craft beer brought higher prices, new glassware, smaller measures and a younger audience. The pandemic and cost pressures led to closures and consolidation in recent years. For pubs, stocking craft beer can attract new customers but requires careful range management, since many craft beers are strong, expensive and short-lived. Staff should be ready to explain the difference between craft keg and cask. - Rapid growth from the late 2000s - Many breweries opened taprooms - Some bought by large brewers - SIBA offers an independent mark ### Keg and dispense #### How a keg system works A keg system pushes beer from a sealed container in the cellar to the bar using gas pressure. Gas from a cylinder passes through a regulator, which reduces it to a set pressure, and then into the keg via the coupler. The beer is pushed out through the keg’s spear, up the beer line, through a cooler, through a python of chilled lines to the bar and out of the font, where a tap controls flow. Along the way you will usually find a fob detector, which stops foam reaching the bar when a keg empties, and sometimes a flow meter. Every part matters: wrong gas pressure gives flat or foamy beer; a dirty coupler or line gives off flavours; a failed cooler gives warm, fobbing beer. Unlike cask, keg beer is already filtered or stabilised and carbonated at the brewery, so the system’s job is to keep it exactly as it left the brewery, at the right temperature and carbonation. For the bar team, knowing this chain is the key to troubleshooting. Most draught problems can be traced to one link: gas, temperature, cleanliness or the keg itself. - Gas, regulator, coupler, spear, line, cooler, font - Fob detectors stop foam at empty kegs - Keg beer arrives already carbonated - Most faults trace to gas, temperature or hygiene #### Keg couplers and spear types The coupler is the fitting that connects a keg to the gas supply and the beer line. Kegs use different spear and coupler types, and they are not interchangeable. In the UK, the most common types include the sankey-style ‘S’ type used by many large brewers and the ‘A’ type well established in Europe, with others such as the ‘G’ type used for some brands, and specialist fittings for one-way containers such as KeyKeg. Breweries usually specify which coupler their kegs need, and suppliers install the right ones. If you are adding guest kegs from small breweries, check the fitting before the delivery arrives, since a mismatched keg cannot be served. To connect, ensure the coupler is clean, the lever is up, then push or twist on and pull the lever down. Never force a coupler. Check the seals for wear, since a damaged seal can leak gas or beer. Couplers should be cleaned and sanitised during line cleaning, using a cleaning socket, and checked for debris. A sticky or leaking coupler is a source of infection. - Coupler types are not interchangeable - Check guest keg fittings before delivery - Never force a coupler - Clean couplers at every line clean #### Beer coolers and pythons Keg beer is chilled on its way to the bar, usually in two stages. The cellar is kept cool, typically around 11 to 13°C, and then the beer passes through a cooler, either a flash cooler or a remote cooler with an ice bank or glycol system. A python is a bundle of beer lines wrapped together with coolant lines and insulation, running from the cooler to the bar, keeping beer cold along its journey. At the font, ‘extra cold’ products may pass through an additional cooler for very low serving temperatures. Cooler problems are a common cause of fobbing: if the ice bank is depleted after heavy use or the cooler fails, beer reaches the bar too warm and foams. Coolers need ventilation, since they reject heat, and should not be boxed in. Keep their grilles and condensers clean, as dust reduces efficiency. Many pubs have their coolers maintained under a service contract with a dispense company. On a hot, busy day, watch for signs of an exhausted ice bank and stagger heavy pouring if possible. - Cellar 11–13°C, then cooler, then python - Ice bank or glycol coolers - Depleted ice bank causes fobbing - Keep coolers ventilated and dust-free #### Serving temperatures by product Different drinks taste best at different temperatures, and dispense systems are set accordingly. Mainstream lagers are often served around 3 to 6°C; extra cold versions can be lower. Craft lagers and pale ales may taste better slightly warmer, around 5 to 8°C, to show hop and malt character. Cask ale should be 11 to 13°C. Nitro stouts are typically served around 5 to 7°C. Ciders are usually served cold, though some craft ciders benefit from a little warmth. Very cold beer suppresses flavour and aroma, which is why some craft brewers dislike extra cold dispense for their beers. But very warm keg beer foams and tastes flat. Measuring temperature at the glass, with a probe thermometer, is a quick check; do it at opening and during busy periods. If many products share a python, they all run at a similar temperature unless the system has separate cooling. When setting up new lines, ask the brewery or dispense company what temperature they recommend. Staff should know which drinks are meant to be warmer, so they don’t mistake a cask ale for a fault. - Mainstream lager around 3–6°C - Craft beers often 5–8°C - Cask ale 11–13°C - Check temperature at the glass #### Nitro dispense and creamer taps Nitro beers, served on mixed gas through a special tap, have a smooth, creamy texture and a dense head. The tap contains a creamer or restrictor plate with tiny holes, which forces the beer through at speed, knocking nitrogen out of solution to form a fine-bubbled foam. The classic serve for a nitro stout is a two-part pour: tilt the glass at 45 degrees, pour until about three-quarters full, then let it settle so the surge rises and the head forms, then top up. The settle time is part of the theatre and quality, and should be explained to guests who seem impatient. Nitro has also been used for pale ales, cold brew coffee and other drinks. These systems require the right gas, the right tap and the right pressure. Poor head formation can be caused by low gas pressure, a dirty or blocked creamer plate, warm beer, or a dirty glass. Creamer plates should be removed and cleaned during line cleaning. A good nitro pour is also visual marketing; guests see it and order one too. - Mixed gas plus creamer plate - Two-part pour with a settle - Dirty creamer plates ruin heads - The surge is part of the sale #### Fob detectors A fob detector, or foam on beer detector, is a device in the beer line that detects when a keg is empty or the flow is broken by gas. When a keg runs out, gas and foam enter the line; the fob detector has a float that drops and closes, stopping foam travelling to the bar and filling the line. This saves beer, because without it the line would fill with foam that must be pulled through and wasted. After changing a keg, the fob detector must be reset: usually you open the vent on top to release gas and foam until beer fills the chamber, then reset the float. Each fob detector should be labelled with the product. Fob detectors need cleaning during line cleaning; their chambers can harbour yeast and bacteria. A faulty fob detector, such as a sticking float, can cause poor flow or foaming. Staff should be trained to change kegs and reset fob detectors properly, since mistakes here are a common cause of lost beer and foamy pints during service. - Stops foam when a keg empties - Reset after every keg change - Clean during line cleaning - Sticking floats cause foam #### Changing a keg Changing a keg is one of the most common cellar tasks and should be quick and clean. Check that the replacement keg is the correct product and that it has been in the cellar long enough to reach cellar temperature; a warm keg straight off the dray will fob. Lift the coupler lever to disconnect the empty keg, then remove the coupler. Inspect the coupler and wipe it with a sanitised cloth. Remove the dust cap from the new keg, wipe the spear with sanitiser, attach the coupler and lower the lever. Go to the fob detector and reset it, venting foam until beer fills the chamber. At the bar, pour off any foam until the beer runs clear. Mark the empty keg and store it in the returns area. Keep track of stock rotation by using the oldest kegs first. If the new keg pours badly, check temperature and gas first. Staff should never leave the cellar with a coupler hanging loose, which can leak gas and beer. The empty keg will still contain some pressure; handle and store it safely. - Check product and temperature first - Sanitise coupler and spear - Reset the fob detector - Rotate stock: oldest first #### Keg storage and rotation Kegs should be stored in a cool cellar, ideally the same 11 to 13°C range used for cask, and away from direct sunlight and heat sources. Before going on sale they should have time to reach cellar temperature; a keg delivered on a hot day may need many hours. Store kegs upright, on a clean floor or racking, and keep them organised by product with the oldest at the front. Check best-before dates on delivery and refuse any that are close to or past them. Unlike cask, keg beer is stable and has a longer shelf life, but it is still a food product and flavour declines over time, particularly for hoppy beers which lose aroma within weeks. Once connected, a keg typically keeps well for several weeks, though brewers will specify; craft beers, especially unpasteurised ones, may have shorter on-tap lives. Avoid overstocking slow-moving kegs. Keep returns separate and tidy so the drayman can collect them easily, and record the number of empties to match against delivery notes, since breweries track and charge for missing containers. - Store kegs cool and upright - Let new kegs reach cellar temperature - Check best-before dates on delivery - Hoppy beers lose aroma in weeks #### KeyKeg and one-way containers One-way kegs, such as KeyKeg and similar systems, are lightweight plastic containers that are recycled rather than returned. Many small breweries use them because they avoid the cost of buying and collecting steel kegs, particularly for exports or distant customers. In a KeyKeg, the beer sits inside a bag; gas or compressed air presses on the outside of the bag to push beer out, so the beer does not touch the gas. This means some KeyKegs can be dispensed with compressed air instead of CO₂, though most pubs use their existing gas. They require the correct coupler. Because they are not returned, they need to be disposed of or recycled, and pubs should check how their local waste contractor handles them; some breweries and suppliers offer recycling schemes. They are lighter but less robust, so handle with care. Some contain live, unfiltered beer that may be hazy. KeyKegs make it easier for pubs to offer guest craft beers from a range of breweries without dealing with keg returns. - Beer sits in a bag inside the keg - Gas doesn’t touch the beer - Needs the right coupler - Recycled, not returned #### Flow monitoring systems Flow monitoring systems use meters installed in beer lines to measure exactly how much beer passes through each line. They connect to software that compares volume dispensed with sales recorded on the till. This reveals losses from over-pouring, free drinks, line cleaning, waste and theft. Pub companies have used flow monitoring to check that tied tenants are buying beer through approved channels, which has been a contentious area; the Pubs Code in England and Wales sets rules for how large pub-owning businesses use such evidence with tied tenants. For free houses, these systems are a stock-control tool rather than a compliance one. Some systems also monitor temperature and line cleaning, alerting managers when lines are overdue or temperatures rise. Data is only valuable if someone acts on it: review the reports weekly, investigate discrepancies, and talk to staff. Many operators find a few per cent of draught product unaccounted for; reducing that can make a significant difference to profit over a year. Check the accuracy of meters and calibration periodically. - Meters measure volume per line - Compare dispensed volume with till sales - Pubs Code governs tied use in E&W - Review reports weekly #### Dispense company service contracts Most pubs rely on a dispense technician or company to install and maintain coolers, pythons, fonts and lines. In tied pubs, the brewery or pub company often provides dispense equipment and service; in free houses, operators either buy equipment or rent it under a contract. Service contracts usually cover breakdown call-outs, preventive maintenance and sometimes line cleaning. Before signing, check response times, especially for weekends and bank holidays, which is when coolers tend to fail. Ask what is included: parts, labour, line replacement, cooler servicing. Keep a list of equipment, its age and who owns it. In a breakdown, have the engineer’s number displayed in the cellar, and know what you can do yourself: check that power is on, that cooler grilles are clear, and that gas is flowing. When you take over a pub, find out who owns the dispense equipment, since a brewery may remove its fonts and coolers if you change supplier. A good relationship with a dispense technician can save days of lost sales. - Tied pubs often have equipment provided - Check weekend response times - Know who owns each item - Display the engineer’s number #### Font and tap design Fonts are the branded towers and mounts on the bar that hold the taps. Breweries often supply fonts for their brands, and they are part of the brand’s visibility. Many pubs now use multi-tap fonts or tap walls for craft beers, with interchangeable tap badges. Taps themselves vary: standard compensator taps let staff control the flow rate, which is useful for highly carbonated beers; nitro taps use creamer plates; some taps have long spouts for particular serves. Tap handles and badges should be clean, current and readable, and the tap layout should help staff find the right product quickly. Grouping by style, such as lagers together and dark beers together, helps guests. A tap wall with chalk or digital boards listing beers, styles, ABVs and prices invites browsing. Where space allows, fonts should be positioned so staff can pour without stretching or turning their backs on guests. Branded fonts may come with commercial terms; check contracts before removing or covering one. - Fonts are part of brand visibility - Compensator taps adjust flow - Group taps by style - Check contracts before removing branded fonts #### Line length and system balance A dispense system is balanced so that the gas pressure applied to the keg, the resistance of the beer line and the height of the font combine to give a smooth, controlled pour at the right speed, often around two litres a minute as a rough guide. Longer lines or higher fonts add resistance; wider lines reduce it. If the system is unbalanced, beer may pour too fast and foam, or too slowly and lose carbonation. That is why dispense technicians choose line diameter and length carefully, and why moving the bar or extending lines can cause problems. Pubs with very long runs, such as a cellar far from the bar or a first-floor bar, may need pumps or mixed gas to push beer without over-carbonating. Each product may need its own pressure settings. Staff should not try to rebalance a system by adjusting regulators; call the technician. Understanding this also explains why a new product on an old line can pour differently, and why taps are sometimes swapped between lines. - Pressure, line resistance and height must balance - Rough target ~2 litres per minute - Long runs may need pumps or mixed gas - Rebalancing is a technician’s job #### Beer pumps for long runs In some pubs, especially those with long distances between cellar and bar or bars on upper floors, gas pressure alone cannot push beer without over-carbonating it. These sites use beer pumps, usually gas-driven or electric, which move beer through the line while the keg itself is held at the correct carbonation pressure. Gas-driven pumps use CO₂ or compressed air to operate, and exhaust gas must be vented safely. Electric pumps need power and maintenance. Pumps add complexity: they need servicing, can fail, and can introduce noise. They must be cleaned with the rest of the system. When planning a new bar or refurbishment, consider cellar location early, since short line runs are cheaper to run and easier to maintain. For outdoor bars and events, portable systems with flash coolers and short runs may be more practical than extending the main system. - Used where gas alone can’t push beer - Gas or electric operation - Service and clean pumps - Short line runs are cheaper #### Python insulation and condensation The python, a bundle of beer and coolant lines wrapped in insulation, carries beer from cooler to bar. When insulation is damaged or ageing, cold beer warms on its way, and condensation forms on the outside of the python, which can drip on floors, ceilings and stock. Signs of a failing python include beer reaching the bar warmer than expected, wet or mouldy patches along the route, and ice on exposed lines. Pythons run through ceilings, walls and floors, so they are often hidden; any building work should take care not to crush or cut them. Repairs are a technician job. Long pythons are expensive to replace, so a good insulation layer and protection matter. When refitting a bar, involve the dispense company early so the python can be routed sensibly, with access points for maintenance. A properly installed python can last many years, but neglect shortens its life and makes beer quality inconsistent across the day. - Bundled beer and coolant lines - Damaged insulation warms beer - Condensation signals failure - Protect pythons during building work #### Ice bank coolers and recovery Many remote coolers use an ice bank: a tank of water around refrigerated coils, which freezes into a layer of ice. Beer and coolant draw cold from the ice. During heavy trade, the ice bank is used up faster than it can rebuild, and beer starts to warm. Recovery takes time, often hours. To protect the ice bank, ensure the cooler is switched on well before trade, with enough time for the ice to build, and do not switch coolers off overnight unless the system is designed for it. Keep condensers clean and ventilated, since heat rejection is critical. In busy seasons, such as summer weekends and major sporting events, consider additional cooling or flash coolers for high-volume products. A rising temperature at the glass during busy service is an early warning. Some coolers have indicators or controllers that show ice bank status; train staff to check them. If an ice bank cooler is noisy, leaking or failing to build ice, call the technician promptly. - Ice bank stores cooling capacity - Heavy trade depletes it - Recovery can take hours - Clean condensers; keep ventilated #### Glycol cooling systems Glycol coolers circulate a chilled mixture of food-grade glycol and water through the python and fonts, keeping beer lines cold all the way to the tap. They are common in larger bars, venues with long runs and craft beer bars with many lines. Glycol systems can hold steady temperatures and are less prone to the sudden warm-ups of a depleted ice bank, but they need correct maintenance: the glycol mixture should be checked and topped up, pumps serviced and leaks repaired. Glycol is less toxic than older coolants, but it still shouldn’t contaminate beer; leaks need prompt attention. Because the system keeps fonts very cold, they often frost, which can look attractive but may also indicate over-cooling. Like all coolers, glycol units need ventilation and clean condensers. When designing a new bar, a dispense company will help decide whether ice bank, glycol or a combination is better, based on volume, distance and budget. - Chilled glycol circulates to the font - Steady temperatures at high volume - Check mixture and pumps regularly - Frosted fonts may mean over-cooling #### Portable and event bars Outdoor bars, festivals and private events need portable dispense, which brings its own challenges. Most use flash coolers or jockey boxes, where beer passes through a coil or plate cooled by ice or refrigeration just before the tap. Kegs stored outside warm up quickly, so keep them shaded, insulated or in a refrigerated trailer. Short line runs reduce foaming. Gas cylinders must be secured, and portable systems should have gas safety considered, particularly in enclosed marquees. Cask beer at events usually goes on cooled stillage with gravity dispense or a portable handpull. Allow time for set-up and testing; beer pulled straight from a warm keg through a new cooler may foam badly at first. Train staff on pouring and measures, and have spare gas, couplers, washers and tools. Check licensing: an event outside the premises licence area may need a temporary event notice, which must be submitted in advance and has limits on attendance numbers and frequency. Keep an eye on weather; heat and sun are the enemies of good beer. - Flash coolers or jockey boxes - Shade and insulate kegs - Secure gas cylinders - Check if a TEN is needed #### Swan necks and short necks On handpulls, the spout that delivers beer to the glass is either a swan neck, a long curved spout that reaches to the bottom of the glass, or a short neck, a straight spout that sits at the top. Swan necks with sparklers push beer through foam and create a tight head, common in the north. Short necks without sparklers produce a looser head and more natural carbonation, common in the south. Many pubs fit swan necks with removable sparklers so they can serve either way. With a swan neck, the spout often sits in the beer as it pours, which is accepted practice for handpull service but means the spout must be kept clean and sanitised. Pouring