How to get a beer clean glass for Beer Clean Glass Day
Are you cleaning your beer glasses wrong? April 23 is beer clean glass day. Let's take a look at how you can really get your glasses beer clean. Beer clean glass day was set up by the Cicerone Certification Program, which is a professional body that provides training and qualifications to beer professionals. This is an awareness day to tell people why having a beer clean glass is so important.
When we're drinking, we also drink with our eyes, the presentation of that beautiful beer is really important to how our brain is going to anticipate what we're drinking. It is the same with the presentation of food. So why don't we make sure that we present our beers as beautifully as we can.
If you want to learn more about beer glassware, check out my introduction here.
Do you have a beer clean glass?
So how can you recognize if your beer glass isn't beer clean? Have you ever noticed in your glass when bubbles stick to the inside, that means there's oil or dirt still trapped on the inside of the glass. When you're at home, you might not worry about this, you might not end up with the prettiest picture of your beer. But this is changing how your beer will taste, that carbonation is coming out of solution to stick to the oils inside the glass. That means it's not in the beer, you're not going to get the same experience that the brewer has tried to create for you because it's come out of solution. And your beer won't be as carbonated as the brewer wanted it to be, your beer will get flatter quicker. It also just won't look as nice.
Three ways to check if you have a beer clean glass when there is beer in your glass:
Check the top edge around the rim of your glass check to see if there are any smear marks, or if there is even lipstick around there.
You will see bubbles stuck to the side of the glass clinging to dirt or oil there.
The beer will have poor head retention. Remember that some beer styles don't necessarily retain their head very well, but you should get a fairly nice head if you've got a beer clean glass.
When the glass is beer clean you will see a ring of foam cling to the glass at each level of sip.
My favourite glass is a Teku - find out more about this glass here.
Without beer in the glass, there are also different ways to check if you have a beer clean glass:
1: The Sheeting Test
Fill your glass with water and tip it upside down the water should cleanly 'sheet' out of the glass. If there are any trails or rivlets of water left behind then dirt and oil is on the inside of the glass breaking the surface tension.
2: The Salt Test
Wet the inside of the glass and sprinkle salt around the inside. If the salt sticks evenly all around the glass it is beer clean. If there are patches where the salt didn't stick - dirt and oil is there.
Of course, while you're doing this one, you have then got to clean the salt out of the glass afterwards!
Ways to get a beer clean glass at home
Now in the industry, when you're in a really good beer bar, they might have a dedicated glasswasher for this. Or they may use the three sink method which is a professional method of cleaning glasses where you'll have fresh running water, you'll have a low suds cleaner to clean the glasses and beer glasses will be sanitized before being air-dried. But when you're at home is much more difficult.
I've tried lots of different ways and I still struggle to sometimes get very clean glassware. But here are a few ways that I have tried at home. And let's see if any of these are helpful to you.
Rinse the glass with water and scrub with a silicon brush – I have seen people swear by this method, but I’ve found that the more heavily adjuncted beers tend to leave some sugar residue behind. Also, if you've got quite a thin glass, you do run the risk of breaking the glass quite easily.
Baking Soda and Salt scrub – Create a paste from 2 teaspoons of baking soda, ¼ teaspoon of salt and 4 teaspoons of water. Paint it on the insides of the glass with a silicone brush and then scrub the glass with a silicon brush. Rinse clean.
Oxiclean soak – mix up a sink of warm water and OxiClean powdered detergent (I found mine on Amazon). Soak the glasses for a few minutes, then scrub with a silicon brush. Rinse in cold water to remove all cleaner.
Technically you shouldn’t use dishwashing liquid on beer glasses as it can leave oils behind in the glass. However, I have found that for ease and quickness, sometimes a tiny amount of Fairy liquid and hot water can work – you may get a little residue in your glass, however. Find which method works for you.
Once your glass is beer clean, you need to leave the glasses to air dry. I use a rubber mat that has got ridges in it, this allows airflow to get into the glass and dry it thoroughly. Do not wipe the inside of the glass with a cloth as lint can be left behind.
Cleaning glasses can use up a lot of water. If you want to cut down on this you can use a dishwasher but I would suggest loading your glasses in after you have cleaned the dishwasher. Also, do not put beer glasses in with other dishes as residue could be left inside the glasses. I think hand washing is always the way to go and keeps your beer glasses in good condition.
Do you have tips for how to get a beer clean glass? Leave a comment to share your tips and help everyone out!
And if you would like to start your own beer glass collection, check out my tips here.
