We had a very busy year as of last. It started off with nearly running out of beer but we finished strong after hiring a brewer, adding more tanks, equipment and a cooler. Now we have too much beer! Sort of. Running more efficiently means we have more unique beers on hand at one time. This was a bit of a problem for our old 10+2 faucet draft towers. The old draft system was also very simple and budget orientated. This meant the components were wearing out and it was bit of a battle to pour some beers. Maybe you even received a shower when we cashed a keg while filling growlers!
Last week I installed a new 20 faucet draft tower. Although it is certainly shiny and we can pour more beers at one time, it gives us many other benefits:
Colder Beer
Although you want to serve ales “warm” in the 40s. You don’t necessarily want to pour them in the 40s unless the style calls for it or the beer is cask conditioned. Pouring the beer in the 30s ensures that it is the right temp when the glass makes it to your hand. A colder pour also prevents CO2 from escaping before you get a chance to enjoy the aromas of the beer. Low foam means we can also pour pints, flights and growlers faster and give you better service. This is all thanks to a dedicated glycol system installed in the new draft tower!
Nitro Beer
One component of the new setup allows us to draw Nitro beer on demand. Expect us to experiment with your favorite beers serving them “still” or naturally carbonated with a thick creamy head of foam. Try these beers side by side with their traditional force carbonated companion. Up first is the Loonar Uprising on tap February 16th during our #Batch500 celebration!
Clean Beer
It would seem that all beer should be “clean” but it is harder than you think. The old system was built from vinyl lines that can absorb flavors over time. The new system features barrier lines that are designed to block flavors. The metal components are now stainless steel as opposed to brass further enhancing flavor. In addition, we will now have a professional cleaning service clean our lines using a automated method every two weeks. Cheers to clean beer!
Faster Beer
Each component of this system is designed to help the bartenders be more efficient so our labor force can grow efficiently as we get busier. Dual glass rinser, faster pouring beer and no foam will help us pour more pints each night!
Beer That Does Not Explode
If you have ever sat near our draft tower, it is like sitting in the front row at Sea World. A seemingly simple device called a FOB (Foam On Beer) is designed to stop the flow of beer when a keg runs empty. The main benefit is that is saves beer and in return money by not filling the beer line with foam. I chose not to install these 3+ years ago because our draft system was so short. But the fringe benefit is happy bartenders that are not covered in beer!
20+ Beers On Tap
Thanks to our custom made tower from Anderson Dahlen in Ramsey, MN we can pour more beer simultaneously and not have wait for a faucet to free up. Now, this does not mean we will have 20 beers on tap all of the time. What it does for us is tear down a barrier and encourage us to keep more unique beers on tap. However, join us February 16th for #Batch500 and for the first time, our menu with have 20 unique offerings!
We will continue to invest in growth and quality and hope to offer you even more as we venture into 2019. Cheers all you Nice People! See you at #Batch500 February 16th!
-Jesse