technique differs: with a swan neck and sparkler, staff often pull with the spout at the bottom of the glass and lower the glass as it fills; with a short neck, they tilt the glass and pour down the side. Neither is wrong, but staff should be trained consistently and should follow brewery recommendations for each beer. - Swan neck reaches into the glass - Short neck pours from the top - Removable sparklers allow both - Keep spouts sanitised #### Ordering and stock levels Running out of a core beer on a busy night is costly, but overstocking ties up cash and space and risks out-of-date stock. Good ordering starts with sales data: how much of each product sells per week, with seasonal adjustments for summer, Christmas and major sporting events. Many pubs set par levels, the target stock for each product after delivery, and order to bring stock back to par. Allow for delivery lead times, which may be a day or several days depending on supplier and location. Keep a buffer for core lines, especially lager, which may be a large part of draught sales. For slow movers, order smaller containers or fewer. Check deliveries against invoices for product, quantity and dates, and note any damaged kegs or casks. Record empties returned and check credits. A weekly stock-take, ideally by an independent stock-taker monthly or quarterly, gives a clear view of yield, losses and margin. Ordering is also a negotiation point: ask suppliers about promotions, volume discounts and free equipment, but read the terms. - Set par levels for each product - Allow for delivery lead times - Check deliveries against invoices - Independent stock-takes reveal losses #### Tied supply and the free house Many UK pubs are tied, meaning the tenant must buy beer and sometimes other drinks from the pub-owning company or brewery. In exchange, rent may be lower and the company may provide equipment and support. Free houses buy from any supplier, giving freedom but requiring more management and capital. In England and Wales, the Pubs Code regulates large pub-owning businesses, those with 500 or more tied pubs, and gives their tied tenants certain rights, including in some circumstances the option to request a market rent only arrangement, where they pay a market rent and buy beer freely. The Pubs Code Adjudicator oversees this. Scotland has its own legislation on tied pubs. For a tenant, the tie affects margin and range, so understanding the agreement is essential: which products are tied, whether guest beers are allowed, and what happens if you buy outside the tie. Take professional advice before signing any pub agreement. For staff, it explains why the range is set and why some beers can’t simply be added. - Tied tenants buy from the pub company - Pubs Code covers large pub companies in E&W - Market rent only option in some cases - Scotland has separate rules #### Dispense system design for a new bar Designing dispense for a new bar or refurbishment is worth planning carefully, because it is expensive to change later. Start with the range: how many keg lines, how many cask lines, and what products, including any nitro or extra cold serves. Then location: keep the cellar close to the bar where possible, with line runs as short as practical. Choose coolers based on volume and peak trade, ice bank or glycol. Plan cellar space for casks, kegs, gas and returns, with safe access for deliveries. Ensure the cellar can be kept cool, with adequate cooling capacity and ventilation. Gas storage and detection should be built in. Consider flow monitoring and line cleaning systems. Allow access for maintenance. At the bar, plan font positions for efficient service and guest visibility, with drip trays and glass storage nearby. Get quotes from several dispense companies and ask about service contracts. Check whether a brewery or supplier will provide equipment in exchange for supply terms, and understand those terms before agreeing. - Start with range and volume - Keep lines short - Build in gas detection and cooling - Understand supplier equipment terms #### Draught cider dispense Draught cider is usually dispensed from keg using CO₂, through the same system as lager, at similar cold temperatures. Some ciders are served still and others sparkling, so the gas pressure and line set-up must suit the product. Fruit ciders and flavoured ciders can leave sugary residues and flavours in lines, and some operators clean these lines more carefully or dedicate lines to them. Traditional still or ‘real’ ciders are often served from bag-in-box containers or polycasks, by gravity or with a hand pump, and kept cool. Bag-in-box cider is simple: keep it cool, connect the tap and serve, and once opened it typically lasts several weeks thanks to the collapsing bag, though check the producer’s guidance. Staff should know which ciders are dry, medium or sweet, and which contain added flavourings. Allergen information, including sulphites, which are common in cider, should be available. Cider can also be a gluten-free option for guests avoiding beer, though check each product. - Keg cider usually on CO₂ - Fruit ciders leave residues in lines - Real cider often from bag-in-box - Sulphites common; flag allergens #### Labelling the cellar Clear labelling prevents mistakes that cost beer and time. Every coupler, fob detector, regulator and beer line should carry a label naming the product it serves, ideally matching the tap position at the bar. Gas regulators should show the gas type and set pressure. Cleaning sockets and bottles should be clearly marked. Stillage positions can be numbered to match handpulls. When products change, update labels immediately; a guest beer connected to the wrong line or a keg on the wrong gas is a common cause of confusion. Waterproof labels or engraved tags last longer than paper in a damp cellar. A simple cellar map on the wall, showing each product’s path from container to tap, helps new staff and visiting technicians. Label empty containers for returns and faulty containers for credit. Chemical containers must remain in their original labelled packaging. Good labelling also speeds up line cleaning and keg changes during busy service, when staff can’t afford to trace a line by hand. - Label couplers, fobs, regulators and lines - Match labels to tap positions - Post a cellar map - Update labels when products change #### Cellar layout and access A well-laid-out cellar is faster, safer and better for beer. Keep a clear route from the delivery drop to the storage area, with space to move kegs and casks without lifting over obstacles. Place stillage for cask ale where casks can be loaded safely and won’t be disturbed by traffic. Keep kegs organised by product, with the next keg near its coupler. Store gas cylinders upright and secured, away from heat and in a ventilated position, separate from beer stock if possible. Locate chemicals in a dedicated area away from beer. Leave space around cooling equipment for ventilation and access. Keep returns separate from full stock. Lighting should be bright enough to inspect beer and read labels. Flooring should be non-slip and drained. If the cellar is small, review stock levels to avoid overcrowding, which damages containers and makes accidents more likely. A tidy cellar is also easier to clean, and technicians will work faster when they can reach equipment. - Clear route from drop to storage - Separate gas, chemicals and returns - Ventilation space around coolers - Good lighting and non-slip floors #### Drop hatches and deliveries Many British pubs receive beer through a drop hatch from the pavement into the cellar, with kegs and casks lowered on a ramp or by hoist. Deliveries are a high-risk moment: open hatches are a trip and fall hazard for staff and the public, and heavy containers can cause injury. When the hatch is open, use barriers and signs on the pavement, and never leave it unattended. Delivery drivers usually manage the drop, but pub staff should be in the cellar to receive and position containers, and must not stand in the path of a descending keg. Check that drop mats, ropes and ramps are in good condition. After the delivery, close and secure the hatch from inside. Arrange delivery times when the pavement is quiet if possible. Some local authorities have rules about obstructing pavements. Record deliveries and check them against the order before the driver leaves. Hatches should be lockable and maintained, since they are also a security risk. - Barrier and sign an open hatch - Never stand in the path of a keg - Check ramps and drop mats - Secure the hatch afterwards #### Extra cold dispense Extra cold dispense serves lager, cider or stout at very low temperatures, often a few degrees above freezing, using an additional cooler, often under the bar or in the font, after the main python. Brands use extra cold serves as a premium proposition, and they can appeal in summer or in busy venues. The downsides are muted flavour, potential freezing of lines if settings are wrong, and extra equipment to maintain and power. Fonts can ice up heavily, which looks impressive but drips onto the bar and may indicate over-cooling. Extra cold products are typically chosen by the brand or supplier, who may provide the equipment as part of a supply agreement. If you change products, check whether the equipment is supplier-owned. For craft and cask beers, extra cold is usually inappropriate; their flavours need warmer serving temperatures. Train staff to recognise freezing problems, such as slow pours or ice crystals, and report them promptly. - Served near freezing via an extra cooler - Mutes flavour - Risk of frozen lines - Often supplier-owned equipment #### Water and soft drink dispense alongside beer Many bars share cellar space, cooling and gas between beer and post-mix soft drinks or carbonated water. Post-mix systems mix syrup from bag-in-box containers with carbonated water at the gun, using a carbonator fed by CO₂. This means a CO₂ outage stops both beer and soft drinks, so keep spare cylinders. Syrup lines and the gun need regular cleaning to prevent mould and bacteria, on a schedule recommended by the supplier, usually separate from beer line cleaning. The carbonator and water supply should be maintained, with filters changed. Cooling may come from the same remote cooler as beer, so heavy summer trade on both can exhaust an ice bank faster. Allergen information is relevant: some syrups contain ingredients guests ask about. Label syrup boxes and lines clearly. Staff should understand that the soda gun is part of the same system, and that a fault in gas or cooling affects both. Some venues are moving to bottled or canned mixers for premium drinks, keeping post-mix for volume. - Shared gas means shared outages - Clean syrup lines and gun regularly - Ice bank serves both systems - Keep spare CO₂ #### Dispense in sustainability terms Beer dispense consumes energy, water, gas and chemicals, and there is growing interest in reducing its footprint. Cooling is the biggest energy use: service coolers, clean condensers, insulate pythons and keep cellar doors closed. Some modern coolers are more efficient, and replacing very old units can cut bills. Line cleaning uses water and chemicals; follow correct doses and contact times rather than over-dosing, and consider newer cleaning technologies if they are approved by your suppliers. CO₂ supply has occasionally been disrupted in the UK, so efficient use and leak checks protect both the business and the environment. Returnable steel kegs and casks are reused many times; one-way kegs should be recycled through appropriate schemes. Reducing wastage and ullage saves beer, energy and money. Some breweries and suppliers publish sustainability data; ask about it when choosing suppliers. These measures often pay for themselves through lower bills and less waste, which is why they appeal to operators regardless of motivation. - Cooling is the biggest energy use - Correct chemical doses - Check for gas leaks - Recycle one-way kegs ### Gas #### Carbon dioxide and mixed gas Two kinds of gas are common in UK keg systems. Pure carbon dioxide, CO₂, is used for most lagers, ciders and craft keg beers. Mixed gas, a blend of nitrogen and carbon dioxide, is used for nitro beers such as stouts and smooth ales, and in some systems to push beer over long distances without over-carbonating it. A typical nitro blend is around 70 per cent nitrogen and 30 per cent CO₂, though other ratios exist for specific products. Nitrogen does not dissolve readily in beer, so mixed gas allows higher pressure without adding much fizz, and when forced through a creamer plate in the tap it creates the dense, creamy head of a nitro stout. Using the wrong gas changes the beer: CO₂ on a nitro product makes it too fizzy, and mixed gas on a lager slowly flattens it. Gas suppliers deliver cylinders and should be contacted for safety data and to arrange regular collections. Cylinders must be secured upright, connected using the correct regulators, and checked for leaks with a leak-detection solution, never with a flame. - CO₂ for lager, cider, most craft keg - Mixed gas for nitro stouts and smooth ales - Common nitro blend ~70/30 N₂/CO₂ - Never test for leaks with a flame #### Gas pressure and regulators A regulator reduces high-pressure gas from the cylinder to a working pressure for the keg. The right pressure depends on the beer’s carbonation, the temperature of the keg and the system design, and breweries usually specify settings. As a rough guide, many lagers sit somewhere around 15 to 30 psi in UK systems, but this varies widely, and system designers or dispense technicians should set it. The main principle: too low a pressure for the temperature lets CO₂ escape from the beer, which goes flat and may fob; too high forces extra CO₂ in, making the beer fizzy and foamy. Temperature and pressure work together: warmer kegs need higher pressure to hold the same carbonation. That is why a warm cellar leads to fobbing beer. Never adjust a regulator just to speed up the pour; the system is balanced, and changing one thing affects others. Each regulator should be labelled with its product and setting, and staff should know not to change them. If a beer pours badly, check temperature first, then gas, then the keg. - Pressure must match carbonation and temperature - Warmer kegs need higher pressure - Label every regulator - Don’t adjust pressure to speed pours #### Changing a gas cylinder Changing a gas cylinder is a routine task that should be done carefully. First, check that the replacement is the correct gas: CO₂ or mixed gas, with the right label. Close the cylinder valve on the empty cylinder, then close the valve between the regulator and the system if fitted, and carefully release the regulator from the cylinder. Remove the empty cylinder and secure it in the storage area, marked as empty. Place the new cylinder upright and chain it securely. Before connecting, check the regulator’s washer or seal and replace it if worn; a new seal often comes with the cylinder. Connect the regulator by hand and then tighten with the correct spanner, without over-tightening. Open the cylinder valve slowly, check the regulator gauge, and use leak-detection spray around the connections. Bubbles mean a leak: close the valve and reconnect. Never stand directly in front of a regulator when opening the cylinder. Record the change. Most pubs keep at least one spare cylinder of each gas type to avoid running out on a busy night. - Check gas type before connecting - Chain cylinders upright - Replace worn regulator seals - Keep a spare of each gas #### Gas safety and detectors CO₂ is colourless, odourless at low concentrations and heavier than air, so it collects at low level in enclosed spaces like cellars. High concentrations can cause headaches, dizziness, unconsciousness and death. Leaks from cylinders, regulators, couplers or lines are the usual cause. A fixed gas detection system with an alarm at the cellar entrance and inside the cellar is strongly recommended and is standard in many pub companies’ estates; the British Beer and Pub Association and industry guidance cover the subject in detail. If the alarm sounds, leave immediately, don’t enter, ventilate if it can be done safely from outside, and call the gas supplier or emergency services as appropriate. Never ignore or switch off an alarm. Detectors need regular testing and calibration according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Staff should be trained to understand the risks, and the cellar should be well ventilated. A worker found unwell in a cellar should not be followed in by a rescuer without precautions, since the rescuer may also be overcome. - CO₂ collects at floor level - Fixed detectors and alarms recommended - If alarm sounds, get out and stay out - Test and calibrate detectors regularly #### Gas safety for compressed air Some pubs use compressed air from a compressor rather than gas cylinders to drive beer pumps or to dispense from bag-in-container kegs such as some KeyKegs. Compressed air does not mix with beer in those systems, but it must still be filtered and food-safe where it could come into contact with dispense equipment. Compressors need regular servicing and drainage of moisture, and their location should be ventilated and safe. Air should never be used to push beer directly in standard steel kegs, since it introduces oxygen and spoils beer quickly. For the cellar team, the key is understanding which system you have and what gas each product uses. Label lines, regulators and compressors clearly. A compressor failure stops pumps; have a plan for that situation, such as a backup supply. Noise and heat from compressors can affect cellar temperature, so place them carefully. Health and safety assessments should include compressed air hazards, such as high-pressure hoses. - Used for pumps and bag-in-keg systems - Never push standard kegs with air - Service and drain compressors - Label which gas each line uses #### CO₂ supply disruptions The UK has experienced disruptions to food-grade CO₂ supply in the past, when production from industrial sources was reduced, causing concern for brewers, pubs and food producers. For pubs, a CO₂ shortage can mean delayed cylinder deliveries and the risk of running out. Practical steps include keeping a spare cylinder of each gas type, checking cylinder levels regularly rather than waiting for them to run out, fixing leaks promptly, and ordering in good time before busy periods. Mixed gas blends may be less affected or more affected depending on supply. In an outage, cask ale, which doesn’t need gas for dispense (except breathers), becomes more valuable, as do bottled and canned beers. Communicate with your gas supplier, who may prioritise regular customers. Don’t attempt to source gas from non-food-grade suppliers or use unsuitable cylinders. Keep an eye on industry news for warnings of supply issues, especially in summer when demand is higher. - Supply has been disrupted before - Keep spares; check levels - Fix leaks to save gas - Cask and packaged beer are fallbacks ### Line hygiene #### Line cleaning frequency Beer lines build up yeast, bacteria and beerstone over time, which affects flavour, clarity and yield. The trade standard for many products is to clean lines every seven days, and many breweries recommend this weekly cycle. Some cask lines may need more frequent cleaning depending on throughput. A few modern systems, such as line-cleaning technologies that slow microbial growth, allow longer intervals, but only if supported by the manufacturer and the brewery. Skipping cleaning leads to off flavours such as vinegar, butterscotch or a musty taste, cloudy beer, foaming, and complaints. The cost of cleaning, in staff time, chemicals and beer lost, is real, and some pubs are tempted to stretch the interval. This is false economy: dirty lines lose sales and can damage the reputation of a pub. Record each clean on a log with the date, lines cleaned, chemical used and staff name. Pub companies and breweries may check logs and lines. A professional deep clean by a dispense technician once or twice a year is a good supplement. - Trade standard: clean every 7 days - Skipped cleans cause off flavours - Some systems allow longer cycles - Log every clean #### Line cleaning step by step A typical keg line clean follows a set sequence, though you should always follow the chemical manufacturer’s instructions and your system’s design. Wear gloves and eye protection. Disconnect kegs and attach the couplers to cleaning sockets on a cleaning bottle or ring main. Flush the lines with clean water until the beer is cleared. Then fill the lines with cleaning solution at the correct dilution, leave it to stand for the recommended contact time, typically around 20 to 30 minutes, and draw fresh solution through partway to agitate. Some products change colour to show when they are contaminated or exhausted. Flush with clean water until all traces of chemical are removed; test with pH strips or the product’s indicator, since chemical left in a line is dangerous. Clean and soak taps, nozzles and sparklers separately. Reconnect kegs and pull beer through until it runs clear and tastes right. Never leave cleaning solution unattended in lines while the bar is open, and put clear signs on the fonts so no one pours chemical into a glass. - Always follow the chemical instructions - Contact time typically 20–30 minutes - Rinse until no chemical remains - Sign fonts during cleaning #### Line cleaning chemicals Line cleaners are usually alkaline solutions based on caustic compounds, sometimes combined with oxidising agents, and some products are acid-based for removing beerstone, the mineral deposit that builds up in lines. They are effective but dangerous: caustic solutions can cause severe burns to skin and eyes. Store chemicals in their original containers, in a locked cupboard or designated