Mediocrity, we can do better!

 The "last mile" of getting a beer to a glass involves 2 items visible to the public, the beer faucet and the glass. I'm going to talk faucets for this post because it's the last piece of the draught system that touches your beer. I'll be posting on various faucets, then we'll get to glassware.

This illustration is of a "standard" beer faucet and the lowest common denominator version, a chrome on brass faucet.

Now I won't tell you that you can't, but I will say that you shouldn't. Why? At the simplest level, beer will dissolve chrome, and once the brass is exposed to beer, because brass is porous it can absorb some beer from the pour and as that beer dries, it is fertile ground for "things" to grow in. Leave that petri dish overnight, day after week and you invite the opportunity for whatever the "things" are to grow and create problems. Yes, regular cleaning and attention to chrome loss can minimize the effects, but a few dollars more spent will save time, save money.

A few dollars more will get you a basic stainless steel model. They're easier to clean, and with regular maintenance will provide a reasonable experience for bar staff and customers.

I've not named brands yet, and here's where even a few dollars more spent will bring you to Micromatic, Nukatap, and/or Perlick.

Click through and see the differences. Most are visual, but the next design difference are how the faucet seal is mechanically performed, rear or forward. When it comes to cleaning & maintenance, rear seal faucets close the flow of beer at the back of the faucet allowing a large surface area for beer to dry on and things to grow. To clean, fully disassemble, soak the parts, clean the passages (beer flow, handle and weep hole), allow to dry, reassemble. Check the faucet gasket at the back of the faucet, and when time allows, remove for the cleaning process referenced and inspect for cracks of compression (replace as needed, the 10 cents, or so, is less than the value of the beer this faucet can waste).

Forward seal are a less wasteful design (more to follow)

*Links to products, related websites or other resources will be updated as often as possible

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