Thanks guys, this is great; keep the info coming. As much detail about the regs as possible will help, like do they require a certain type of cleaning or chemical? Again, feel free to email me.
I'm surprised that there is no one group to lead the better draught movement. I recently joined the Draught Beer Guild and can hopefully get some info there as well.
Stating the obvious, I'm certain that it is in everyone's (including MicroMatic’s) best interest to get these laws into place. Not only to preserve the integrity of draught beer, but to grow all of our business as well.
I know that the breweries are behind having a consistent regulation that requires line cleaning. It's in their best interest. Draught is one of only a few products where how the customer (account) delivers it to the end user (consumer) reflects back on the brewer, not the account. If the account serves old code beer, through dirty lines, the brewer is the one to blame in the consumer’s eyes. "This brand tastes like hell. I'm not drinking this again."
The problem is that the brewers can not push the legislation because they will be the bad guys. "What, your making me do this and it's going to cost how much?!" I can hear the licensees switching brands now. Funny how in some states, here in Ontario too, that line cleaning is considered inducement. The AGCO (Alcohol Gaming Commission of Ontario) turns a blind eye as most of the micros are doing their own lines. The macro brewers don’t want to get into the line cleaning business, but they want the laws in place.
Either way, after seeing what comes out of the lines during a proper (re-circulating pump) cleaning, I can tell you that most people wouldn’t drink draught if they knew the account wasn’t cleaning their lines. Even just taking the faucets off is shocking. At least now I can drink a pint from clean lines in my accounts.
Thanks again for the info.
Cheers,
Steve
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