area away from beer and food, and follow the safety data sheet. Use gloves, eye protection and, where recommended, an apron. Measure doses carefully; too weak a solution won’t clean, and too strong wastes chemical and can damage equipment. Some cleaners contain colour indicators that change when the solution is spent. Under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations, employers must assess and control risks from hazardous chemicals, so a COSHH assessment for line cleaner should be on file. Never mix different chemicals. If a staff member gets chemical on their skin or in their eyes, rinse immediately with plenty of clean water and seek medical advice. - Usually alkaline, some acid-based - Caustic: wear gloves and goggles - COSHH assessment required - Never mix chemicals #### Beerstone Beerstone is a deposit of calcium oxalate and organic material that builds up inside beer lines, fonts and fittings over time. It forms a rough surface that harbours bacteria and yeast, making lines harder to clean and causing off flavours, foaming and haze. Regular alkaline cleaning slows its growth but doesn’t always remove it entirely; acid-based cleaners are used periodically to dissolve beerstone. Signs include white or brown deposits visible in clear sections of line, persistent off flavours that return quickly after cleaning, and fobbing that doesn’t respond to gas or temperature adjustments. Long-neglected lines may need replacing altogether, since some deposits can’t be fully removed. Many dispense companies recommend replacing beer lines every few years, though the interval depends on line material and how well they have been looked after. When taking over a pub, it is worth having the lines inspected and, if in doubt, replaced; you may inherit years of neglect that will spoil every keg you put on. - Calcium oxalate and organic deposit - Harbours bacteria; causes off flavours - Acid cleaners remove it - Consider replacing old lines #### Taps, fonts and nozzles The tap and font are the last point of contact before the glass, and they are often neglected. Nozzles collect yeast and residue, especially in warm bars, and can grow mould and bacteria. Remove nozzles daily at close and soak them in sanitiser or warm water, then rinse and refit them in the morning. During line cleaning, strip and clean tap components according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Font drip trays should be emptied and cleaned regularly, not left with stale beer overnight. Check taps for drips, which waste beer and attract flies. Visible condensation or ice on fonts is normal for some extra cold systems but excessive ice can indicate over-cooling. Clean the outside of the fonts and the bar top regularly so they look appealing, since guests judge hygiene by what they can see. A dirty nozzle can cause infection even when the lines themselves are clean; it is a common reason for a fresh keg tasting off. When pouring, never let the nozzle touch the beer in the glass, since this transfers bacteria back into the tap. - Soak nozzles daily at close - Empty and clean drip trays - Never dip the nozzle into the beer - Dirty nozzles infect clean lines #### Keeping a dispense log A dispense log records cleaning, maintenance, temperature checks, gas changes and faults. It helps maintain standards and provides evidence for pub companies, accreditation schemes and environmental health officers. Typical entries include the date and time of line cleaning with the lines cleaned, the chemical used and the staff member; cellar temperature readings; beer temperatures at the bar; gas cylinder changes; coolers serviced; faults reported; and actions taken. Logs can be paper sheets kept in the cellar or digital records on a tablet or app. Digital systems can send reminders and alerts. Review the log weekly to spot patterns, such as repeated fobbing on a particular line or rising cellar temperatures. When things go wrong, a good log helps the technician diagnose the problem faster. It also helps handover between managers and shifts. A complete, honest log is a sign of a professional operation; a blank or obviously back-filled one is a warning. - Record cleaning, temperatures, gas, faults - Paper or digital - Review weekly for patterns - Helps technicians diagnose faster #### Cleaning cask lines Cask lines need cleaning just as keg lines do, and the method is broadly similar. Disconnect the beer line from the cask tap, connect it to a supply of clean water and pull through with the beer engine until it runs clear. Then fill the line with cleaning solution at the right dilution, leave for the recommended contact time and pull through periodically to agitate. Rinse thoroughly with clean water until no chemical remains, checking with indicator strips. Clean the cask tap, sparkler and swan neck separately. Some pubs use a cleaning bucket and pump system that makes this easier. Cask lines can be more prone to infection because cask beer contains live yeast and is served at warmer temperatures. Clean them weekly, or when changing a cask if the line has been unused for a while. Old cask beer left in lines can contaminate the next cask, which is a common cause of off flavours appearing in a fresh beer. Avoid leaving lines empty and dry for long periods. - Clean cask lines weekly - Rinse until no chemical remains - Clean taps, sparklers and swan necks - Old beer contaminates the next cask #### Cleaning fruit and flavoured product lines Flavoured ciders, fruit beers and some sours leave strong flavours and residues in lines that can carry over into other products if lines are shared or swapped. Fruit sugars feed microbial growth, and flavourings can penetrate some line materials. Best practice is to dedicate lines to these products and clean them on the standard weekly cycle at least. If you swap a line from a fruit cider to a lager, give it a thorough clean, possibly two cycles, and taste the first beer carefully. Some operators replace the line entirely if a strong flavour persists. Sour and wild beers can carry live bacteria and wild yeasts that infect other products, so lines for these should be dedicated and clearly labelled. Pay attention to taps and nozzles, which can also hold residues. In some systems, line materials such as barrier lines are designed to resist flavour transfer. Discuss these needs with your dispense technician when adding unusual products. - Dedicate lines for fruit and sour products - Flavours can penetrate line material - Double-clean when swapping - Wild microbes can infect other lines #### Glasswashers and beer quality Even a perfect pint fails in a dirty glass, and glasswashers are often the hidden cause of flat beer and poor heads. Residues of detergent, fat, lipstick or food oils kill foam and cause bubbles to cling to the side of the glass. Glasswashers need the correct detergent and rinse aid, dosed properly, and water at the right temperature, usually a wash around 55 to 65°C and a hotter rinse, though manufacturers specify. Hard water causes scale and streaks, so softeners help. Clean filters, arms and nozzles daily, and descale regularly. Don’t wash beer glasses with food plates or coffee cups, since grease transfers. Let glasses air dry upside down on a clean rack rather than polishing with cloths that may leave lint or residues. Never serve beer in a hot glass straight from the washer; it warms the beer and causes foaming. A simple test is to wet a glass with clean water: if the water sheets evenly, it is clean; if it beads or breaks, there is residue. - Residues kill heads - Dose detergent and rinse aid correctly - Separate glassware from food items - Wet test: water should sheet evenly #### The beer-clean glass test There are a few simple tests to check whether a glass is ‘beer clean’. The sheeting test: dip the glass in water and lift it out; a clean glass will be evenly coated, while a dirty one will show water beading or breaking into droplets. The salt test: wet the inside of the glass and sprinkle salt; salt sticks evenly to a clean glass and leaves gaps where there is grease. The lacing test: pour a beer and drink it; in a clean glass, foam leaves rings of lace on the inside of the glass after each sip, while in a dirty glass the foam slides down and bubbles cling to the sides. Bubbles stuck to the inside of a glass are a common sign of dirt or residue, not ‘good carbonation’. Use these tests when training staff and when troubleshooting complaints about flat beer. If glasses consistently fail, check the glasswasher, detergent, rinse aid and water. Also check how glasses are stored: in a clean, dry rack, not on rubber mats that may hold odours. - Sheeting test: even water film - Salt test shows grease patches - Lacing shows a clean glass - Clinging bubbles indicate dirt #### Draught beer and environmental health Draught beer systems fall within food hygiene responsibilities, and environmental health officers may look at cellar conditions, line cleaning records and general hygiene during inspections. Food business operators must have a food safety management system based on hazard analysis principles, and in many pubs drinks dispense is included. Records of line cleaning, cellar temperatures and cleaning schedules support this. Inspectors may also look at pest control, since flies are drawn to beer and drains. Waste management, including the disposal of beer waste and chemicals, should comply with local rules and the water company’s trade effluent requirements where applicable. Clear procedures, trained staff and good records demonstrate diligence. While food hygiene ratings in England focus on food, poor practice in drinks areas can affect the rating. Keeping the cellar and bar to the same standard as a kitchen is the right approach. - Dispense is part of food hygiene - Records support diligence - Flies and drains are common issues - Treat the cellar like a kitchen #### Fruit flies and the bar Fruit flies are drawn to fermenting sugars, which makes bars, cellars and drains ideal for them. They breed in films of residue in drains, drip trays, mops, bin areas and sticky bottle shelves. A fly problem signals hygiene gaps and spoils the guest experience, especially in summer. Control starts with cleaning: empty and wash drip trays daily, clean drains regularly with appropriate products, wash bins, replace or launder mops and cloths frequently, and wipe down sticky surfaces and bottles. Keep fruit garnish covered and refrigerated. Avoid leaving open bottles or glasses overnight. In cellars, clean spillages promptly, flush drains, and keep the floor dry. Fly traps can help monitor and reduce numbers but are not a substitute for cleaning. A pest control contractor can advise if problems persist. Flies landing in drinks or on garnish are a hygiene risk and lead to complaints, so treat even small numbers as a reason to clean thoroughly. - Flies breed in residue and drains - Clean drip trays and drains daily - Cover garnishes - Traps monitor, cleaning controls #### When a beer line is unused Lines left with beer in them while not in use, for example during seasonal closures, slow periods or when a guest beer runs out and there is no replacement, become breeding grounds for bacteria and yeast. If a line will be idle for more than a few days, clean it and leave it filled with clean water, or as your dispense technician recommends, rather than stale beer. Before bringing it back into service, clean it again. Some pubs leave lines filled with cleaning solution, but this is risky and must be clearly labelled and managed to avoid serving chemical. For seasonal pubs closing for winter, have a technician advise on shutting down coolers and lines safely. Don’t leave casks partly drunk on stillage when a pub closes for a period. On reopening after a closure, clean everything, check gas and coolers, and test-pour every product before serving. Many reopening problems after lockdowns and closures came from neglected lines. - Don’t leave stale beer in idle lines - Clean before and after idle periods - Label any line holding chemical - Test-pour everything on reopening #### Line materials and replacement Beer lines are usually made of food-grade plastics such as polyethylene or PVC, with barrier lines that have an inner layer designed to resist flavour transfer, oxygen ingress and microbial build-up. Over time, every line deteriorates: inner surfaces become scratched or porous, deposits accumulate, and flavours can be absorbed, particularly from fruit ciders and flavoured products. Many dispense companies suggest replacing lines every few years, but the right interval depends on material, cleaning history and the products served. Signs that lines need replacing include persistent off flavours despite proper cleaning, visible deposits or discoloration, frequent fobbing on a line with correct gas and temperature, and old lines inherited with a pub of unknown history. Replacement is a technician job, and with long pythons it can be costly, so it is often scheduled during quieter months or a refurbishment. Ask the technician to label new lines by product at both ends. Fresh lines can carry a plastic taint at first; flush them thoroughly and taste carefully before serving. - Barrier lines resist flavour transfer - Persistent faults may mean replacement - Label lines at both ends - Flush new lines thoroughly ### Troubleshooting #### Diagnosing a sudden fault on a fresh keg When a newly connected keg tastes or pours wrong, work through the system in order. First, check temperature: has the keg reached cellar temperature, and is the cooler working? A warm keg is the most common cause of foaming. Second, check gas: is the cylinder full, is the regulator set correctly, is it the right gas? Third, check the coupler and fob detector: is the coupler fully engaged, is the fob detector reset and venting properly? Fourth, check the line and tap: when were they last cleaned, is the nozzle clean? Fifth, check the beer itself: pour a sample from the keg directly at the coupler if your system allows, or compare with another keg. If the beer tastes off even when the system checks out, it may be a faulty keg, so keep it and contact the supplier. Record what you found. Most problems can be solved by temperature, gas or cleaning, and only rarely by the beer itself. - Check temperature first - Then gas, coupler and fob - Then line and tap hygiene - Faulty kegs are rarer than system faults #### Draught beer yield Yield is the percentage of a container’s volume that is sold to guests. A keg of 50 litres holds about 88 pints, and a well-run system might yield close to that, with a small loss for line cleaning and pull-through. Typical yield expectations depend on the operator and product; many target high nineties for keg and lower for cask because of sediment. Low yield can be caused by over-pouring, poor technique creating excess foam that is poured away, line cleaning waste, staff drinks not recorded, wrong measures, or theft. To measure yield, compare stock used with sales over a period, usually through stock-taking. Flow meters give more precise figures by line. Improving yield is often about training: pouring technique, correct glass, and correct measures. Reducing line length or the number of lines lowers cleaning loss. A one or two per cent improvement in yield across a pub’s draught sales can add up to a significant sum over a year, especially in wet-led pubs. - 50-litre keg ≈ 88 pints - Low yield often from pouring technique - Measure via stock-takes or flow meters - Small gains add up over a year #### Fobbing: causes and fixes Fobbing, excessive foam that makes a pint hard to pour, is one of the most common draught problems and wastes beer and time. The usual causes, roughly in order of likelihood: beer too warm, whether from a warm keg, a depleted cooler or a warm cellar; gas pressure wrong for the temperature; a new keg that hasn’t settled; a dirty line or tap; a faulty fob detector; a blocked or damaged tap; or a dirty or warm glass. Pouring technique matters too: opening the tap partially causes turbulence and foam, so open fully and tilt the glass. To diagnose, check the beer temperature at the glass first. If it is warm, check the cooler and cellar temperature. If temperature is right, check the gas and regulator. If the problem is on one line only, check that line’s keg, coupler, fob and tap. If all lines are affected, look at shared equipment: cooler, gas supply, cellar temperature. Record what you find and call the technician if you can’t solve it. - Warm beer is the most common cause - Check temperature, then gas - One line or all lines narrows it down - Open the tap fully when pouring #### Flat beer: causes and fixes Flat beer, with little head and low carbonation, has several possible causes. For keg beer: gas pressure too low for the temperature, so carbonation escapes; wrong gas, such as mixed gas on a CO₂ product; a gas leak; an empty cylinder; or beer too cold, which can make it appear flat because carbon dioxide stays dissolved and aroma is muted. For cask beer: over-venting with a soft spile, leaving the cask open too long, or a cask on sale for too many days. Dirty glasses are a major cause of flat-looking beer in both: grease and detergent residues kill the head. Check the glass first with a sheeting test, then look at gas and venting. If a cask is flat, there may be little you can do; the beer may have lost condition and need replacing. Learn from it by adjusting venting practice. Guests complaining of flat beer should have their drink replaced immediately; it is a quality failure, not a matter of taste. - Dirty glasses often to blame - Low pressure or wrong gas for keg - Over-venting for cask - Replace flat pints immediately #### Cloudy beer: haze diagnosis Cloudiness can be a fault or a feature. Many modern beers are deliberately hazy: New England IPAs, wheat beers, unfined cask ales and kellerbier. For beers meant to be clear, haze may have several causes. Chill haze forms when beer is too cold, as proteins and polyphenols bind; it usually clears as the beer warms and is cosmetic. Yeast haze in cask ale means the beer hasn’t dropped bright, either because it needed more time, was disturbed, or finings didn’t work. Infection haze, with off flavours, comes from bacteria or wild yeast in dirty lines or a contaminated container. Starch haze is rare and a brewing issue. To diagnose: read the pump clip or label to check whether haze is intended; smell and taste the beer; hold a sample to the light. If it is cask, check the cask: has it been moved, how long has it been tapped? If it is keg, check lines. If the beer tastes sour or off, it is likely infection; take it off sale and clean. - Some beers are meant to be hazy - Chill haze is cosmetic - Cask haze often means not settled - Haze with off flavours suggests infection #### Off flavour: diacetyl Diacetyl gives a buttery or butterscotch flavour and a slick feel on the palate. It is produced naturally by yeast during fermentation and normally reabsorbed during conditioning; it remains if fermentation is rushed or yeast is removed too early. It can also be produced by bacterial infection, particularly from Pediococcus, which is a common contaminant in dirty beer lines. In some traditional British ales, a little diacetyl is accepted or even characteristic, but in most styles, especially lager and pale ale, it is a fault. In a pub, a buttery taste in a beer that normally lacks it points to dirty lines: check when they were last cleaned and clean them. If the problem appears in a freshly connected keg after cleaning, it may be in the beer itself; contact the brewery. Train staff to recognise diacetyl by tasting a beer with it, using a reference sample from a training kit if available. A guest describing a beer as ‘buttery’ or ‘like popcorn’ is often detecting diacetyl. - Buttery, butterscotch flavour - From rushed fermentation or infection - Dirty lines are a common pub cause - Fault in most styles, accepted in some ales #### Off flavour: acetic and sour A vinegar flavour or smell indicates acetic acid, produced by Acetobacter bacteria when beer is exposed to oxygen. In cask ale, it is the classic sign of a beer left on sale too long, or kept too warm, after being broached. It can also come from dirty lines. In keg, it usually points to line infection, since keg beer is sealed from air. Other sour flavours, such as a lactic, yoghurt-like sourness, come from Lactobacillus or Pediococcus bacteria, also common in dirty lines. In sour beers, these flavours are intended; in other beers, they are faults. A vinegary cask should be taken off sale immediately. For guests, sourness is often the most noticeable fault, and many complaints about ‘off’ beer are acetic. Prevention is cellar discipline: sell casks within about three days, keep the cellar cool, clean lines weekly, and keep spiles and taps clean. Note the problem and track how long casks are taking to sell, since a pattern indicates too many lines or too large containers. - Vinegar = acetic acid from oxygen - Classic sign of an old cask - Lactic sourness from line bacteria - Sell casks within about three days #### Off flavour: DMS, sulphur and vegetal Dimethyl sulphide, DMS, gives a flavour of cooked sweetcorn, cabbage or tomato sauce. It comes from compounds in pale malt and is usually driven off in a vigorous boil; it can remain in some lagers, where low levels are considered part of the style. At higher levels, or in ales, it is a fault, and it can also come from bacterial contamination, which may produce a more rotten-vegetable character. Hydrogen sulphide, rotten egg, can come from yeast during fermentation, especially in lager, and usually dissipates with conditioning. A struck-match smell suggests sulphur dioxide. In a pub, sulphur and vegetal notes in a beer that usually lacks them may indicate a brewing problem or infection. Check the line cleaning record and