Brewers Focus on Draft Beer Quality.

BOULDER, Colo. -- America long ago became a country where beer was mostly consumed at home. But despite the fact that 90 percent of beer in America comes from bottles or cans, draft beer still holds a special place in American beer culture. For craft brewers, that place is even more important, as 30 percent of their flavorful brews sell in draft form.

The Brewers Association, the trade association for craft brewers, is part of ongoing efforts to improve the quality of draft beer dispensed in bars and restaurants. A Draft Quality Standards Committee comprised of small, large, and foreign brewers is in place and slated to release a standards manual in the first quarter of 2008. This document will be available to distributors, retailers, and the public. The goal will be to produce a comprehensive manual addressing draft beer dispensing and serving.

"A lot can go wrong with a draft system," says Ken Grossman, president of Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. -- one of the first and most widely distributed American craft brewers. He points to incorrect gas types, poor pressure control, and uneven cooling of draft lines as frequent woes. "And then there is line cleaning. Optimally, draft beer lines should be cleaned every two weeks," says Grossman, "but sometimes this essential maintenance task is not performed as regularly as it should be."

The Brewers Association also recommends this two-week cleaning regimen. They explain not doing so can compromise the fresh taste draft beer delivers to the consumer. Head retention, clarity, flavor and aroma are all characteristics that can be negatively impacted by improper maintenance of draft beer systems. A clean draft system emphasizes quality and offers the beer drinker an excellent beer experience.

"Our goal is for the beer drinker to taste beer in the condition the brewer intends and many things can influence beer's flavor and aroma. In the U.S., we have some of the world's best beer. We applaud retailers who take the time to understand draft beer's fragile nature and the need to treat it with care," concludes Paul Gatza, Director of the Brewers Association and veteran beer judge.

Based in Boulder, Colo., U.S.A., the Brewers Association (BA) is the not-for-profit trade and education association for American craft brewers and the community of beer enthusiasts. Visit the website www.beertown.org to learn more. The association's activities include events and publishing: World Beer Cup[R]; Great American Beer Festival(SM) ; Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America[R]; National Homebrewers Conference; National Homebrew Competition; American Craft Beer Week (May); Zymurgy magazine; The New Brewer magazine; and books on beer and brewing. The Brewers Association has an additional membership division of 13,000+ homebrewers: American Homebrewers Association.