Past the Finish Line

This article originally appeared in the November/December 2019 issue of Zymurgy Magazine

By Andrew Luberto

A few months ago, my wife and I decided to check out a new brewery’s tasting room near our home on Long Island. It was a nice place. You could tell the owners had spent a lot of time getting it up and running and had taken great care with the decor. However, when we sat at the bar and ordered, I noticed the server fully immersing the faucet into each beer she poured and reusing patrons’ glasses without cleaning them. We haven’t been back since.

I wish I could say this was an isolated incident, but unfortunately it’s not. As the former president of a homebrew club, the Long Island Beer and Malt Enthusiasts, this incident got me thinking how conversations with my craft beer–oriented friends have evolved over time. Today, I find myself more frequently discussing draught systems and proper beer storage than mash temperatures and hop stands.

Many have begun to realize that all the time and effort spent perfecting your favorite homebrew recipe can be compromised in just the few seconds it takes to pour a beer. And while brewing references and resources are well known, there seems to be more unfamiliarity when it comes to finding answers about beer service. With that in mind…