taste beer from the keg or cask directly if possible. If the fault comes from the beer itself, contact the supplier. Some guests may notice these flavours faintly in certain lagers, which are within style; staff should know the regular character of each beer so they can tell what is normal. - DMS: sweetcorn or cabbage - Low DMS can be part of some lagers - Rotten egg from fermentation sulphur - Know each beer’s normal character #### Off flavour: stale and oxidised Oxidation gives stale, papery or cardboard flavours, sometimes with sherry-like or honeyed notes in stronger beers. It develops as beer ages, especially when exposed to oxygen or heat. Hop aroma fades, malt becomes dull and the beer loses freshness. Keg beer near or past its best-before date, packaged beer stored warm or in sunlight, and cask beer left too long can all show oxidation. In strong beers like barley wine and old ale, gentle oxidation can add complexity, and some drinkers prize aged examples. In pale and hoppy beers, it is a fault. Prevention is stock rotation, good storage conditions, and buying in quantities you can sell. Check best-before dates on delivery and at stock-takes. Keep bottled and canned beer out of sunlight and away from heat sources such as coolers and ovens. Light-struck, or ‘skunky’, flavour is a separate fault caused by light reacting with hop compounds, particularly in clear or green bottles; brown bottles and cans protect better. - Papery, cardboard, stale flavours - Heat and time accelerate it - Rotate stock and check dates - Light-strike is a separate ‘skunky’ fault #### Off flavour: solvent, phenolic and medicinal Solvent-like flavours, reminiscent of nail varnish or paint thinner, often come from ethyl acetate or higher alcohols produced when fermentation runs too warm. They are brewing faults. Phenolic flavours can be clove-like, which is intended in German wheat beers and some Belgian styles, or medicinal, plastic or antiseptic, which are faults. Medicinal or TCP-like flavours can come from chlorophenols, formed when chlorine reacts with phenols; sources include chlorinated water and sanitising chemicals not rinsed thoroughly. In a pub, a sudden medicinal taste after line cleaning may indicate chemical residue: stop serving, flush the line thoroughly with clean water, and check with indicator strips. Never serve beer that might contain cleaning chemicals; it can be harmful. Smoky flavours may be deliberate, from smoked malt, or a fault. Staff should know which beers are meant to have phenolic or smoky character so they don’t mistake them for faults, and should take guest complaints seriously. - Solvent notes from warm fermentation - Clove phenols intended in some styles - Medicinal may be chemical residue - Stop serving if chemicals suspected #### Handling a returned pint When a guest returns a pint, the first priority is the guest, not the debate. Thank them, apologise, and offer a replacement or an alternative. Don’t argue about whether the beer is off, even if you think it is within style; some guests simply don’t like a beer, and the goodwill is worth more than the pint. Once the guest is sorted, taste the beer yourself and check whether there is a fault. If the beer seems faulty, take the line off sale, inform the manager, and investigate: check the cask or keg, the line cleaning log and the temperature. If it seems fine, note the comment anyway; several similar complaints may point to a problem. Record returns in a log, since patterns reveal problems with particular products, lines or staff practices. Returns count as ullage and affect margin, so they should be recorded through the till or stock system. Train staff to handle returns calmly and confidently. A guest whose returned pint is handled well often becomes a loyal regular. - Replace first, investigate after - Taste the returned beer - Take faulty lines off sale - Log returns to spot patterns #### Head retention problems A head that collapses quickly or never forms properly is usually caused by something that destroys foam proteins. The most common culprit is the glass: grease, detergent, rinse aid, lipstick or food oils. Check glasswasher settings, chemicals and water quality, and keep beer glasses separate from food items. Bar staff’s hands can transfer oils from food or lotion to glasses. Beer temperature affects head formation; very cold beer may produce less foam. Gas pressure and carbonation matter: flat beer won’t form a head. For nitro beers, a dirty creamer plate or low gas pressure prevents the classic surge. For cask beers, over-venting or long time on sale reduces condition. Some beers naturally have less head, such as certain sours, very strong beers, or beers brewed with certain adjuncts. To diagnose, pour the same beer into a known clean glass and compare. If the head improves, the glass is the problem. If not, look at the beer, gas and line. - Dirty glasses are the usual cause - Very cold beer foams less - Low carbonation means little head - Compare with a known clean glass #### Slow or erratic pours A tap that pours slowly or in spurts slows service and creates foam. Possible causes include an empty or nearly empty keg or gas cylinder, low gas pressure, a kinked or blocked line, a sticking fob detector, a blocked tap or creamer plate, a frozen line from an over-cooled python, or a faulty pump on systems that use them. Check the simple things first: is the keg empty, is the gas on and the cylinder full, has the fob detector tripped? If one line is affected, trace it from keg to tap. If several are affected, check shared gas and cooling. Frozen lines may need the cooler adjusted and time to thaw; don’t try to force them. For handpulls, a stiff or weak pull may indicate worn washers or a blockage in the beer engine, or a cask that needs a spile lifted to let air in. Note the problem in the log and call the technician if it persists. In busy service, put a ‘temporarily unavailable’ sign rather than struggling with a faulty line. - Check keg, gas and fob first - Trace one line or check shared kit - Frozen lines need time to thaw - Lift the spile on a stiff handpull #### Infection spreading through lines Bacterial or wild yeast infection in a dispense system can spread from one line to others through shared equipment, poor cleaning practice, or swapped couplers and taps. Signs include several products developing similar off flavours, such as sourness or butteriness, haze appearing in normally clear beers, and problems that return quickly after cleaning. To tackle it, clean all lines thoroughly, including couplers, fob detectors, taps and nozzles, and consider a more aggressive clean or an acid clean. Replace damaged or very old lines, which may harbour persistent biofilms. Check cleaning practice: are staff using the correct chemical concentration, contact time and rinsing? Are couplers cleaned and sanitised? Are sours or wild beers on shared lines? Call your dispense technician for a deep clean and inspection. Prevention is consistent weekly cleaning, dedicated lines for high-risk products, and clean handling of couplers and taps. An infected system can damage the reputation of every beer you serve. - Several lines with similar faults is a sign - Clean everything, including couplers - Replace old lines with biofilms - Dedicate lines to sours #### Tasting faults in training Bar teams learn to spot faults fastest by tasting them. Commercial off-flavour kits contain reference compounds that can be added to a neutral beer to demonstrate diacetyl, acetic acid, DMS, oxidation, light-strike and others at recognisable levels. Using a light lager as the base, add each compound according to the kit instructions and taste alongside an untreated sample. Discuss what each smells and tastes like, and where it comes from. Repeat periodically so staff keep their skills sharp. Without a kit, you can use real examples: taste a cask beer on day one and again on day four, or compare a fresh hoppy beer with an old one. Combine tasting with system knowledge: link each fault to its cause and fix. Staff who can spot a fault before a guest does protect the pub’s reputation. It also builds confidence when talking to guests: they can explain calmly why a pint is being replaced, and recommend something else. Some brewery and industry training courses include off-flavour sessions. - Off-flavour kits demonstrate faults - Use a light lager as a base - Compare day one and day four casks - Link each fault to its cause #### Over-carbonated beer Over-carbonated beer pours with a big foamy head, tastes prickly and harsh, and fills guests up quickly. On keg, the usual cause is gas pressure set too high for the beer’s temperature, so the beer absorbs extra CO₂ over days in the keg. It can also happen when a product designed for mixed gas is connected to pure CO₂, or when a keg sits for a long time on a high-pressure line. Cask beer can be over-lively if it hasn’t been vented long enough, or if a very active secondary fermentation is still under way; you will see fobbing at the spile and lively, foamy pours. For keg, check the regulator against the specified setting and the gas type, and have the technician rebalance the system if needed; once a keg is over-carbonated, it can be slow to correct. For cask, return to a soft spile and allow more venting time before putting it back on sale. In bottles, gushing on opening can indicate an infection or over-priming, and the beer should be checked and reported to the supplier. - Usually pressure too high for temperature - Check gas type on nitro products - Under-vented casks are over-lively - Gushing bottles may mean infection #### Warm beer complaints Warm beer is one of the most common complaints in British pubs, and the cause is not always the cooler. First establish what the guest is drinking: cask ale is served at 11 to 13°C by design, and some guests used to cold lager perceive it as warm. Explain politely and offer an alternative if they would prefer something colder. If a keg product is genuinely warm, check the temperature at the glass with a probe. Possible causes include a depleted ice bank after heavy trade, a failed cooler or fan, a cooler switched off overnight and not yet recovered, a damaged python, a hot glass straight from the washer, or beer standing in the line near a warm back bar. If all products are warm, the cooler is the prime suspect; if only one, check its line and position. Cask ale that is genuinely too warm usually points to a warm cellar or a long, uninsulated line run. Record temperatures and actions, call the technician if equipment is at fault, and replace the guest’s drink regardless. - Cask is meant to be cellar cool - Probe the glass to confirm - All products warm points to the cooler - Hot glasses warm beer too #### Sediment and bits in the glass Particles in a pint alarm guests and need a quick, calm response. In cask ale, small flecks or haze can be yeast or finings disturbed from the bottom of the cask, which happens when the cask is moved, tilted roughly or nearly empty; pull a little through and check clarity, and if it persists, the cask may be nearing its end. In bottle-conditioned beer, a careless pour lifts sediment. In keg beer, flakes can be beerstone or biofilm breaking away from dirty lines, which needs a thorough clean and possibly line replacement. Bits can also come from the glass: dried residue, lint from cloths or debris from a dirty glasswasher. Fruit pulp or hop matter can be normal in some unfiltered craft beers, which should be noted on the menu. Whatever the cause, replace the drink immediately, apologise, and investigate before serving another from the same line. If you find foreign objects that are not beer-related, such as glass fragments, treat it as a safety incident, remove the glass and anything nearby, and record it. - Disturbed casks lift yeast and finings - Flakes in keg suggest dirty lines - Check glasses and cloths too - Glass fragments are a safety incident ### Cider and perry #### Cider apple categories English cider makers traditionally sort apples by their balance of acid and tannin into four groups. Sweets are low in both, giving mild juice with little structure. Sharps are high in acid and low in tannin, giving bright, fresh, zesty cider; many dessert and cooking apples fall here, along with dedicated sharp varieties. Bittersweets are high in tannin and low in acid, giving body, astringency and the rich, leathery, sometimes smoky character of West Country cider; Dabinett, Yarlington Mill and Harry Masters Jersey are well-known examples. Bittersharps are high in both, like Kingston Black, prized for producing balanced single-variety cider. Eastern counties such as Kent, Suffolk and Norfolk have historically made cider from culinary and dessert apples, giving lighter, crisper, more acidic styles, while Somerset, Herefordshire, Devon and Worcestershire lean on bittersweet cider fruit. This framework helps staff describe cider: ‘tannic and full’ versus ‘crisp and appley’. Guests who think all cider tastes like sweet commercial brands are often surprised by a dry bittersweet or a sharp eastern cider. - Four groups: sweet, sharp, bittersweet, bittersharp - Bittersweets give West Country body - Eastern ciders lean crisper - Kingston Black is a classic bittersharp #### How cider is made Cider is made by milling apples into pulp, called pomace, and pressing it to extract juice. Traditional makers built a ‘cheese’ of pomace wrapped in cloths and pressed it in a screw or hydraulic press; modern producers use belt or pack presses. The juice is fermented by wild yeasts present on the fruit and in the cider house, or by cultured yeasts added for reliability. Fermentation can take weeks to months, often in cool barns over winter. The cider may then be matured, blended, sweetened, filtered, carbonated and pasteurised, or left still and unfiltered. Some producers ‘keeve’, a traditional French and English technique that produces naturally sweet, low-alcohol cider by limiting nutrients so fermentation stops early. Most UK cider is fermented to dryness and then sweetened if needed. Commercial ciders may also be made from concentrate and diluted, which keeps costs down. Craft producers usually emphasise fresh juice. Explaining that cider is to apples what wine is to grapes helps guests appreciate the range and justifies higher prices for well-made ciders. - Mill, press, ferment, mature - Wild or cultured yeasts - Keeving gives natural sweetness - Some commercial cider uses concentrate #### Juice content and cider quality UK rules on cider set a minimum juice content for duty purposes, and the current HMRC definition requires a minimum proportion of apple or pear juice, which many in the craft sector consider low. Large commercial ciders often contain far less than 100 per cent fresh juice, being made from concentrate, glucose syrup and water, with flavourings and sweeteners. Craft producers increasingly declare their juice content, often 100 per cent or close to it, and some trade groups and campaigners call for clearer labelling. For a pub, this matters in two ways. First, it explains price: a full-juice cider costs more to produce. Second, it gives staff a story: ‘this one’s made from 100 per cent juice from a farm in Herefordshire’ is a strong selling line, but only if true. Check claims with producers and avoid repeating unverified figures. Guests who say they don’t like cider because it is too sweet or artificial may enjoy a full-juice dry cider, so offer a taste. - HMRC sets a minimum juice content - Commercial cider may use concentrate - Craft producers often declare juice % - Only repeat verified claims #### Dry, medium and sweet cider Cider sweetness is a key choice for guests, and staff should know where each product sits. Dry cider has little residual sugar and can taste tart, tannic and sometimes austere. Medium has some sweetness to balance acid and tannin. Sweet cider has noticeable sugar, sometimes from added sugar or sweetener, sometimes from keeving or arrested fermentation. Many guests say they want dry but enjoy medium, and vice versa, so a taster helps. Some bars offer ‘medium’ by blending dry and sweet ciders at the bar, a long tradition with traditional ciders served from bag-in-box. Artificial sweeteners are used in some commercial ciders to add sweetness without refermentation; some guests dislike their aftertaste. Labels and menus should give an indication of sweetness. For food pairing, dry ciders work well with pork, cheese and fish; medium with spiced food; sweet with desserts. When recommending, ask the guest what they normally drink and whether they like tart or sweet flavours. - Know where each cider sits - Tasters avoid mismatches - Mixing dry and sweet is traditional - Some ciders use sweeteners #### Perry pears and perry making Perry is made from perry pears, specific varieties that are often small, hard and too astringent to eat. Perry pear trees can live for centuries, and many old orchards in Herefordshire, Gloucestershire and Worcestershire, known as the Three Counties, still produce fruit. Varieties have colourful names such as Blakeney Red, Thorn, Moorcroft and Hendre Huffcap. Perry pears must be milled at the right ripeness, often within a narrow window, and the pomace is sometimes left to stand before pressing. Pears contain sorbitol, a sugar that yeast does not ferment, so perry often has a natural residual sweetness even when fermented dry. Perry can be still or sparkling, and some producers make sparkling perry by traditional bottle fermentation. It is delicate, floral and often lower in tannin than cider. Many ‘pear ciders’ sold commercially are made from pear concentrate or flavourings rather than perry pears, and the terms are not always used precisely. For staff, a good line is: ‘perry is made from special perry pears, softer and more delicate than cider.’ - Made from perry pears, not eating pears - Three Counties heartland - Sorbitol gives natural sweetness - Pear cider is often not true perry #### Cider service and glassware Cider is often served in pint glasses, but good cider deserves better consideration. Draught commercial cider is usually served cold in branded pint or half-pint glasses, sometimes over ice for certain brands. Craft and farmhouse ciders can be served in stemmed glasses, tulips or wine glasses, which concentrate aroma and signal quality, especially for sparkling and bottle-fermented ciders. Serving temperature matters: very cold suppresses flavour, so many craft ciders taste better a little warmer, perhaps 8 to 12°C. Still traditional ciders from bag-in-box are usually served cool rather than ice cold. Ice in cider dilutes it and should be offered only if the guest wants it or if the brand recommends it. Bottled ciders may have sediment, particularly bottle-fermented ones, so pour carefully. Cider’s measures follow the same rules as beer when sold on draught: in third, half and pint measures, or multiples of a half pint. Present cider with the same care as wine; it encourages guests to treat it as a premium choice. - Stemmed glasses for craft cider - Craft cider often best at 8–12°C - Ice only when wanted - Draught measures as for beer #### Traditional method sparkling cider Some producers make sparkling cider and perry using the same method as champagne: a second fermentation in the bottle, followed by ageing on the lees, riddling and disgorging to remove the yeast. The result is fine bubbles, complexity and a dry, crisp finish. These products can be excellent alternatives to sparkling wine, often at a lower price, and work well for toasts, celebrations and food pairing. Another method, pétillant naturel or ‘pet nat’, bottles cider before fermentation finishes, trapping carbon dioxide and leaving some sediment. Both styles should be served chilled in flutes or wine glasses, opened carefully like sparkling wine. For a restaurant or pub, offering a high-quality sparkling cider by the glass or bottle adds interest and supports local producers. Staff should explain it like sparkling wine: ‘made the same way as champagne, from apples’. These products are often sold by the 75cl bottle, and pricing can be closer to wine margins than beer margins. - Second fermentation in bottle - Fine bubbles and complexity - Pet nat bottled mid-ferment - Price closer to wine margins #### Cider duty basics Since the UK’s alcohol duty reforms in August 2023, duty is calculated by alcohol strength across all drink types, with bands and rates set by HMRC. Cider has its own rates within certain strength bands, and sparkling cider and wine have been brought into a more consistent system. Draught relief gives a lower rate to qualifying draught products, including cider sold in containers of a minimum size for draught dispense. Small producer relief allows qualifying small producers to pay reduced duty, and very small cider makers producing below a certain volume may be exempt from registering for duty, subject to conditions. Rates and thresholds change, often in budgets, so check HMRC guidance for current figures rather than relying on memory. For pubs, duty affects buying prices and therefore menu prices; higher-strength ciders cost more in duty. The details matter most to producers, but managers should understand why strong products are priced higher and why draught can be more cost-effective than packaged. - Duty by strength since August 2023 - Draught relief for qualifying containers - Small producer relief exists - Check HMRC for current rates #### Scrumpy and farmhouse cider ‘Scrumpy’ traditionally refers to rough, often cloudy, strong farmhouse cider from the West Country, sold from barrels at the farm gate or in local pubs. The term has a romantic image but no legal definition and is used on some commercial products too. Real farmhouse cider is usually still, unfiltered, tannic and varies from batch to batch, which is part of its appeal. It can be strong, often 