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  • 1.  Pint glass sprayer taste?

    Posted 07-18-2023 15:50

    I have noticed that some breweries have a woody tongue depressor taste through all their draft beer. It goes away after a few sips. 
    I have a theory that it comes from unfiltered city water through the pint glass rinser. 
    Anyone ever encountered that? 



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    K.C. King
    Assistant Brewer
    North High Brewery
    Columbus OH
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  • 2.  RE: Pint glass sprayer taste?

    This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous
    Posted 07-22-2023 18:05
    This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous

    What evidence do you have for your theory? Do other tase this?




  • 3.  RE: Pint glass sprayer taste?

    Posted 07-24-2023 19:03
    Edited by Andy Tveekrem 07-25-2023 06:02

    I would say that it is possible that the water could be leaving some off flavors, whether from chlorine or just the minerals in the water.   Everyone should have a carbon filter on your rinsing water or for anything touching the beer glasses.    We've seen off flavors in glassware from the type of dish washing detergent and it doesn't easily rinse off during the brief time on the pint glass rinser.   Recently we were told that some types of glassware are more porous and will hold on to flavors from the dishwashing detergent, so if you are having issues with one brand of glassware, try another brand of glass and see if anything improves.   That was a new one to us, but we quickly proved that some of our cheaper glassware was the culprit and causing off flavors in our draft beer and our taste panels too.   



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    Curtis Holmes
    Alaskan Brewing Co
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  • 4.  RE: Pint glass sprayer taste?

    Posted 07-24-2023 19:03

    In a more general sense, there are a couple of good articles available on ensuring beer glasses are fit to use.

    Rees, T. C. Cleaning Procedures in The Public House. Brew. Guard. 1976, 105, 32-36.

    Stillman, C. Is the glass fit to fill - glass washing - the final critical control point of beer quality. Brewer and Distiller International 2006, 2, 19-21.

    If you want to roam a little more widely, the following paper is brilliant.  I saw it at the EBC Brussels in 1995, one of my all time conference favs in 30 years.  Did not expect much at the time, but the presentation, although presented in French and translated into English was transformative for my thinking.

    Delvaux, F., Deams, V., Vanmachelen, H., Neven, H., and Derdelinckx, G. Retention of beer flavours by the choice of appropriate glass. Eur. Brew. Conv. Cong. Proc., Brussels; 25, p 533-542 1995.

    Let me know if you can not easily find these papers.



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    D. Evan Evans
    Dr
    The Tassie Beer Dr
    Lindisfarne TAS
    61 362439556
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  • 5.  RE: Pint glass sprayer taste?

    Posted 07-31-2023 18:28

    On a related note, I remember a conversation with a couple of Australian Brewers at a Convention.  One noted that they had some issues with a taint in cans or bottles. It was traced back to the supplier and specifically the cardboard on the packaging pallets.  This had got wet, resulting in a fungal infection, akin to that which causes cork taint in wine.



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    D. Evan Evans
    Dr
    The Tassie Beer Dr
    Lindisfarne TAS
    61 362439556
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