What Are They Using?

[rodwha]

What do bars use to clean their glasses?

I've been running mine through the dishwasher and pull them during the dry cycle and clean them with my sanitizer to remove any soap residue. It works, but I'm considering doing like the bars do and set them in the dish rack to dry instead.

 

[freisste]

I am rarely in a position to see behind the bar, so I don't know if this is always the case. The one time I did see it, the bartender rinsed the glass in soapy water, then rinsed it in "clean water" and finally put it (upside down) over a sort of fountain that rinse the inside with virgin water. Then onto a rack to dry behind the bar.

I'd say clean your glasses with hot water only (skip the dishwasher) and rinse with tap water. Should be good to go after that. Personally, I rarely use soap on my beer glasses. A good rinse immediately after using them has been enough for me. Perfectly sanitary? No. But I'm the only one who uses them and they are crystal clear and dry, so I find it hard to believe microbes last too long on them.

 

[roastquake]

I know it's probably not the rule, but I know lots of bars use quaternary ammonia (food service sanitizer) which leaves a residue and is said to kill head on a beer. Dish soap, a good rinse with hot water, and then put them on a dry rack, that should do the trick

 

[mvcorliss]

Don't know what bars use but I wash all of my beer glasses by hand using a clean sponge and Bon Ami. Barkeepers Friend is also recommended but I prefer Bon Ami. I find both of them in the cleaning section of most grocery stores with the Ajax cleaner or with the dish soap.

 

[fuzzy2133]

What I have seen most of the time in my area; if hand washed: soapy water wash, rinse, sanitize and let dry on rack. Or the places will run the glasses through the dish washer with the plates so glasses are cleaned and sanitized in one pass.

 

[colhep67]

I am a bartender and yes we do use quat sanitizer. Yes it is said to kill head. It goes wash sink, rinse sink, sanitize sink. If you don't wanna use quat (probably kinda difficult to find) use star San or a low bleach water blend and place glassware upside down to air dry. Its the upside down that makes the glassware dry nice. Most of the time the white residue is soap that is left on the glasses. Just rinse then sanitize and you will notice clearer glassware. Also you want hot wash and rinse water and cool sanitize water

 

[BigSumpin]

I had a 22 oz bottle of Ninkasi Oat Stout at Red Robin Friday, asked for a room temp' pint glass and I could smell the sanitizer right away.
It's fairly normal for a bartender to use 3-4 times as much, thinking they wont have to change it. It is mainly just a dried film so a couple of twisted up paper napkins took care of it.

When I worked at a bar I would always rinse w/ hot water before I filled a pint for myself.
Just use hot water on my beer glasses at home.

 

[rodwha]

Thanks for the replies fellas!

I've wondered if PBW was used. And if so how long a jar of it would last

I do have Barkeepers Friend and love it for my stainless pots. I wouldn't have thought it a good idea for glassware. I suppose it's OK then?

I keep a 12 lb honey jar on my countertop filled with Star San to rinse my glasses. I suppose I'd just go that route then. I had wondered if something like that was used at bars as well since it seems to look similar, and figured another basin had bleach water followed by a clean water dunk before drying.

 

[BigSumpin]

Thanks for the replies fellas!

I had wondered if something like that was used at bars as well since it seems to look similar, and figured another basin had bleach water followed by a clean water dunk before drying.

They usually dip it in the sanitizer (last) before turning them upside down on the drain mat...if I have to "wash" at home I will use a half oz. white vinegar & hot water.

 

[BigSumpin]

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[BigSumpin]

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[WaltG]

I am a bartender and yes we do use quat sanitizer. Yes it is said to kill head. It goes wash sink, rinse sink, sanitize sink. If you don't wanna use quat (probably kinda difficult to find) use star San or a low bleach water blend and place glassware upside down to air dry. Its the upside down that makes the glassware dry nice. Most of the time the white residue is soap that is left on the glasses. Just rinse then sanitize and you will notice clearer glassware. Also you want hot wash and rinse water and cool sanitize water

Can you use quaternary as a brew sanitizer?

 

[helibrewer]

I use citric acid to rinse my bar glasses...it is amazing.

 

[Vernholio]

I'd say clean your glasses with hot water only (skip the dishwasher) and rinse with tap water. Should be good to go after that. Personally, I rarely use soap on my beer glasses. A good rinse immediately after using them has been enough for me. Perfectly sanitary? No. But I'm the only one who uses them and they are crystal clear and dry, so I find it hard to believe microbes last too long on them.

I do the same thing, except I put the glasses into the freezer after the rinse... Microbes/shmicrobes after that...

Sorry, not really an answer to the OP's question, but it's great when I want to grab a cold beer off the keg fridge!

 

[colhep67]

Can you use quaternary as a brew sanitizer?

From what I remember, quaternary ammonium compounds don't kill certain bacteria that can spoil beer. Either gram negative or gram positive bacteria - they're not effective against one or the other. I think its not very effective with gram negative. I believe that their common use is on surfaces because they leave behind a film that continues to act as a sanitizer, but can be consumed.

But in all reality I believe a lot of breweries use quat. I don't think you will have any problems using quat I just have always used star san. Honestly with the head retention thing, we use quat and our beer has good head retention. (Except domestics hahaha)

 

[colhep67]

Ok I was incorrect. Quat is very good at killing both gram negative and positive bacteria. I don't see why Quat sanitizer couldn't be used.

Maybe someone else could touch on why it may be bad but I don't see any reason.

Maybe its bad for yeast?

 

[roastquake]

Folks have reported that it's bad for head retention, something in the film it leaves behind, and that film is difficult to rinse off completely.

That said... I've used it too, and I don't remember it hurting my beer. Maybe I was rinsing well enough, also I wasn't using it on my glasses, just cold side stuff.

the reason I quit using it is because of the reported effects and the fact that I was filling my sink with it (as if I where washing dishes at a restaurant) and then draining it. I realized that this was probably doing bad things to the functionality of my septic tank.

It will indeed sanitize

 

[firestem4]

A neat little trick I found, if you put a 1/4 cup of Borax powder in to your dishwasher, the glasses come out sparkling clean. The Borax prevents the hard water and soap scum from sticking most of the time. I only ever used some detergent and Borax in my Dishwashing now, I dont bother with Jet Dry or any of those.

 

[cjgenever]

I use borax in my dishwasher due to hard water. Don't use drying agents. They contain surfactants that will kill head.