6 to 8 per cent ABV, and sometimes higher. Serving it in a pub requires care: keep bag-in-box or polycasks cool, serve by gravity, and give guests honest information about strength. Some traditional ciders may be cloudy and contain sediment; staff should explain this is normal. Farmhouse cider can be an attraction for tourists in cider regions and an interesting guest product elsewhere. Because strength is high, encourage halves. When buying from small producers, check that they are registered for duty where required, and that labelling meets legal requirements for allergens and ABV. - No legal definition of scrumpy - Often still, cloudy and strong - Serve cool, by gravity - Encourage halves for strong cider #### Cider faults Cider can suffer faults like beer and wine. Mousiness is a fault caused by certain bacteria or yeasts, producing a taste like a mouse cage or stale crackers that often appears in the finish and can be detected more easily by some people than others; it is more common in unsulphited, natural ciders. Acetic acid, vinegar, results from bacterial spoilage when cider is exposed to air. Excessive sulphur dioxide smells like a struck match. Ethyl acetate gives a solvent or nail varnish smell. Some ciders have a ‘farmyard’ character from Brettanomyces yeast, which some drinkers enjoy and others dislike. Cloudiness in a cider that should be clear may indicate infection, though many traditional ciders are naturally hazy. Cider in bag-in-box containers can oxidise after opening if stored warm or for too long. If a guest complains, taste it, check the container and date, and replace the drink. Keep notes to discuss with the producer. Staff training should include tasting traditional ciders so they understand natural variation. - Mousiness common in natural cider - Acetic acid means air exposure - Struck-match smell: excess SO₂ - Brett: loved by some, a fault to others #### Selling cider beyond the brand Many pubs stock one or two mainstream draught ciders and perhaps a fruit cider, but a broader cider offer can attract new guests and increase spend. A good range might include a mainstream draught for familiarity, a quality craft keg cider, a still traditional cider on bag-in-box, and bottled options including a dry, a medium, a perry and a sparkling. Fruit ciders are popular with younger drinkers and in summer. Cider festivals, local producer nights and pairing menus help educate guests. Cider is also important for guests avoiding gluten, though they should check each product. Pricing should reflect quality and cost; craft ciders can carry higher prices. Staff should taste each cider and know how to describe it. Display matters: list ciders with sweetness levels, ABV and producer. A ‘cider of the month’ can introduce new products. In regions with strong cider traditions, local cider can be as important to the identity of a pub as local beer. - Range: mainstream, craft, still, bottled - Fruit ciders popular in summer - Many ciders are gluten-free - List sweetness, ABV and producer #### Cider and perry in the Three Counties Herefordshire, Gloucestershire and Worcestershire form the heartland of English perry and a major centre of cider making, alongside Somerset, Devon and other West Country counties. The region has a long orchard tradition, with old standard trees, specialist varieties and family producers alongside large commercial cider makers. Herefordshire is home to one of the UK’s best-known cider companies and many smaller makers. Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire perry has protected geographical status under UK schemes, as do some West Country ciders, which restricts how certain names can be used. Cider tourism, including orchard visits, cider trails and festivals, draws visitors to the area. For a pub in the region, local cider and perry are part of the identity; for pubs elsewhere, these products offer stories and authenticity. When describing protected names, use them accurately: only products meeting the specification can carry them. Staff can enhance the experience by knowing a little about the producer, the orchard and the varieties used. - Heartland of English perry - Old orchard traditions - Some names have protected status - Use protected names accurately #### Polycasks and bag-in-box Traditional ciders and some perries are often supplied in polycasks, plastic containers typically holding around 20 litres, or bag-in-box containers, where a collapsible bag sits inside a cardboard box. Bag-in-box systems are simple to use: keep the box cool, attach or open the tap and pour. As cider is drawn, the bag collapses, keeping air away from the cider and extending shelf life after opening, often several weeks, though producers give their own guidance. Polycasks need venting and can let air in, so cider in them may not last as long once opened. Store both types off the floor, cool and away from sunlight. Rotate stock and note opening dates. Bag-in-box ciders work well for pubs without dedicated cider lines and allow a range of traditional ciders to be offered behind the bar or in a cooled cabinet. Ensure taps are kept clean and drips are caught. Label each box clearly with the name, ABV, sweetness and allergens. - Polycasks ~20 litres - Bag-in-box keeps air out - Note opening dates - Label ABV, sweetness and allergens #### Cider and food pairing Cider is a versatile food partner, and its acidity, tannin and fruitiness work with many dishes. Dry and tannic West Country ciders pair well with pork, sausages, cheddar and other hard cheeses, and rich stews. Crisp, acidic eastern ciders cut through fried fish, shellfish and salads. Medium ciders suit spiced dishes, curries and barbecue. Sweet ciders and ice ciders go with apple desserts, crumbles and blue cheese. Perry’s delicacy suits lighter dishes, fish, soft cheeses and fruit desserts. Sparkling ciders and perries can replace sparkling wine with canapés and starters. Cider is also used in cooking, from mussels to braised pork, and a dish cooked with a particular cider can be paired with the same cider by the glass. For menus, a short pairing note helps guests: ‘try with our pork belly’ or ‘great with the cheese board’. Staff should taste the pairings so they can recommend them with conviction. - Tannic ciders with pork and cheddar - Crisp ciders with fish and salads - Perry with lighter dishes - Cook with the cider you pour #### Ice cider and fortified apple drinks Ice cider is a sweet, concentrated cider made by freezing apple juice, either naturally in cold climates or with cold storage, to concentrate the sugars before fermentation. It originated in Quebec and is made by a few producers elsewhere, including some in England using cryo-concentration. It is rich, sweet and acidic, often 7 to 13 per cent ABV, and served in small measures with desserts or cheese. Other apple-based drinks include pommeau, a blend of apple juice and apple brandy aged in oak, traditionally from Normandy and Brittany, and cider brandy, distilled cider aged in oak, produced in Somerset and elsewhere. Somerset cider brandy has protected geographical status. These drinks offer high-margin dessert and digestif options, link to a cider theme and appeal to guests who enjoy dessert wine or brandy. Serve in small glasses, around 50 to 75ml, slightly chilled for ice cider and pommeau, at room temperature for brandy. - Ice cider concentrates sugars by freezing - Pommeau: juice plus apple brandy - Somerset cider brandy is protected - High-margin dessert serves #### Keeving and naturally sweet cider Keeving is a slow, traditional technique for making naturally sweet, lightly sparkling cider without adding sugar or sweetener. After milling, the pomace is often left to macerate, then the juice is encouraged to form a brown gelatinous cap, the chapeau brun, as pectin binds with calcium and nutrients and rises to the top. The clear juice beneath is racked off, now low in the nutrients yeast needs, so fermentation runs slowly and stops before all the sugar is used. The result is cider with residual sweetness, lower alcohol, often 3 to 5 per cent, and intense apple character. It is the classic method behind French cidre from Normandy and Brittany, and a handful of English makers use it. Keeving is unpredictable and labour-intensive, so these ciders are priced at a premium and often sold in champagne-style bottles. For staff, the selling line is honest and simple: ‘naturally sweet from the fruit, nothing added, lower in alcohol.’ They suit brunch, desserts, cheese and guests who say they want something sweet but dislike artificial flavours. Serve chilled in a wine glass or flute. - Removes nutrients so fermentation stalls - Naturally sweet, often 3–5% ABV - Behind traditional Normandy cidre - Premium priced and bottled #### Cider in the cellar Cider sits alongside beer in most cellars but has its own quirks. Keg cider shares the CO₂ supply and cooling with lager, but it is more acidic than beer and some flavoured ciders carry sugars and fruit compounds that leave residues, so lines need the full weekly clean and fruit lines are better dedicated. Still ciders in bag-in-box or polycasks should be kept off the floor in the coolest part of the cellar, away from direct heat from cooler units, and dated when opened. Never connect a still cider to a CO₂ keg line by improvising fittings; it will carbonate unpredictably and may not be the producer’s intended serve. Some real ciders throw a sediment or a natural haze, which is normal. Draught cider measures follow beer law, so if you serve bag-in-box cider into a half or pint glass it must be a properly marked measure. Stock rotation matters for cider too: commercial ciders have best-before dates and flavoured ones in particular lose freshness. Include cider containers in the stocktake and returns; polycasks are often returnable to the producer. - Acidic and sugary products need dedicated lines - Date bag-in-box on opening - Don’t improvise gas on still ciders - Draught measure law applies to cider #### Perry service and selling Perry is one of the most under-sold drinks on a British bar, partly because guests confuse it with sweet pear-flavoured cider. Well-made perry is delicate, floral and often softly sweet thanks to sorbitol, with a lighter tannin structure than cider. It sits closer to white wine in character than many guests expect. Serve still perry cool, around 8 to 10°C, in a stemmed glass, and sparkling perry chilled in a flute or wine glass. It pairs well with soft cheeses, white fish, pork, Asian dishes with gentle spice, and fruit puddings. Sell it by contrast: ‘if you like a dry white or a light sparkling wine, try this — it’s made from perry pears grown in Herefordshire.’ A single good bottled perry on the list, or a bag-in-box at cider festivals, is enough for most pubs. Because demand is modest, choose bottles over draught to avoid waste. A perry with the cheese board, or as a lower-cost alternative to prosecco for a toast, can surprise guests and become a signature recommendation. - Often confused with pear-flavoured cider - Closer to white wine in character - Serve cool in a stemmed glass - Bottles avoid waste on low demand #### Cider labelling claims Cider labels and menus carry claims that staff repeat to guests, so it pays to understand them. ‘Craft’ has no legal definition in UK cider law, and both small farm producers and large companies use it. ‘Real cider’ is a term CAMRA uses for cider made with a high proportion of fresh apple juice, not pasteurised or artificially carbonated, and without artificial sweeteners or flavourings beyond its own guidance; it is a campaigning definition rather than a legal one. ‘Made from 100 per cent juice’ should mean exactly that, and producers who make it can usually explain their process. Protected geographical names, such as certain West Country and Three Counties products, may only be used by producers meeting the specification. Alcohol by volume and allergens must be accurate. If a guest asks whether a cider is ‘proper’ or ‘from concentrate’, give a factual answer based on what the producer states, and if you don’t know, say you will check. Never invent provenance, varieties or juice percentages to close a sale; guests who know cider will catch it, and misleading descriptions can breach consumer protection law. - ‘Craft’ has no legal definition - ‘Real cider’ is a CAMRA definition - Protected names need the specification - Never invent provenance ### Low and no alcohol #### Gluten and beer Most beer is made from barley, wheat or rye, which contain gluten, so standard beer is unsuitable for people with coeliac disease. Some breweries produce gluten-free beer, either by brewing with naturally gluten-free grains such as sorghum, rice or millet, or by using barley and treating the beer with an enzyme that breaks down gluten to below the legal threshold. In the UK, food can be labelled ‘gluten-free’ only if it contains 20 parts per million of gluten or less. Some people with coeliac disease choose to avoid deglutenised barley beers even when labelled gluten-free, so staff should give accurate information and let the guest decide. Cider, perry, wine and most spirits are naturally gluten-free, though flavoured products should be checked. Under UK allergen rules, cereals containing gluten are among the fourteen allergens that must be declared, so beer allergen information should be available on request. Staff should never guess: say ‘this one is labelled gluten-free’ and point the guest to the label or the allergen matrix. - Standard beer contains gluten - UK gluten-free threshold: 20ppm - Some brewers use enzymes to reduce gluten - Cereals containing gluten are a declared allergen #### How alcohol-free beer is made Alcohol-free and low-alcohol beers are made in several ways. Dealcoholisation removes alcohol from fully fermented beer, using vacuum distillation, where alcohol is boiled off at low temperature, or membrane filtration such as reverse osmosis. Limited fermentation uses special yeasts that ferment little sugar, or stops fermentation early, keeping alcohol low. Some brewers use maltose-negative yeasts, which cannot ferment maltose, the main sugar in wort. Each method has trade-offs: dealcoholisation can strip aroma and body, while limited fermentation can leave beers sweet and worty. Modern techniques, along with careful hopping and the addition of ingredients like oats for body, have improved quality significantly. Alcohol-free beers are more vulnerable to spoilage because alcohol is a natural preservative, so many are pasteurised and once opened should be consumed quickly. Draught alcohol-free beer is increasingly common but requires careful line hygiene, since microbes grow more easily without alcohol. For staff, knowing how it is made helps answer questions and sell it with confidence. - Dealcoholisation or limited fermentation - Vacuum distillation, reverse osmosis - Low alcohol means higher spoilage risk - Draught AF needs strict line hygiene #### UK labelling for low and no alcohol UK labelling terms for low and no alcohol drinks have been set out in government guidance, and terms are used with specific meanings. Products at or below 0.05 per cent ABV are described as alcohol-free. Up to 0.5 per cent ABV, de-alcoholised is used for drinks from which alcohol has been removed. Low alcohol refers to drinks up to 1.2 per cent ABV. In practice, many ‘alcohol-free’ beers sold in the UK are 0.5 per cent, reflecting international norms, and the government has consulted on changing the alcohol-free threshold to 0.5 per cent to align with other countries. Because the rules have been under review, check current guidance before printing menus or making claims. For guests avoiding alcohol entirely for religious, medical or personal reasons, the exact ABV matters, and staff should be able to tell them what each product contains. Beer at or below 0.5 per cent ABV is not subject to alcohol duty and is outside the licensing definition of alcohol, although venues should still be sensible about who they serve it to. - Terms set out in government guidance - Many AF beers are 0.5% ABV - Thresholds have been under review - Give guests the exact ABV #### Draught alcohol-free beer Draught alcohol-free beer has grown as large brewers launch AF versions of their lagers and craft brewers produce AF pale ales and stouts. Offering an AF option on draught gives non-drinkers the same experience as their friends: a cold pint in the right glass, without the stigma of a bottle. However, draught AF beer presents technical challenges. Without alcohol, the beer is more prone to microbial spoilage, so lines need to be cleaned at least as frequently as other lines, and many suppliers recommend dedicated lines and strict hygiene. Kegs once tapped may have shorter recommended on-tap lives than alcoholic beers, so check the brewery’s guidance. Some AF beers are pasteurised in keg for stability. Sales volume matters; slow-selling AF draught may spoil, so bottles or cans might be better for low demand. Price is a common question: AF beer doesn’t pay alcohol duty, but it can cost as much to make and serve as standard beer, so prices often sit close to standard pints. - Same serve as an alcoholic pint - More prone to spoilage - Clean lines strictly - Use packaged if demand is low #### Pricing alcohol-free drinks Guests often question why alcohol-free beer costs nearly as much as regular beer when it doesn’t pay alcohol duty. The answer combines production costs, which can be higher because of dealcoholisation equipment or specialist processes, distribution and dispense costs, and the pub’s overheads, which don’t change with the product. VAT applies at the standard rate. Many venues set AF prices slightly below standard beer to signal fairness while maintaining margin. Gross profit percentages can be higher on AF products because there is no duty, but cash margin per serve matters too. Training staff to explain pricing calmly avoids awkward conversations. Positioning AF drinks as premium choices, with good glassware and presentation, helps justify prices. Guests choosing AF drinks are often designated drivers, pregnant guests, people in recovery, or those who simply want to drink less; making them feel welcome is good hospitality and good business. A well-chosen AF range, including beer, cider and alternatives, can increase overall spend. - No alcohol duty, but other costs remain - Often priced slightly below standard pints - Present AF drinks as premium choices - Welcoming AF drinkers grows spend #### Low-alcohol beer styles Between alcohol-free and standard session beers sits a range of low-alcohol styles. Table beers, historically low-strength beers drunk with meals, have been revived by craft brewers at around 2 to 3 per cent ABV, often with lots of hop aroma. Small beer was traditionally the second runnings from a strong beer brew. Some brewers produce ‘half-strength’ versions of their beers. UK duty rules have offered lower rates for beers at lower strengths, which encourages low-strength options, though the bands and thresholds are set by HMRC and change. Low-alcohol beers suit lunchtimes, long sessions and guests moderating their intake. They can be tricky to brew well, needing body and flavour without alcohol’s warmth. On cask, low-strength milds and bitters, some below 3 per cent, have long been part of British drinking culture. Staff should know which beers on the bar are lower strength so they can suggest them to guests who want to pace themselves. - Table beers often 2–3% ABV - Lower duty rates for low-strength beer - Traditional low-strength milds exist - Suggest them for pacing #### Mindful drinking and the bar A growing number of guests choose to drink less or not at all, for health, fitness, religious, or personal reasons, and campaigns such as Dry January have raised awareness. For hospitality businesses, this is an opportunity, not a threat: guests who don’t drink still want to go out, socialise and spend. A thoughtful range of alcohol-free and low-alcohol options, including beers, ciders, wines, spirits alternatives and soft drinks with character, meets this demand. Staff should treat AF orders with the same care and enthusiasm as any other drink, using proper glassware and garnishes. Avoid asking why someone isn’t drinking; just offer the options. Menus should list AF and low-alcohol drinks prominently, not hidden at the bottom. Some venues offer AF pairings for tasting menus. Responsible service means being ready to suggest lower-strength options to guests who may have had enough, without embarrassing them. A pub known as a good place for non-drinkers will attract groups who might otherwise go elsewhere. - Non-drinkers still want to go out - Treat AF orders with care - List AF options prominently - Never ask why someone isn’t drinking #### Alcohol-free cider and other options Alcohol-free cider is made by dealcoholising fermented cider or by blending juice with carbonation and flavourings, though the latter is closer to a sparkling juice. Quality varies; dealcoholised ciders tend to have more character. Other low and no options in a beer-and-cider context include kombucha, a fermented tea that may contain small amounts of alcohol; ginger beer and craft sodas; and hop waters, sparkling water infused with hops, which give beer-like aroma with no alcohol and few calories. Kombucha’s alcohol level can vary, and some products may exceed 0.5 per cent if not controlled, so check labels and supplier information. These options give non-drinkers interesting choices and pair well with food. They also suit guests avoiding sugar. Store and serve them like other premium drinks: chilled, in good glassware. Keep an accurate list of ABVs and allergens for each product, and train staff to recommend them by flavour profile rather than as ‘something non-alcoholic’. - Dealcoholised ciders have more character - Hop water: beer aroma, no alcohol - Kombucha ABV can vary - Recommend by flavour, not absence #### Allergens in beer and cider Under UK food law, food businesses must provide information on the fourteen regulated allergens in the food and drinks they serve, including drinks served at the bar. In beer and cider, the most relevant are cereals containing gluten, found in most beers; sulphur dioxide and sulphites, which must be declared above 10mg per kg or litre and are common in cider and wine, and sometimes beer; milk, from lactose in milk stouts and some pastry beers; and nuts, from additions in some flavoured beers. Isinglass finings are derived from fish, and allergen rules include specific provisions for fish gelatine or isinglass used as a fining agent in beer and wine, which are exempt from fish labelling, but guests asking about fish or animal products should still be told honestly. Keep an allergen matrix for every drink, updated when products change, and train staff to consult it rather than guess. Guest beers and rotating products are a risk; get allergen information from the brewery before putting them on sale. - Fourteen regulated allergens apply to drinks - Gluten in most beers - Sulphites common in cider - Keep an allergen matrix for guest beers #### Vegan beer and cider Many guests ask whether beer and cider are vegan. The main concern is finings: isinglass, made from fish, is used to clear many cask ales and some keg beers; gelatine is used occasionally. Some ciders use gelatine or other animal-derived fining agents. Other non-vegan ingredients include lactose in milk stouts, honey in some beers, and occasionally other additions such as oysters. Many breweries now produce vegan beer by using alternative finings, centrifuging, filtering or leaving beer unfined. Most mainstream lagers are filtered rather than fined and are often vegan, but you should check each product rather than assume. Keep a list of which beers and ciders are vegan, updated with each guest beer. Label them on menus or boards if possible. Staff should never guess: if unsure, say so and offer a product that is confirmed vegan. A clear vegan drinks list is appreciated by guests and reduces questions at the bar. - Isinglass and gelatine are not vegan - Lactose and honey also non-vegan - Many mainstream lagers are vegan - Check each product; never assume #### Hop water and beer alternatives Hop water is sparkling water infused with hops, giving the aroma of a pale ale with no alcohol and usually no calories or sugar. It has grown in popularity among guests who want a beer-like experience without alcohol or carbohydrates. Some brewers produce it in cans; others make draught versions. Flavours range from citrusy to piney, depending on the hops used. Other beer alternatives include non-alcoholic malt drinks, which are sweet and malty, popular in some communities, and sparkling teas designed to pair with food. For a pub, hop water is easy to stock in cans and can be a premium alternative to soft drinks. It pairs well with spicy and fried foods. On draught, it needs careful handling like any non-alcoholic product, since microbes can grow. Price it as a premium soft drink. Staff should describe it accurately: ‘sparkling water with hops, smells like a pale ale, no alcohol and no sugar.’ - Hops infused in sparkling water - Usually no alcohol or sugar - Easy to stock in cans - Price as a premium soft drink #### Beer and cider for guests with intolerances Beyond the fourteen regulated allergens, guests often ask about intolerances and preferences that staff can handle with accurate information. Some guests find that certain beers cause bloating or discomfort and prefer lighter, well-attenuated beers or cider; this is personal and staff should not offer medical advice. Histamine and sulphite sensitivity are sometimes mentioned with wine and cider; point guests to the allergen information for sulphites and let them decide. Sugar content varies widely: dry ciders and most lagers have little residual sugar, while sweet ciders, fruit beers and pastry stouts can be high, and some AF beers contain more sugar than their alcoholic equivalents because fermentation was limited. Calorie labelling on alcoholic drinks in the UK has been discussed by government but, where present on packaging, is often voluntary; don’t make up figures. Keep product specification sheets for core lines so that if a guest asks a detailed question, a manager can answer from the source. The rule for staff is simple: share what the label and supplier say, never guess, and never pressure a guest to try something. - Give label information, not medical advice - Sugar varies widely across styles - Some AF beers are relatively sweet - Keep spec sheets for core lines #### Alcohol-free beer quality control Alcohol-free beer is less forgiving than standard beer once it leaves the brewery. Without alcohol to inhibit microbes, it can spoil if lines are dirty, if bottles and cans are stored warm for long periods, or if opened containers are left. Most AF beers are pasteurised or sterile-filtered, and many have shorter best-before dates than alcoholic versions, so check dates on delivery and rotate carefully. On draught, follow the brewery’s line cleaning recommendations precisely; some suppliers require more frequent cleaning or dedicated lines for AF products, and some only supply draught AF to venues that meet their standards. Staff should taste AF beers regularly like any other product and know their normal flavour, which can be a little sweeter or more cereal-like than the full-strength equivalent. If an AF beer tastes sour, buttery or vinegary, take it off sale and clean. Store bottles and cans cool and out of light. These steps matter because AF drinkers are often the designated driver of a group, and a disappointing drink reflects on the whole visit. - No alcohol means higher spoilage risk - Check shorter best-before dates - Follow supplier cleaning rules exactly - Taste AF beers regularly #### Building a low and no range A good low and no alcohol range covers the main drink categories so non-drinkers aren’t limited to soft drinks. In beer and cider, that might mean an AF lager on draught or in bottle, an AF pale ale or IPA, an AF stout or dark beer for winter, an AF cider, and perhaps a lower-strength session cask ale around 3 per cent. Add a hop water or premium soft drink for those avoiding sugar and alcohol together. Choose products by tasting them, not by brand recognition alone; quality varies considerably. Review sales: AF beers in bottles and cans keep for months, so a wide range is possible without much waste, while draught AF needs volume. Price fairly and present the drinks in proper glassware. List the range clearly on menus and boards rather than hiding it. In January and during major sporting events, AF demand can rise noticeably, so check stock. Staff should know the ABV of each product, since some guests need true alcohol-free drinks at 0.05 per cent or below and others are comfortable with 0.5 per cent. - Cover lager, pale, dark and cider - Taste before listing - Bottles allow range without waste - Know each product’s exact ABV ### Range and margin #### Building a pub beer range A good beer range balances familiarity, quality, variety and margin, and it should fit the pub’s customers rather than the manager’s personal taste. Start with the core: what do most guests drink? In many pubs that means a mainstream lager, a premium lager, a stout, a cider and one or two cask ales. Then add interest: a local craft keg, a rotating cask guest, an alcohol-free option on draught or in the fridge. Check that each line earns its place through sales, margin or reputation. Avoid duplication: three similar pale lagers on draught confuse guests and split sales. Think in styles rather than brands: pale and crisp, hoppy, malty and amber, dark, fruity or sour, alcohol-free. Review the range quarterly using sales data, and adjust seasonally. Consider supply terms: some brewers offer equipment, discounts or marketing support in exchange for line commitments, which can limit flexibility. Ask regular guests what they would like to see. A clear, well-chosen range is easier to sell, keep and explain than a sprawling one. - Fit the range to the customers - Avoid duplicate styles - Review quarterly with sales data - Supply deals can limit flexibility #### Draught gross profit and cash margin Gross profit, GP, is the difference between selling price, excluding VAT, and the cost of the product, expressed as a percentage. Many UK pubs target draught GPs somewhere around 55 to 65 per cent, but cash margin per pint, the actual pounds earned, matters as much. A premium craft beer at a lower percentage GP may still earn more pounds per pint than a cheaper lager at a higher percentage. To calculate: take the selling price, divide by 1.2 to remove 20 per cent VAT, subtract the cost per pint, then divide the result by the net price for the GP percentage. Cost per pint should include an allowance for wastage and ullage. Price changes should consider competitors, guest expectations and perceived value. Small price increases, such as 10p a pint, can make a significant difference to annual profit in a busy pub. But price rises that push guests to drink elsewhere, or to drink less, are counterproductive. Track both GP percentage and cash margin by product, and promote products that earn the most per serve. - Remove VAT before calculating GP - Typical draught GP target 55–65% - Cash margin per pint matters - Allow for wastage in cost per pint #### Pricing by the third and the half Selling beer in thirds and halves helps guests try more styles and suits stronger beers, but pricing these measures needs thought. Many venues price a half at slightly more than half the pint price, reflecting the extra handling, glassware and service time per unit of beer. Thirds are often priced higher per millilitre again. This is common practice and widely accepted, but excessive mark-ups can annoy guests. Display prices clearly for all measures, since guests should not be surprised at the till. Strong beers, such as imperial stouts and barley wines, are often sold only in thirds or halves to encourage responsible drinking. Tasting flights of three or four thirds, served on a paddle, are a popular way to sell beer and encourage exploration; price them as a package and design them around themes, such as a range of IPAs or a light to dark progression. Make sure you have enough third-pint glasses, which must be appropriately marked or stamped if used as measuring containers. - Halves often priced slightly above half a pint - Thirds suit strong beers - Flights sell exploration - Display prices for all measures #### Draught relief and duty for pubs The UK’s alcohol duty system, reformed in August 2023, taxes drinks based on their alcohol strength across categories, with bands that apply different rates. Draught relief gives a lower duty rate on qualifying beer, cider and some other drinks sold in containers of at least 20 litres designed to connect to a dispense system, which was introduced to support pubs. Small producer relief gives qualifying small producers reduced duty rates on lower-strength products. Duty rates change in budgets, often with inflation, and the government announces changes in advance. For pubs, duty affects wholesale prices and therefore menu prices. Duty is paid by producers or importers, not directly by pubs, but it is built into what pubs pay. Higher-strength beers attract more duty, which is why a strong IPA costs more than a session bitter. Understanding draught relief also explains why draught beer can be more cost-effective for pubs than small packaged formats. Check current rates with HMRC rather than relying on memory. - Duty by strength since August 2023 - Draught relief for containers of 20 litres+ - Small producer relief for small brewers - Duty is built into wholesale prices #### VAT on beer in pubs Alcoholic drinks sold in UK pubs are subject to VAT at the standard rate, currently 20 per cent, which is included in the price guests pay. Some temporary reductions on food and non-alcoholic drinks in hospitality during the pandemic did not apply to alcohol. When calculating margins, always remove VAT first: divide the selling price by 1.2 to get the net price. For example, a pint selling for £5.40 has a net price of £4.50; if the beer costs £1.80 per pint, the cash margin is £2.70 and the GP is 60 per cent. Many managers mistakenly calculate margins on gross prices, which overstates profit. VAT must be accounted for to HMRC, typically quarterly, and businesses above the VAT threshold must register. Pricing in round numbers is common, but each price should be checked for margin after VAT. Staff and managers should understand this to set prices sensibly and avoid underpricing. - Standard rate VAT on alcohol - Divide by 1.2 to remove VAT - Calculate GP on net price - Check margin on every price point #### Wastage and comps control Beer wastage comes from many sources: line cleaning, pull-through, spillage, poor pouring, returned drinks, out-of-date stock and free drinks. Comps, complimentary drinks given to guests or staff, are part of hospitality but must be controlled. Every drink poured should go through the till, either as a sale or as a recorded waste or comp, so stock reconciliation is accurate. Use waste logs at the bar and in the cellar. Train staff in pouring technique to minimise foam waste. Set clear policies on staff drinks and comps, with manager authorisation. Analyse stock results: if losses exceed expectations, look at waste logs, comps and pouring practices. Flow monitoring can help identify problem lines or shifts. Theft, unfortunately, is a real risk in bars, from free drinks for friends to under-ringing; good systems and a culture of honesty reduce it. Reducing waste by a few per cent can make a significant difference to annual profit in wet-led pubs. - Ring every drink through the till - Use waste logs - Set clear comp and staff drink policies - Analyse stock results for patterns #### Stocktaking for beer Stocktaking compares what you bought with what you sold, accounting for opening and closing stock, to calculate gross profit and identify losses. Many pubs use independent stocktakers monthly or quarterly, as well as internal weekly counts. For draught beer, stocktakers measure partly used kegs and casks, often by weighing, and use line cleaning and waste records. For packaged products, they count bottles and cans. The result is a variance, the difference between expected and actual stock, expressed in money or pints. Small variances are normal; large ones indicate problems such as theft, over-pouring, unrecorded waste or incorrect deliveries. Act on stock results: investigate, retrain, and adjust controls. Consistency matters: count at the same time, in the same way, each period. Keep invoices, delivery notes and credit notes organised for the stocktaker. Stocktaking also reveals slow-moving products that tie up cash and space; consider dropping them. Many pub companies require regular stocktakes from their tenants. - Compare purchases, sales and stock - Weigh partly used kegs and casks - Large variances need investigation - Identifies slow movers too #### Choosing suppliers Pubs buy beer from brewers directly, from wholesalers and distributors, or through pub company supply chains if tied. Each route has advantages: direct supply from local brewers offers freshness and relationships; wholesalers offer range, consolidated deliveries and convenience; large brewers offer brand recognition, marketing support and equipment. When choosing suppliers, consider price, range, delivery frequency and reliability, minimum orders, credit terms, equipment provided, quality, and service. Get quotes from several suppliers and negotiate. Check contracts carefully: free equipment often comes with conditions on what you sell and how much. Some suppliers offer retrospective discounts or volume bonuses. Delivery reliability is crucial; a supplier that misses deliveries costs you sales. Build relationships with sales reps, who can offer promotions, training and support. Review supplier performance regularly. Free houses have the most flexibility; tied tenants should understand which products they can source independently. - Direct, wholesaler or tied routes - Compare price, range and reliability - Free equipment comes with conditions - Review supplier performance #### Beer and the wet-led pub model A wet-led pub earns most of its revenue from drinks rather than food. Beer is usually the largest category, so cellar quality, range and pricing are central to profitability. Wet-led pubs typically have lower staff costs per sale than food-led pubs, but are exposed to changes in drinking habits, duty, competition from supermarkets and events. Many have diversified into food, events, sport, live music and community activities to drive footfall. Success depends on a strong local customer base, a welcoming atmosphere, good beer, and sensible pricing. Managers should know their key performance indicators: weekly sales by category, GP by product, yield, wastage, labour cost as a percentage of sales, and footfall. Regulars are vital; they provide predictable trade and word-of-mouth. Keeping beer quality high and consistent is often the single best way to retain them. Many community pubs have been saved by local residents through community ownership schemes when commercial models struggled. - Most revenue from drinks - Beer quality retains regulars - Track sales, GP, yield and labour - Diversify with events and food #### Community pubs and assets of community value In England, communities can nominate pubs as assets of community value, ACVs, under the Localism Act 2011. If a listed pub is put up for sale, the community can trigger a moratorium period to give them a chance to raise money and bid, though the owner is not obliged to sell to them. Many pubs have been saved through community share offers, where residents buy shares in a community benefit society to purchase and run the pub. Organisations such as the Plunkett Foundation support community-owned businesses. Wales has its own provisions, and Scotland has community right to buy legislation. For a community pub, beer often reflects local tastes and local breweries, and volunteers may help run the cellar or events. Managers in community pubs answer to a committee or board and balance commercial needs with community aims. Listing as an ACV may also be a consideration in planning decisions about change of use. - ACV listing under the Localism Act 2011 - Moratorium gives communities time to bid - Community share offers fund purchases - Plunkett Foundation supports them #### Brewery tied houses and history Historically, British breweries owned large estates of tied pubs, which sold only their beer. By the 1980s, a small number of large brewers controlled many pubs, and the Beer Orders of 1989 limited the number of tied pubs national brewers could own and required guest beers in some cases. As a result, many brewers sold their pubs, leading to the rise of pub companies, or pubcos, which owned pubs but not breweries and negotiated supply deals. Pubcos became major players and attracted criticism over tied tenants’ earnings, which led eventually to the Pubs Code in England and Wales. Family and regional brewers, such as those in many market towns, kept their tied estates and remain important. The Beer Orders were later revoked, but their effects shaped the modern industry. Understanding this history helps explain why some pubs have limited beer ranges and why tied tenants negotiate terms. It also explains the variety of ownership models in UK pubs today. - Beer Orders 1989 reshaped ownership - Rise of pub companies - Pubs Code followed criticism - Regional brewers kept tied estates #### Beer and the cost of a pint The price of a pint reflects many costs: the beer itself, including duty paid by the brewer; the brewery’s and distributor’s margins; VAT at 20 per cent; and the pub’s costs, including rent or mortgage, business rates, staff wages, energy, insurance, maintenance, licences and equipment. Energy costs and wage increases in recent years have pushed prices up, and many guests notice. Duty is a significant but not dominant part of the price; staff costs and overheads are often larger. Understanding this helps managers set prices and explain them if asked. Guests sometimes compare pub prices to supermarket prices, which don’t include service, atmosphere or the costs of running a venue. Explaining value, such as the quality of the beer, the welcome, and the experience, is better than apologising for price. Monitoring competitors’ prices helps keep yours in line with local expectations. Transparency and consistency help build trust. - Price reflects beer, duty, VAT and overheads - Staff and energy are big costs - Duty is significant but not dominant - Sell value, don’t apologise for price #### Brewpubs and taprooms A brewpub brews beer on site and serves it to guests, and a taproom is a bar attached to a brewery. Both offer the freshest possible beer and a strong story. Setting up a brewpub requires space, equipment, utilities, drainage, and compliance with HMRC requirements for brewers, including registration, record-keeping and duty payments. Small producer relief may reduce duty. Planning permission and environmental considerations apply, including waste water and odours. Brewing on site needs skills and time; some brewpubs hire a brewer, others train existing staff. Taprooms let breweries sell directly to consumers at retail prices, improving margins compared with wholesale. They often open limited hours and host events. For customers, the chance to drink beer metres from where it was brewed is a strong attraction. For operators, the economics depend on volume, pricing and local demand. A brewpub can also sell to other