How to tap beer into a PET bottle, so it tastes as good as it does at the pub
Good beer and honest cooking
We serve beer that's fresh, right to the last sip, and real home cooking. Lokál is a place where good beer and honest food matter.
Prazdroj on tap at home? Why not! Lokál knows how to send their guests home with carefully treated beer that will remind them of the irreplaceable atmosphere of the bar. We tested the process of tapping the beer into a PET bottle and pouring it into glass in home conditions with the head bartender of Ambiente, Lučka Janečková.
1. The master bartender loves perfect cleanliness, whether the beer is poured into glass or plastic. Each PET bottle is therefore thoroughly rinsed and, like the pint glass, must remain wet inside.
2. PET bottles are are filled to order, never for stock! Guests will always enjoy freshly tapped beer of the highest quality.
3. Under the tap, the bottle will first be folded, and is filled at a 45° angle up to the cap, preventing the beer from coming into contact with the air.
4. The beer enters the PET bottle quickly and in a strong stream, so it does not lose its smoothness on the way to you glass at home. The tappers prefer a tapping style without foam. This way, the beer retains maximum natural carbon dioxide and therefore sufficient bite.
The thinness of the beer reflects the proportion of natural carbon dioxide that is already formed during fermentation and varies depending on the style of draught.
5. The filled PET bottle is immediately capped and placed in thermo tube insulation, which keeps the beer cold for longer and prevents it from warming up before guests pour it into their pint at home.
6. Not to be forgotten is the sticker with the date of bottling and the name of the bartender responsible for making sure the beer is well cared for that day.
At home
The work of the taproom may end with screwing the cap on the PET bottle, but they try to maintain the quality of the beer in the guest's home and disseminate simple instructions for pouring into glassware:
1. Refrigerate not only the beer, but also the pint glass. Properly chilled glassware guarantees a completely different beer experience!
2. Cleanliness is key. Beer from a dirty pint will never be as good as beer from a glass that has thoroughly washed, before and after cooling, cleaned of dirt, and even the smell of sausages from the fridge.
Washing practice: Get a suitable beer glass detergent and a clean sponge, lather it up and use the rough side in a circular motion to wash the neck and the outside and inside of the pint, including the rim and bottom. Repeat the process with the smooth side of the sponge. Finally, rinse the pint well with cold water to keep the glass cool, turn it upside down and leave it to drip.
3. Pour the beer from the PET bottle or can into the glass and start by melting the beer against the bottom of the pint. This creates a foam base that prevents rapid weathering. The glass is then tilted slightly and filled at a 45° angle, up the side of the pint to the rim.
Home beer cooling
Store beer in a bottle or can ideally at a temperature of around 3 degrees Celsius (set up a fridge, use the balcony if it's not freezing, or use the 7th step of your cellar). Beer doesn't belong in the freezer – it will get a temperature shock and will burst if forgotten in there. Consume open beer ideally within an hour.
