How to clean your beer glass

The Homebrew Forum

Help Support The Homebrew Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Joined
Mar 6, 2019
Messages
7,691
Reaction score
10,262
It's simple how do you clean your favourite beer glass. Long story short I poured a beer tonight into my favourite glass and I could tell it wasn't clean. I could hear and see the head bubbling. I know from working in a bar this is down to grease on the glass.
So the question is what's the best method of keeping your beer glass in tip top shape.
 
I have no idea of the correct way, but I will probably wash with washing up liquid and rinse very very well just when the glass is greasy.
Between pints and day to day I just rinse well with hot water, dry with a clean cloth and then allow to air dry.
 
1. Wash your used glasses inside and out as part in clean detergent based water. If doing other 'washing up' do glasses first. Do not use the dishwasher.
2. Rinse glasses in clean tapwater after washing.
3. Use a dedicated and frequently changed glasses cloth to dry and polish the glasses, after they have drained. Do not let them dry before you use the glasses cloth.
4. Store your glasses in a clean cupboard way from the cooking area.
5. Optional rinse with clean tap water before you pour your beer into it.
The tell tale signs of a glass that has a microscopic film of oil/grease on the inside are tiny bubbles that cling to the inside of the glass when there is freshly poured beer in it. As sometimes evidenced in pictures on here posted by members who proudly show us a glass of their beer. ashock1
 
This is an interesting thread, alas I'm far too lazy to get hung-up on my glasses, so it's the dashwasher for me.
Unfortunately the salt in dishwashers does slowly degrade the surface of glass, and chalk can slowly build up giving the glass a dull appearance.I did find some thick gloopy de-scaler a while back that when painted onto the glass did a brilliant job of restoring the shine.

After all the effort of cleaning my glasses and the cost of the expensive gloop, I realised it is probably easier and cheaper to just buy a new set of glasses.
 
We use tabs in our dishwasher; when the rinse-aid runs out glasses start to show white streaks.
 
Even with rinse aid those white streaks do get progressively worse, although I should've mentioned that my glasses are 15 years old.

They are long over-due replacement but they've spent so long in my hands I'm a little sentimental over them now.
 
Bar Keeper's friend will get rid of white marks on glass. Also, don't let glasses touch each other in the dishwasher!
 
Don't know about glasses, but as far as my tankard goes after use I slosh some water about in it and leave it to drain. Every month or so I scour the **** out of it with a stainless steel pan scrubber just to teach it a lesson.
I like to keep my immune system challenged.
 
1. Wash your used glasses inside and out as part in clean detergent based water. If doing other 'washing up' do glasses first. Do not use the dishwasher.
2. Rinse glasses in clean tapwater after washing.
3. Use a dedicated and frequently changed glasses cloth to dry and polish the glasses, after they have drained. Do not let them dry before you use the glasses cloth.
4. Store your glasses in a clean cupboard way from the cooking area.
5. Optional rinse with clean tap water before you pour your beer into it.
The tell tale signs of a glass that has a microscopic film of oil/grease on the inside are tiny bubbles that cling to the inside of the glass when there is freshly poured beer in it. As sometimes evidenced in pictures on here posted by members who proudly show us a glass of their beer. ashock1
Blimey that’s comprehensive - and makes perfect sense. What’s the problem with the dishwasher tho?
 
Bar Keeper's friend will get rid of white marks on glass. Also, don't let glasses touch each other in the dishwasher!
I never thought of trying BKF on glass - I'd assumed it would scratch it. I've got loads of glasses with white streaks on them and will try some BKF on them later. Thanks!
 
I think a clean glass plays a major part in your drinking experience. If a drink looks the part it's of to a good start even before you taste it.
 
Glasses should be rinsed in very hot water and allowed to air dry, inverted on a drainer. Polishing glasses or flatware with a cloth is an easy way to cross-contaminate. This is certainly true in the hospitality business. I suppose, in the home environment, it might not matter. I hate to see a publican or his staff polishing glasses - how do I know if that cloth is sanitary? It's a sign that their glasswashing is ineffective.
 
Bar Keeper's Friend contains Oxalic Acid. I know Hydrochloric Acid is excellent at cleaning stained glassware - a lot of labs use it. Even a weak acid like vinegar has good cleaning properties. I think a washing-up brush is far less likely to harbour oil, grease and bacteria than the sponges/scourers that most people use.
 
Last edited:

Latest posts

Back
Top