The Impact of Different Glass Cleansers on Beer Foam

[Brulosopher]

Pretty interesting results comparing 4 popular methods for cleaning beer glassware.

Cheers!

 

[ktblunden]

That is very interesting. I always wash my glassware with dish soap and I've never really had any head issues. I really never pay attention to lacing, so I can't speak to that.

 

[donovanmaxwell]

That's good to know. Now that I have a bucket of Starsan filled up this should be an easy practice to follow. Thanks for the link!

 

[PastorofMuppets]

star san is not a cleanser so it shouldnt even be in the experiment.

Rinsing is of upmost importance. I could wash the cups in any of the proposed cleaners and with a proper rinse they would all be reasonably similar in head retention and lacing.
The one thing I know for sure will kill head and lacing is Jet Dry rinsing agent. That stuff is designed to slicken the glass and would therefore eliminate head retention.

 

[rodwha]

I had been washing my glasses by hand as well as running them through the light cycle with a drop of Dawn, and during the rinse cycle sponging them with Star San, rinsing and replacing for the dry cycle.

But many thought my process unnecessary, and so, with commercial beer to ensure there weren't beer related problems, drank from a standard washed glass noting head retention and lacing, and so I quit sponging them. I think I'll go back to doing so!

 

[IL1kebeer]

Rinsing is of upmost importance. I could wash the cups in any of the proposed cleaners and with a proper rinse they would all be reasonably similar in head retention and lacing.

I do this as well and have no head retention or lacing issues.



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[Brulosopher]

I rinsed the Dawn glass for 30 seconds in hot water, I have a hard time believing my rinsing skills are any worse than anyone else's.


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[PastorofMuppets]

I rinsed the Dawn glass for 30 seconds in hot water, I have a hard time believing my rinsing skills are any worse than anyone else's.


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maybe not but in an experiment all variables must be controlled.
Not saying its definitely true for you but what if some people routinely washed their glass ware in the dishwasher with jet dry and then rinsed for 30 seconds in hot would still not matter. My main point is that I cannot replicate your results and I am trying to determine why.

 

[Wynne-R]

Thanks for posting, brulosopher. It’s nice to see actual facts displacing internet wisdom.

I notice the StarSan was not rinsed, and the others were. That makes it hard to guess the mechanism. I’m curious to see what happens if you rinse the foam.

I tried sanitizing a glass with StarSan, then rinsing and drying, I don’t see it doing anything to the head.

Recently I washed some beer glasses with cheap generic dishwashing powder. It killed the head deader than a wedge. No amount of rinsing helped. The only thing that worked was a salt scrub.

 

[Teromous]

Recently I washed some beer glasses with cheap generic dishwashing powder. It killed the head deader than a wedge. No amount of rinsing helped. The only thing that worked was a salt scrub.

I also use salt. Not every time, but when I want to get it really clean...

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

I use baking soda for my everyday cleaner. I'll use salt for my tougher messes (that usually doesn't happen) and I use starsan after sometimes in a quick dunk if I'm having a party or something and I really want the glass to be as clean as possible.

 

[IL1kebeer]

I rinsed the Dawn glass for 30 seconds in hot water, I have a hard time believing my rinsing skills are any worse than anyone else's.


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I use detergent for baby bottles and dishes. Not sure how different it is from regular detergent but I have no head retention problems.

 

[thatjonguy]

https://www.nationalchemicals.com/tdc_liquid_detergent-131-information.html

I use this with a bottle brush. I pour it into a small pump bottle to use as needed with HOT water.

It works awesome.

 

[Brulosopher]

Hmm... I have some of that baby dish soap, may give that a try for fun. Cheers!


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[Teromous]

When I need to wash out a glass before drinking a rare, expensive, hard-to-find beer:

 

[Brulosopher]

I need me some of those unicorn tears. So many applications...

 

[rodwha]

So I've gone back through the bulk of my beer glasses and rewashed them with Star San.

I took note of the last glass to be washed with Dawn and put up, and used it to drink Full Sail's IPA. I noted a small head that faded somewhat slowly with some small amounts of lacing that stuck.

I've rewashed the glass with just Star San and am trying it again now, and I cannot tell the difference.

Does it take a lot to get that Dawn crap off or is it just the way it is?

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

So I've gone back through the bulk of my beer glasses and rewashed them with Star San.

I took note of the last glass to be washed with Dawn and put up, and used it to drink Full Sail's IPA. I noted a small head that faded somewhat slowly with some small amounts of lacing that stuck.

I've rewashed the glass with just Star San and am trying it again now, and I cannot tell the difference.

Does it take a lot to get that Dawn crap off or is it just the way it is?

It can take tons. A long soak may be necessary.

 

[rodwha]

Here goes again then...

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

You can also try the salt paste trick. That should get rid of the dawn crap.