pubs or in cans for takeaway, subject to licensing. - Freshest beer, strong story - HMRC registration as a brewer - Taprooms improve brewery margins - Planning and waste water considerations #### Guest beer rotation strategy Rotating guest beers keep a bar interesting for regulars and give a reason to return, but rotation without a plan creates waste and confusion. Decide how many lines rotate, usually one or two cask and perhaps one or two keg, and keep the rest as stable core products. Choose guests to complement the core rather than duplicate it: if the core is a bitter and a golden ale, the guest might be a dark beer, a stronger pale or a seasonal special. Order the next guest before the current one runs out, allowing settling time for cask. Track every guest beer’s sales speed, guest feedback and margin in a simple spreadsheet; over a year it shows which breweries and styles your customers actually buy. Use a ‘coming soon’ board to build anticipation. Avoid always buying the cheapest beer on the wholesaler’s list, since regulars notice quality. Tied tenants should check how many guests their agreement allows and from which lists. A rotation with a recognisable rhythm, such as a new local beer every Friday, becomes part of the pub’s identity. - Rotate one or two lines, keep a stable core - Complement rather than duplicate core styles - Track sales speed and feedback - Order ahead to allow settling #### Range reviews with sales data A range review uses till data to decide which products stay, go or change. Pull sales by product for the last three to six months, alongside cost and margin. Rank products by volume and by cash margin; the ones low on both are candidates for removal. Look at rate of sale per line rather than total sales, since a product that has only been on for a month can’t be compared fairly with one on all year. Consider the role of each product: some slower lines are worth keeping because they satisfy a loyal group, complete a style gap or support a supplier deal. Check yield and wastage for each line; a product with high ullage may be unprofitable despite decent sales. Ask staff what guests ask for that you don’t stock. Make changes in a planned way, telling regulars in advance if their favourite is going and suggesting an alternative. Repeat the review at least twice a year and after major changes in trade, such as a new food menu or a refurbishment. - Rank by volume and cash margin - Compare rate of sale per line - Some slow lines earn their place - Tell regulars before removing favourites #### Premium lager positioning Lager is often the biggest-selling draught category in a UK pub, and most bars now carry at least two tiers: a standard lager and a premium or world lager at a higher price. A third tier, a craft or local lager, has grown in recent years. The tiers should be clearly differentiated in taste, strength, branding and price, otherwise guests default to the cheapest. Premium lagers often come with specific branded glassware and pouring rituals, which justify the price and should be followed. Lager quality is unforgiving: it is served cold and clear, so dirty lines, bad gas or a poor glass show immediately. When reviewing lager lines, consider which brands your customers ask for by name, what margin each earns, and what the supplier offers in support. A well-made local lager can earn better cash margin and give the pub a point of difference, but it must be consistent. Staff should be able to describe each lager simply: ‘crisp and light’, ‘fuller and maltier’, ‘hoppy and dry’. - Two or three tiers of lager - Differentiate taste, strength and price - Follow branded glass and pour rules - Local lager can be a point of difference #### Draught versus packaged economics Draught usually gives a pub the best cash margin per serve on high-volume products, thanks to lower packaging costs and draught relief on duty for qualifying containers. But draught carries costs that packaged beer doesn’t: line cleaning, wastage, equipment, gas, cooling energy and the risk of a slow-selling keg going stale. As a rule of thumb, a product that can’t empty a keg within its recommended on-tap life, and well within its best-before date, belongs in bottles or cans. Packaged beer lets a pub offer a wide range of styles, strengths and AF options with little waste and long shelf life, at the cost of fridge space and a lower margin per millilitre. Many pubs combine a focused draught range with a broader packaged list. When weighing a new draught line, estimate weekly sales honestly, calculate cost per pint including wastage and cleaning loss, and compare with the packaged alternative. Small kegs, such as 20 or 30 litres, can make draught viable for mid-volume products. - Draught: best margin at volume - Packaged: range without waste - Slow sellers belong in bottles or cans - Smaller kegs bridge the gap #### Working with brewery reps Brewery and wholesaler sales representatives can be valuable partners. They know product trends, can offer promotions, point-of-sale material, glassware, training and sometimes equipment, and can help resolve quality issues. Build a good relationship by being clear about your pub’s customers and goals, sharing honest feedback on products, and paying on time. Before accepting free equipment or promotional support, read the terms: there may be volume commitments, exclusivity on a category, minimum line counts, or penalties if you change supplier. Keep a record of agreements, including verbal ones confirmed by email. Ask reps for staff training on their products and for tasting samples before committing to a new line. Compare offers from competing suppliers. Reps can also tell you about upcoming price increases, so you can plan menu prices. A rep who understands your pub will suggest products that fit rather than pushing whatever they need to sell, and will support you when a faulty keg needs crediting. - Reps offer training, POS and promotions - Read equipment and support terms - Confirm verbal agreements in writing - Ask for samples before new lines #### Dealing with beer delivery problems Deliveries sometimes arrive short, damaged, wrong or close to their best-before date. Check every delivery against the order and the delivery note before signing: count containers, check products and sizes, inspect for dents, leaks or damaged spears, and look at best-before dates. Note any problems on the delivery note and ask the driver to countersign, then report them to the supplier the same day. Refuse products that are clearly damaged or out of date. If a cask or keg proves faulty after connection, keep it, label it and request credit. Check empties collected against your records, since missing containers can be charged. If deliveries are regularly late or wrong, raise it formally with the supplier and consider alternatives. Have a contingency for core lines: a spare keg in the cellar or an agreement with a nearby pub or wholesaler for emergencies. Make sure staff receiving deliveries are trained in what to check and authorised to refuse items. - Check before signing - Note problems on the delivery note - Refuse damaged or out-of-date stock - Keep a spare of core lines ### Law and measures #### UK draught measures law In the UK, draught beer and cider must be sold in specified quantities under weights and measures legislation: one-third of a pint, two-thirds of a pint, half a pint, or multiples of half a pint. The two-thirds measure, sometimes called a schooner, was added to the permitted quantities in 2011. Draught beer and cider must be served either in a stamped, government-approved glass with a line or brim measure, or through a metered, approved dispensing system. Pints and half pints remain imperial units for draught beer and cider in UK pubs, alongside the metric system for most other goods. The quantity sold should be displayed on price lists. Trading standards officers enforce these rules, and short measures, where the liquid content falls below the stated quantity, can lead to complaints and enforcement action. The head on a pint is a contentious area: industry guidance accepts that the head is part of the pint, but guests are entitled to ask for a top-up, which should be given willingly. Bottled and canned beer is sold in the quantity stated on the container. - Third, two-thirds, half, or multiples of half - Schooner (two-thirds) added in 2011 - Stamped glasses or metered dispense - Top up a pint willingly when asked #### Brim measure and lined glasses Beer glasses in the UK are either brim measures, where the full measure reaches the very top of the glass, or lined glasses, with a line marking the measure and space above for the head. Brim measures are traditional, but they mean that any head reduces the liquid below a full pint, which is why disputes over short measures arise. Lined glasses allow a full pint of liquid plus a head, which many drinkers prefer, though they cost more and are less common in some areas. Both must carry the appropriate conformity mark, such as the UKCA or CE mark, or older stamps, along with the measure. Glasses without proper marking should not be used as measures for draught beer and cider. When buying glassware, check markings and order enough of each size. For guests who ask for a top-up, top up from the tap without fuss. Training staff to pour with a reasonable head, typically small enough to give close to a full measure, helps avoid disputes. Glassware should also be inspected for chips and cracks and replaced, since damaged glasses are a safety risk. - Brim measures: full to the top - Lined glasses allow space for a head - Glasses must carry conformity markings - Replace chipped glasses #### Age verification at the bar It is illegal to sell alcohol to anyone under 18 in the UK, and staff and premises can face serious consequences if they do. Most pubs operate a Challenge 21 or Challenge 25 policy, asking anyone who looks under that age for identification, and Challenge 25 is widely used and recommended. Acceptable ID usually includes a passport, a photocard driving licence, or a proof of age card bearing the PASS hologram; check your premises licence conditions and company policy for the specifics. Staff should check the photo, date of birth and any security features. Refusals should be recorded in a refusal log, which shows due diligence. Under-18s may be on licensed premises in some circumstances, subject to licence conditions, and 16 and 17 year-olds may drink beer, wine or cider with a table meal in England and Wales if accompanied by an adult who buys it, though not in all parts of the UK under the same rules. Buying alcohol for someone under 18 is also an offence. Test purchasing by trading standards and police is common, so consistency matters. - Illegal to sell alcohol to under-18s - Challenge 25 widely used - PASS-hologram cards accepted widely - Keep a refusals log #### Drunkenness and responsible service Under the Licensing Act 2003 in England and Wales, it is an offence knowingly to sell alcohol to a person who is drunk, or to obtain alcohol for them. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own legislation with similar principles. Staff need to recognise signs of intoxication, such as slurred speech, unsteadiness, loud or aggressive behaviour, and glazed eyes, and must refuse service politely and firmly. Offering water, food or a soft drink, and arranging a taxi, are good practice. Record refusals and incidents in a log. Managers should support staff who refuse service and not override them in front of guests. Responsible drinks promotions matter: irresponsible promotions that encourage excessive drinking are restricted under licensing law. Strong beers should be served in appropriate measures. A pub with a reputation for responsible service is safer for staff and guests and less likely to face licence reviews. Training should include practical scenarios, such as how to refuse service to a regular or a large group. - Selling to a drunk person is an offence - Recognise signs and refuse politely - Offer water and arrange transport - Managers must back staff refusals #### Personal licence and DPS In England and Wales, premises selling alcohol need a premises licence, and each premises must name a designated premises supervisor, the DPS, who holds a personal licence. Every sale of alcohol under a premises licence must be made or authorised by a personal licence holder. To get a personal licence, applicants usually need an accredited qualification, such as a level 2 award for personal licence holders, along with a basic criminal record check, and apply to their local authority. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own systems. For bar staff, this means that their sales are authorised by the DPS or another personal licence holder, which is why written authorisations and training records matter. The DPS is the main point of contact for licensing authorities and police. Premises licences come with conditions, such as opening hours, CCTV, door staff or training, and breaching them is an offence. Managers should know their licence conditions and keep a copy of the licence summary on display as required. - Premises licence plus a named DPS - Sales authorised by a personal licence holder - Level 2 qualification usually required - Display the licence summary #### Minimum unit pricing Minimum unit pricing, MUP, sets a floor price per unit of alcohol. It applies in Scotland, where it was introduced in 2018 and the minimum has since been raised, and in Wales, where it was introduced in 2020. England and Northern Ireland do not have MUP. A unit of alcohol is 10ml of pure alcohol; the number of units in a drink is calculated by multiplying volume in litres by ABV. For example, a pint (568ml) of 4 per cent beer contains about 2.3 units. MUP mainly affects cheap, high-strength products sold in off-licences and supermarkets, and rarely affects typical pub prices, which are usually well above the minimum. However, pubs should be aware of the rules, especially for promotions, happy hours and strong beers sold cheaply. The minimum price per unit can change, so check current rates with the relevant government. Staff in Scotland and Wales should know that MUP exists and that all prices must be at or above the minimum. - Applies in Scotland and Wales - Unit = 10ml pure alcohol - Pint of 4% ≈ 2.3 units - Rarely affects typical pub prices #### Alcohol units and guidance UK chief medical officers’ guidelines advise that, to keep health risks low, adults should not regularly drink more than 14 units a week, spread over several days, with some alcohol-free days. A unit is 10ml of pure alcohol. To calculate units: multiply the volume in millilitres by the ABV and divide by 1,000. A pint of 4 per cent beer has about 2.3 units; a pint of 5.2 per cent lager about 3 units; a half of 8 per cent beer about 2.3 units. Many drinkers underestimate strong craft beers, which can contain twice the units of a standard pint. Staff don’t need to lecture guests, but they should understand units to make sensible recommendations, such as suggesting smaller measures of strong beers. Some menus list units alongside ABV, which some guests find useful. Packaged alcohol labels may show units and health guidance. Understanding units also supports responsible service and helps staff explain why strong beers are sold in thirds. - Guideline: no more than 14 units a week regularly - Units = ml × ABV ÷ 1,000 - Pint of 5.2% ≈ 3 units - Strong craft beers carry many units ### Service craft #### Pouring a pint: keg technique A good keg pour is quick, consistent and produces the right head. Hold a clean, room-temperature glass at about 45 degrees under the tap, without touching the nozzle. Open the tap fully in one smooth motion; partially opening creates turbulence and foam. Let the beer run down the side of the glass, then gradually straighten the glass as it fills, so the beer pours into the centre and forms a head. Aim for a head of around one to two centimetres for most lagers and ales, though some styles and brands specify more or less. Close the tap fully. Never let the nozzle touch the beer, since it transfers bacteria and foam. Present the glass with the logo facing the guest. For branded beers, brewers often have specific pour rituals and glassware, and following them improves quality and supports the brand. Practice with water and then with real beer, and check the result: a good head, clear beer, a clean glass with no bubbles clinging to the sides. Consistency between staff builds trust. - Start at 45 degrees, straighten as it fills - Open the tap fully - Never let the nozzle touch the beer - Aim for a modest, neat head #### Pouring a pint: handpull technique A handpull pour requires a different technique to keg. Hold a clean glass under the spout, either tilted for a short neck or with the spout at the bottom of the glass for a swan neck with sparkler. Pull the handle with a long, smooth, steady stroke to the full extent, then allow it to return. Repeat until the glass is full. Avoid short, jerky pulls, which create excess foam. For sparkled pours, the head forms as the beer passes through the sparkler; let it settle briefly and top up if needed. For non-sparkled pours, a smaller head is normal. Check that the beer is clear and the head is appropriate, then present it with the pump clip facing the guest. Don’t pour the first pull of the day for a guest; pull through to clear warm beer in the line. If the beer looks hazy or tastes off, stop and check with the cellar manager. Keep the drip tray clean and the spout sanitised. A smooth, confident pour is part of the theatre of cask ale. - Long, smooth, full strokes - Pull through standing beer first - Settle and top up sparkled pints - Stop and check if it looks hazy #### Bottle and can service Packaged beer deserves the same care as draught. Store bottles and cans at the right temperature: cold for lagers and most pale beers, cellar temperature for some ales and strong beers, upright to keep sediment at the bottom of bottle-conditioned beer. Serve with a suitable clean glass unless the guest prefers to drink from the bottle. Open at the table or bar in front of the guest, show the label, and pour carefully, tilting the glass and leaving any sediment in the bottle unless the style is meant to be served with it, such as hefeweizen. Cans should be poured into a glass where possible, as this releases aroma and gives a better drinking experience. Wipe the top of bottles and cans before opening, since they may have been handled or stored in dusty areas. For larger format bottles, such as 75cl sharing bottles, offer to pour for the table. Check best-before dates and rotate stock. A well-presented bottle and glass can justify a higher price than a pint. - Store at the right temperature - Pour cans into a glass - Leave sediment in the bottle - Wipe tops before opening #### Choosing beer glassware Glass shape affects aroma, head, temperature and perception. The British pint glass, either a straight-sided sleeve, the conical nonic with a bulge near the top, or the dimpled jug-style mug, is functional and stackable. Stemmed tulips and teku glasses concentrate aroma for hoppy, Belgian and strong beers. Weizen glasses are tall and curved for wheat beers. Pilsner glasses are tall and slim to show clarity and bubbles. Snifters suit strong, aromatic beers served in small measures. Branded glasses are often supplied by breweries and help sell their products. A pub doesn’t need every shape: a nonic pint and half, a third-pint glass, a stemmed glass for craft and Belgian beers, and branded glasses for core products cover most needs. Glasses used for draught measures must be properly marked. Glassware should be stored clean and dry, upside down on clean racks, away from dust and odours. Damaged glasses must be discarded. Breakage and theft are real costs; budget for replacements. - Nonic pint is the British workhorse - Tulips and tekus for aromatic beers - Measures need marked glasses - Budget for breakage and theft #### Recommending beer with food Beer can match food as well as wine, and recommending pairings increases spend and guest satisfaction. A simple framework helps staff: match intensity, so light beers go with light dishes and strong beers with rich dishes; complement flavours, such as roasted malt with grilled meat or citrus hops with lime-dressed fish; and contrast or cut, using carbonation and bitterness to cut through fat and fried food. Classic British pairings include bitter with roast beef or pie, stout with oysters or beef stew, IPA with curry, wheat beer with salads and fish, porter with chocolate desserts, and pale ale with cheddar. Spicy food and very bitter beers can intensify heat, so medium-bitter, fruity beers are often safer for spicy dishes. Put suggested pairings on the menu and brief staff on them each shift. Pairing evenings with local breweries attract interest and introduce guests to new beers. The key is confidence: ‘our porter is great with the chocolate tart’ sells far better than ‘we have a range of beers’. - Match intensity - Complement flavours or cut through fat - Very bitter beer intensifies chilli heat - Put pairings on the menu #### Beer and cheese Beer often pairs with cheese more easily than wine, because carbonation cleanses the palate and malt sweetness complements salt and fat. Mature cheddar with a bitter or pale ale is a classic. Blue cheeses such as Stilton work with barley wine, imperial stout or old ale, which have the sweetness and strength to match. Soft, creamy cheeses suit wheat beers, saisons or fruit beers. Washed-rind cheeses, which are pungent, can be matched with Belgian ales or strong dubbels. Goat’s cheese works with crisp, citrusy beers and dry ciders. Smoked cheeses can pair with porters or smoked beers. A cheese board with suggested beer pairings is an easy way to raise spend, especially when sold as a pairing flight of thirds. Taste the pairings in advance and adjust. Local cheeses with local beers tell a good regional story. Serve cheese at room temperature and beer at its proper temperature, with water and plain biscuits or bread to refresh the palate. - Cheddar with bitter or pale ale - Stilton with barley wine or imperial stout - Soft cheeses with wheat beer or saison - Sell as a cheese and beer flight #### Talking about beer to guests Many guests feel intimidated by long beer lists, unfamiliar styles and jargon. Staff can help by asking simple questions: ‘What do you usually drink?’, ‘Do you like something light or something with more flavour?’, ‘Are you after something hoppy or something smooth?’ Then recommend one or two options and offer a taste. Use plain language: ‘crisp and refreshing’, ‘citrusy and bitter’, ‘smooth and chocolatey’, ‘fruity and tart’. Avoid jargon unless the guest uses it first. Mention the ABV when a beer is strong. Share a little story where it helps: a local brewery, a seasonal ingredient, a special release. Be honest: if you haven’t tasted a beer, say so and suggest one you know. Respect preferences; guests who want a mainstream lager should get one without judgement. For regulars, remember their favourites and tell them when something new they might like arrives. Good beer conversation is one of the most effective forms of hospitality, and it builds loyalty. - Ask what they usually drink - Use plain flavour words - Offer a taste - No judgement for mainstream choices #### Staff beer training programme A structured beer training programme improves quality, sales and staff confidence. Core modules might include: beer basics (ingredients, brewing, styles), pouring technique for keg and cask, glassware and cleaning, cellar operations (for those involved), faults and troubleshooting, food pairing, responsible service and law, and selling techniques. Use a mix of reading, demonstrations, practical exercises and tastings. Brewery reps often provide free training on their products. Industry qualifications in beer and cellar management are available through various awarding bodies. Assess competence with practical tests: pour a perfect pint, identify a fault, describe three beers on the bar. Refresh training regularly, especially when new beers arrive. Reward staff who complete training, perhaps with pay increases, badges or responsibilities. Training is an investment: knowledgeable staff sell more premium products, waste less, and stay longer. Keep training records, which also support licensing due diligence. - Cover styles, pouring, cellar, faults, law - Use brewery reps for training - Assess with practical tests - Keep training records #### Beer gardens and outdoor service Beer gardens drive summer trade but bring challenges for beer quality and service. Beer warms quickly in the sun, so serve it cold in appropriate glasses and consider polycarbonate glassware outdoors for safety. Outdoor bars need proper cooling, shade and secure gas. Plan staff for table service or bar runs and keep collection efficient. Check that the beer garden is covered by the premises licence, since some outdoor areas need specific permission, and observe any conditions on hours, noise and capacity. Pavement areas may need a pavement licence from the local authority. Smoking is allowed outdoors but not in enclosed or substantially enclosed areas under smoke-free legislation. Wasps and other insects are drawn to sweet drinks; keep tables cleared and bins covered. Offer shaded areas and water for guests. Weather forecasts should inform stock orders and staffing. A well-run beer garden with cold, fresh beer can be one of the most profitable spaces in a pub. - Beer warms fast in the sun - Check the licence covers the garden - Pavement licences for street seating - No smoking in substantially enclosed areas #### History of the British pub pint The pint has been a measure for beer in Britain for centuries, and the imperial pint, about 568ml, was standardised by the Weights and Measures Act 1824. When Britain moved to metric units for most goods, draught beer and cider were allowed to remain in pints, and they still are. The pint is central to British pub culture, and the half pint, once associated with a more genteel drinking style, is now common for stronger beers. The two-thirds measure was added in 2011, reflecting the rise of craft beer. Historically, beer was also served in quarts and other measures. Pint glasses have changed over time, from pewter tankards to dimpled jugs, to straight-sided glasses and the nonic. Each generation has its favourites. Debates about full pints and heads have run for decades. For staff, a little history adds colour to conversations with guests and visitors, who are often curious about British pub traditions. - Imperial pint ≈ 568ml - Standardised in 1824 - Draught beer stayed imperial - Two-thirds measure added in 2011 #### Beer in restaurants Restaurants often treat beer as an afterthought, offering a couple of bottled lagers while devoting pages to wine. But a thoughtful beer list can complement food, appeal to guests who don’t drink wine, and offer good margins. Start with a small, curated selection that suits the cuisine: a crisp lager and a pale ale for most menus, a stout or porter for richer food, a wheat beer for lighter dishes, and an alcohol-free beer. Large-format bottles can be shared like wine. Serve beer in suitable glassware, at the right temperature, and pour at the table. Train servers to suggest pairings. For tasting menus, consider offering a beer pairing alongside the wine pairing. Beer works especially well with cuisines where wine can struggle, such as spicy, smoky or very savoury dishes. Pricing should reflect the restaurant setting, but keep it fair. A well-presented beer list signals that the restaurant takes all its drinks seriously. - Curate a small beer list - Large-format bottles for sharing - Offer beer pairings with menus - Beer suits spicy and smoky cuisine #### Hotel bars and beer Hotel bars serve a mix of residents, visitors and locals, and beer offers a chance to show local character. Include at least one local beer on draught or in bottle, along with familiar brands for international guests. Many hotel bars have lower beer volumes than pubs, so draught lines must be chosen carefully to avoid slow-selling beer; bottles and cans may be more practical for a broad range. Staff should know the local breweries and be able to recommend them. Room service and minibars can include local beers too. For events and conferences, beer can be offered on packages, with arrangements for draught or bottled beer as appropriate. Hotel bars often have longer hours and need consistent quality throughout the day, which means careful cellar and line management. Beer pairings in hotel restaurants, beer tasting experiences and local brewery partnerships can add value for guests looking for authentic local experiences. - Feature local beers - Bottles suit low-volume bars - Brief staff on local breweries - Partnerships add guest experiences #### Closing the cellar at night A short, consistent close-down routine protects beer quality overnight. At the bar: remove and soak sparklers and nozzles, empty and clean drip trays, wipe fonts and handpulls, return handpulls upright, and switch off any font lights or chillers designed to be off overnight, leaving remote coolers running unless the system is designed otherwise. In the cellar: replace soft spiles with hard spiles on all casks on sale, check that couplers are properly engaged and no lines are leaking, check that gas cylinders are not about to run out, note the cellar temperature, and make sure the cellar door and drop hatch are closed and secure. Record any problems for the morning team, such as a cask nearing its end or a line due for cleaning. Remove empty kegs and casks to the returns area. Turn off lights. A close-down checklist on the cellar wall, signed each night, ensures nothing is forgotten and gives the opening manager confidence that the beer will be in good shape for the next day. - Soak sparklers and nozzles - Hard spile every cask on sale - Check gas, couplers and temperature - Sign a nightly checklist #### Opening checks for beer Before the first guest arrives, a few checks ensure the beer is ready. In the cellar: read the thermometer and record the temperature, check gas cylinders have enough contents, check casks for condition and whether any need venting, tapping or replacing, and confirm that the next casks are on the stillage settling. At the bar: refit sparklers and nozzles, pull through each cask line to clear beer that has warmed in the line overnight, and pour a small sample of each draught product to check clarity, aroma, taste and temperature. Check that pump clips are correct and that any beer off sale has its clip turned or removed. Make sure glassware is clean and cool, with enough of each type, and that the glasswasher is filled and working. Update the beer board or menu. Brief the shift on any new beers, products off sale or promotions. These checks take a few minutes but prevent the first pints of the day being the worst. - Record cellar temperature - Pull through cask lines - Sample every draught product - Brief staff on changes ### Selling beer #### Tap takeovers and meet-the-brewer events A tap takeover is an event where one brewery’s beers take over several or all of a pub’s draught lines for a day or a weekend. Meet-the-brewer events bring the brewer in to talk about their beers, often with tastings or food pairings. Both create buzz, attract enthusiasts and give regulars something new. Planning involves agreeing the beers and volumes with the brewery, scheduling deliveries early enough for cask beers to settle, preparing lines, promoting the event on social media and in the pub, and briefing staff on each beer. Use thirds and flights to encourage tasting. Ticketed events with food can add revenue. Agree terms: who supplies marketing, glassware, staff or merchandise, and what happens to unsold beer. Afterward, review sales and feedback. Events work best when they suit the pub’s audience; a craft takeover in a traditional local might need a more accessible line-up. Repeat successful formats, and build relationships with brewers who bring customers. - One brewery takes over the taps - Allow time for cask beers to settle - Use flights to encourage tasting - Agree terms for unsold beer #### Beer menus and boards A clear beer menu or board helps guests choose and saves staff time. For each beer, show the name, brewery, style, ABV, price for each measure, and a short flavour description. Group beers by style or flavour, from light to dark or by keg and cask. Highlight new arrivals, local beers, alcohol-free options and food pairings. Digital boards can update automatically when kegs change, but chalkboards and printed menus work well if kept current. Out-of-date menus frustrate guests and staff. Keep descriptions short and avoid clichés like ‘crafted with passion’. Include allergen information or a note directing guests to ask. For pump clips and tap badges, ensure they are visible and legible. Use consistent terminology for styles. Highlight the beer of the week or the staff pick to draw attention to a product that needs to sell. A good menu makes the range easier to understand and can increase spend by encouraging guests to try something new. - Show name, brewery, style, ABV, price - Group by style or flavour - Keep descriptions short and current - Highlight staff picks #### Local beer and provenance Local beer is a strong selling point for many pubs: guests, particularly tourists, like to try something from the area, and regulars enjoy supporting local businesses. Stocking beer from a nearby brewery can also mean fresher beer, shorter supply chains and good relationships with the brewer, who may support events. Some local breweries deliver directly; others work through wholesalers. Check the brewery’s quality and consistency: local doesn’t always mean good. Tell the story: name the brewery, the town, the ingredients if local. Avoid overstating claims; if a beer is brewed locally but uses imported hops, that’s fine, but don’t imply otherwise. Under the Small Brewers’ Duty Relief, now small producer relief, small breweries pay reduced duty, which helps them compete. Tied pubs may have limited ability to stock local beer, but some pub companies offer schemes to allow local beers. Promoting local beers on menus and social media builds identity and can attract beer tourists. - Local beer appeals to tourists and regulars - Fresher supply chains - Check quality, not just distance - Small producer relief helps small brewers #### Seasonal beer planning Beer sales vary through the year, and planning around seasons keeps the range fresh and stock aligned with demand. Summer favours lagers, golden ales, wheat beers, fruit ciders and alcohol-free options, with high volumes in beer gardens; it also strains cellar cooling. Autumn brings green hop beers, harvest ales and amber beers. Winter suits porters, stouts, old ales and spiced or Christmas beers, served in smaller measures. Spring often sees lighter cask beers and new releases. Major events, such as international football tournaments, bank holidays and local festivals, can spike demand for lager and cider. Plan orders and staffing in advance, check that cooling equipment is serviced before summer, and agree delivery schedules with suppliers. Seasonal beers can be promoted with chalkboards, social media and themed food. Avoid overstocking seasonal beers, since they may be hard to sell after the season ends. Review previous years’ sales to forecast demand more accurately. - Summer: lager, golden ale, cider - Winter: dark and strong beers - Service coolers before summer - Don’t overstock seasonal beers #### Beer and sport Major sporting events can bring large crowds and high draught volumes, especially lager and cider. Preparation is key: check cellar cooling and gas supplies, order extra stock, ensure enough glassware, and roster extra staff. Resist pre-pouring rows of pints that sit and go flat; instead, organise the bar for speed, with dedicated pourers, runners and a simplified offer. Some pubs use plastic or polycarbonate glassware for busy events for safety, and licensing authorities or police may request this for high-risk fixtures. Check premises licence conditions for screening events and late openings, which may require temporary event notices or variations. Ensure you have the correct licence to show televised sport, typically a commercial subscription from the broadcaster; showing sport via a domestic subscription in a commercial venue can lead to legal action. Promote events in advance. Keep an eye on responsible service and crowd management, since excitement and alcohol can lead to incidents. - Order extra stock and gas - Use polycarbonate where required - Commercial broadcaster subscription needed - Watch responsible service closely #### Promotions within the law Licensing law restricts irresponsible drinks promotions. In England and Wales, mandatory licensing conditions prohibit promotions that encourage people to drink excessively or quickly, such as drinking games, ‘all you can drink’ for a fixed price, or promotions that reward drinking within a time limit. A mandatory condition also bans selling alcohol below the cost of duty plus VAT. Scotland has its own rules, including minimum unit pricing and restrictions on quantity discounts in licensed premises. Wales also has minimum unit pricing. Legitimate promotions focus on value and experience: a beer and burger deal, a tasting flight, a local beer of the month, a happy hour with modest discounts, or loyalty schemes. Promotions must be responsible and comply with advertising codes, which prohibit linking alcohol with social or sexual success or targeting under-18s. Check current rules before launching promotions and keep records. A well-designed promotion drives footfall without encouraging excessive consumption. - No irresponsible drinking promotions - No sale below duty plus VAT (E&W) - Scotland and Wales have minimum unit pricing - Focus promotions on value and experience #### Beer apps and online reputation Beer enthusiasts use apps to check in beers, rate them and see what pubs are pouring, and some pubs list their taps on these platforms or on their own websites. Keeping an up-to-date tap list online attracts visitors who plan trips around beer. Reviews on general platforms also mention beer quality, so a bad pint can become a bad review. Monitor reviews and respond professionally to criticism. Encourage satisfied guests to leave reviews, but don’t offer incentives that break platform rules. Social media posts about new beers, events and tap takeovers keep guests engaged. Photographs of well-poured pints, clean bars and happy guests work better than stock images. Be accurate: if a beer isn’t on, remove it from online lists. CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide is an established annual guide to pubs serving good real ale, with entries selected by local branch members, and inclusion can bring visitors. Engage with local CAMRA branches, which often run pub-of-the-season awards. - Keep online tap lists current - Respond to reviews professionally - Good Beer Guide entries bring visitors - Engage local CAMRA branches #### Beer and live music nights Live music nights can bring in new customers and boost drink sales, particularly beer, cider and lager. Plan stock for higher volumes, especially during intervals and after sets. Ensure the bar is staffed adequately for peaks. Choose beers that suit the audience: a folk night may favour cask ale, a rock night lager and cider. Consider offering a special beer or a deal for the event. Check premises licence conditions for live music; in England and Wales, the Live Music Act and later deregulation mean that live music in alcohol-licensed premises between certain hours, to audiences below a certain size, may not need specific licensing authorisation, but conditions may still apply, so check with your licensing authority. Music licences from PPL PRS are needed for playing recorded and live music in public. Manage noise to avoid complaints from neighbours, which could lead to licence reviews. Glass collection and safety are important in crowded rooms. - Plan stock and staffing for peaks - Match beers to the audience - Check licence and music licensing - Manage noise for neighbours #### Takeaway beer and growlers Many pubs and taprooms sell beer to take away, in cans, bottles, or refillable containers such as growlers and crowlers. A growler is a reusable glass or steel jug, typically around 1 to 2 litres; a crowler is a can filled and sealed at the bar. To sell alcohol for consumption off the premises, the premises licence must permit off-sales; check before offering. Draught beer sold for takeaway must be in permitted quantities for draught sales unless in sealed, labelled containers. Hygiene is important: clean and sanitise containers properly, and use counter-pressure fillers to reduce oxidation where possible. Takeaway draught beer has a short shelf life, often days once opened, so advise guests to drink it soon and keep it cold. Labels should show the beer name, ABV and allergens. Off-sales can be valuable, especially for events, holidays and guests who want to take a favourite beer home. They also extend the pub’s reach to non-visitors. - Licence must permit off-sales - Clean and sanitise containers - Advise guests to drink it soon - Label name, ABV and allergens #### Beer flights and tasting paddles A flight of three or four small measures, usually thirds, served on a paddle or board, invites guests to explore and often raises spend per visit. Design flights with a theme so they tell a story: light to dark, a single brewery’s range, three styles of IPA, local beers, or a beer and cheese match. Label each glass or provide a card with the beer name, style and ABV, ideally in the order to drink them. Use properly marked third-pint glasses, since draught measures law applies to every glass. Price the flight as a package that is fair compared with buying thirds individually, and think about strong beers: a flight of three thirds of 8 per cent beers is equivalent to a pint of strong beer, so build in balance. Flights slow service during busy periods, so some venues offer them only at quieter times or at a dedicated station. Train staff to present them with a short explanation. Flights are also a useful way to move slower-selling lines before they go stale. - Theme each flight - Use marked third-pint glasses - Balance strength across the flight - Good for moving slower lines #### Beer and Christmas trade December is the busiest period for many pubs, with parties, reunions and long sessions, and beer planning should start in the autumn. Order stock earlier than usual, since breweries and wholesalers have limited delivery slots and many close over the holidays; confirm the last delivery dates and first delivery in January. Christmas and winter beers, often darker, spiced or stronger, add seasonal interest but should be bought in quantities you will finish by early January. Make sure gas, cooling and line cleaning are covered, including over bank holidays, and that the dispense company’s emergency number is visible. Party bookings may include drinks packages or pre-paid tabs; agree clearly which drinks are included and how measures are served. Strong beers and long sessions increase the need for responsible service, water and food. After Christmas, many guests reduce drinking for January, so a good AF and low-strength range helps keep them visiting. Review December sales afterwards to plan better next year. - Order early; confirm holiday delivery dates - Buy seasonal beers you can finish - Cover gas and cooling over bank holidays - Plan AF range for January