Mixed Gas

[LawDittup]

Mr Smith , Sir what has happened to your renowned quality? I'm a frequent visitor to several of your Manchester and district hostelries, and almost to a house, they are dispensing some of the finest ales in the Kingdom dreadfully.
Allegedly it is the new mixed gas which causing either excess fobbing , causing excess wastage, or its so aerated as to reduce the content to a flat insipid beverage after the first mouthful. I realise costs have to be controlled and stocks much produce a satisfactory surplus, however  I fail to recognise how infusing your products with inferior Nitro/Co2 gas will maintain either, especially in your using the same balance for all pasteurised prodcts.

[ONLY ME]

There is nothing new about beers served using mixed gas. It is used to give the product a creamy smooth texture ie. smooth bitter ect. excess fobbing (i feel will be down to poor cellar management) but then you say it's a FLAT isipid beverage. MAKE YOUR MIND UP MATE.
Could i guess that you have some how missed the last 25 to 30 years or that you havn't been to a pub in that time, as all the breweries use mixed gas for some of thier products ie. John Smith smooth, Worthingtons creamflow, chestnut mild, boddingtons, guinnes, Tetley smooth to name a few.
So i hope that you have contacted all the breweries and made the same complaint.

[delboy]

i think you might have hit the nail on the head. poor cellar management - which is probably down to the new vastly reduced training and area management supervision. same problem at my local since the new very inexperience managers took over. i guess as Humphs has no experience running a pub (so i hear) then he has probably overlooked the value of the training and supervision that there used to be. our new managers would appear to be trying to discourage customers in a number of ways, so as to have less hassle serving and clearing up with the staff cut backs 

[SILLYSOD]

excess fobbing - dirty lines possibly,also tell them to turn the speed of the pump down if they are unsure tell them to ring celler services for a bit of advice - they dont bite,temperature can also have an effect but it is down to celler experience.

[DarkieBoy]

CLEANLINESS.
CLEANLINESS.
CLEANLINESS.
CLEANLINESS.
CLEANLINESS.
CLEANLINESS.
CLEANLINESS.
CLEANLINESS.
CLEANLINESS.
CLEANLINESS.

It's simple, not rocket science.  If I was to take over a pub all of the lines would be replaced there and then, so that I would know exactly where I stood.  Lines usually need to be replaced on a regular basis anyway.

DB.

[SILLYSOD]

this is sams were talking about- they wont always replace the lines - cellar services cant do anything without the correct paperwork signed by the area manager,ive seen quite a few cellars and they do need a proper clean by them or complete replacement - but its down to the area manager giving their consent.
i asked them to replace the obb lines on the other bar when i moved in - they hadnt been used or cleaned for about 7 years so i was told,answer was no just clean them yourself from the area manager,waste of time the beer stunk even after several cleans even with hot water and cellar services couldnt sort them out because of the area manager.

[DarkieBoy]

Oh of course, I nearly forgot myself then!

Lines are not expensive...I bought some at the weekend from my local homebrew supplier and it cost ?1.50 per metre.  If you get it trade, it's far cheaper - and with Samuel Smith's buying power...it must be nearly free!

DB.

[bigjim]

SILLYSOD I must say as a one time customer this news is not very reassuring!

[OnTheDrink]

I think there is a problem with some new fonts, particularly with Alpine. The new design pulls almost flat then the lever has to be pushed back gently to drop foam on the top. This works fine with expensive fonts used by Coors etc, but the cheapies Sams use are fairly ineffective as anything other than a feather touch causes a great big fob. Not good for the customers, staff or stock.

[SILLYSOD]

darkieboy - the lines may be cheap but it aint the managers job and they wouldnt be in a job long if they started doing it,bigjim im only telling it from my experience with the company,on the drink,the new fonts arent the problem the lines just need setting up speed etc and the staff need showing how to pull a pint with the alpine especially they shouldnt need to push the lever back.

[DarkieBoy]

darkieboy - the lines may be cheap but it aint the managers job and they wouldnt be in a job long if they started doing it,bigjim im only telling it from my experience with the company,on the drink,the new fonts arent the problem the lines just need setting up speed etc and the staff need showing how to pull a pint with the alpine especially they shouldnt need to push the lever back.

I quite agree, it isn't for the managers to pay for the lines.  I was implying that the Brewery should be replacing them.

DB.

[LawDittup]

To Only Me,
 My point was not that mixed gas is a new idea but that the new  mixed gas being produced at SS is inferior and that different beverages need diffrerent mix balances ie 60/40 bitter or 25/75 for stout, and if you over carbonate,  your pint will be served creamy headed, but the ensuing moments after first gulp will see it reduced to insipidity. Bit like your reply really. Other commentators seem to suggest cellar cleanliness would be the culpable explanaion , but if that was the case all the beers and lagers would suffer conditioning dereliction not just nitrogen infused drinks. 

[delboy]

..the ensuing moments after first gulp will see it reduced to insipidity. Bit like your reply really.

 

quite interesting (from a customers perspective) the problems that can arise from the mixed gas infusion. could i ask what problems could occur with too much nitrogen (if that is the other gas) ?

[ant]

i think and according to cellar services,the real prob behindthe thevery lively bitters goes back to the brewery,there,s been a massive batch of bitters made that very lively already under pressure and then the gas has to be put on,adding to it all pubs just about are having probs,its a nightmare!!!! fill the pint to within 2inchs of top let stand then top up slow and gently not pulling tap all way back,mind you easier said when packed and busy and on bar alone

[SILLYSOD]

spot on thats why i suggested turning speed of taps down,its worked for me