Why did my cask beer go cloudy on me?!
I am a newby to the Publican game and have been running a village pub for the past three months.
I have had some great comments from ale drinkers that find the beer I serve very good quality.
HOWEVER, the other evening I had a 1/4 full cask of Adnams go mysteriously cloudy on me. I took off the line as I always do when I think a cask is empty and opened up the tap to check. Ale poured out and I had over two pints in a jug. It was very cloudy. I turned the tap off and left to rest for the last 36 hours and it is still cloudy!!!
The cask had been open for about 50 hour and drunk from constantly as it is one of my favourite ales!!
Any advice would be greatly appresciated.
Chris
Landlord of The Fleur De Lys
Answers: Hi
I am a newby to the Publican game and have been running a village pub for the past three months.
I have had some great comments from ale drinkers that find the beer I serve very good quality.
HOWEVER, the other evening I had a 1/4 full cask of Adnams go mysteriously cloudy on me. I took off the line as I always do when I think a cask is empty and opened up the tap to check. Ale poured out and I had over two pints in a jug. It was very cloudy. I turned the tap off and left to rest for the last 36 hours and it is still cloudy!!!
The cask had been open for about 50 hour and drunk from constantly as it is one of my favourite ales!!
Any advice would be greatly appresciated.
Chris
Landlord of The Fleur De Lys
I would say one of two things. Either someone or something has knocked the barrel and disturbed the sediment at the bottom or your cellar tempertaure has dropped too low. If you left it for 36 hours and it didn't drop bright then I would be inclined to go with the temperature. Obviously, don't know where you are but we've just had a pretty healthy cold snap here and that will play havoc with your real ales if they are subject to it. Do you have a thermometer in your cellar? Keep one hanging in the airflow at the same level as your barrels (lots of people hang them from the ceiling which gives you a great idea how cold it is about 6 foot away from your barrels!!) and make sure it is between 11 and 13 degrees celsius. If it's too cold adjust your cooling system until the cellar is the right temperature. I have an underground cellar and find that in the winter the cooler becomes a heater instead!
Website that has some great advice and faultfinding is www.cellardoctor.co.uk
It's a Greene King site but it's great for anyone in the pub trade!
HI CASKS CAN CHANGE WITH THE TEMP INSIDE OR OUT OF THE PUB , IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS THERE HAS BEEN A MASIVE CHANGE IN TEMPS . SO JUST ASK YOUR SUPLYER IF THIS HAS HAPPENED ELSE WARE ( IF SO TRY AND GET A REFUND ) HOPE YOUR TRADE IS GOOD . MAY SEE YOU ONE DAY.
It is likely that the cask has been disturbed, possible by you taking out a sample, once this happens it is very difficult to get the ale to clear, there are ways to clear it such as dropping in a whisked egg white but unless you are confident in doing this I would steer away from it and write off your ale to experience.
Good luck with your efforts and enjoy your ales.
PS Why not try some Scottish ales, we have some great local ones up here
Depending on the cellar temp, it may just be that it shifted and caused the sediment to stir. With having left it for so long, as long as it is in date, claim it as ullage with your stocktaker and explain what has happened.
Also one thing I was taught by an ex-cellarman of the year, was change everything but the most popular over to firkins and avoid kils like the plague. A lot fesher and better turnover on your ales and the result is more people get to know that your beer is good.
Good Luck