European Style

[Chapel Tavern]

You know the little contraption you see in Europe that squirts water on the inside of a glass before they fill it with beer? What are those called and where can you buy a system like that in the US? Thanks for the help.

[Rich Pawlak]

Theyre called glass washers.

Some hard-core serious beer bars have them, but not very many on th east Coast; I've seen them in Portland OR and Denver and San Diego, so far.

[jesskidden]

Beverage Factory, a restaurant supply house that specializes in draught beer systems, calls them "rinser drip trays" on their website.

The Triumph Brewery (a brewpub in Princeton, NJ) is one east coast bar I've seen them in. (I suspect Rich has been there, as well ).

Edited April 26, 2009 by jesskidden (log)

[Kent Wang]

I've seen these in action at The Trappist in Oakland, CA but am a little put off by the amount of water that stays in the glass. I don't want to my beer watered down, even if it's by a very small amount of water.

[Chapel Tavern]

Beverage Factory, a restaurant supply house that specializes in draught beer systems,  calls them "rinser drip trays" on their website.

The Triumph Brewery (a brewpub in Princeton, NJ) is one east coast bar I've seen them in.  (I suspect Rich has been there, as well  ).

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Thanks for the help. I tried to google "Glass Washer Tray" but of course only commercial dishwasher type stuff came up. They are actually cheaper than I thought they would be.

[Chapel Tavern]

I've seen these in action at The Trappist in Oakland, CA but am a little put off by the amount of water that stays in the glass. I don't want to my beer watered down, even if it's by a very small amount of water.

←

I totally understand the thought process on that but according to most authorities on the subject, Cicerone Certification Program included, the best way to get a proper head is to use a wet glass. I've tried it both ways and it really does seem to produce a great head and, as far as I could tell, didn't water down the beer or affect the taste at all.

Anyone else have thoughts on the subject?

[Carlovski]

Strange, because I had always thought the opposite - that using them would stop a decent head from forming. Been quite a few years since I pulled a pint (Parents used to be pub landlords) but I'm sure I was told to only ever use a perfectly dry glass.

[Paul Kierstead]

Wow, I'd never figure the bartenders would take all the glasses to the restroom all the time .....

Oh, I see. N/m

[Karri]

My former boss used to own a beerhouse and he said the reason why people started using this mechanism is because when you machine-wash a beer glass it causes a static charge to build up in the glass, and in addition the glass would be polished afterwards - thus increasing the static charge even more. The water that goes in to the glass first "discharges" the pent up electricity and therefore the beer has a free run. Now I do not know if this is actually 100% accurate, it never is with these fields of glassware where no actual scientific data exists. I remember reading an article in a champagne magazine about always polishing champagne flutes with a cloth that would leave little fibers in the glass, so that the pearls would form properly, and never to polish the glasses too "perfect", otherwise the aforementioned static charge would interfere with the champagne.

[psiweaver]

I think that i'd be more worried about residue in the glasses from dust, or left over dishwashing items than I would be about a little water. Remember you invert the glass to wash it out so 99.9% of the water drips out of hte glass. I find that having a slightly wet glass does help with the head etc. To an extent where even when i'm home I'll give a quick rinse. I don't have one of these fancy things yet though when i build my home kegerator etc set up I will be adding one.