Study tools: the beer faucet

When it comes to draft systems I am at a disadvantage in not working in a brewery, distribution, or retail setting. I read through the wonderful (and free!) Brewers Association Draught Beer Quality Manual a few times to get a good sense of how to balance gas lines, to clean draft lines, to troubleshoot jockey boxes, to tap casks, and to serve the best beer possible. The new fourth edition expands on a few sections, especially on growlers and casks.

I knew I had to have a tactile experience to really hone my memory, so I bought a standard stainless steel faucet.

I felt like a clichéd movie private in boot camp (think Vincent D’Onofrio in Full Metal Jacket), sitting at my old desk at work, staring in the middle distance while taking apart the faucet, laying the pieces side by side, mumbling the name of each part, then reversing the process. I including the steps to cleaning draft lines as part of my mantra.

I made this infographic using the Canva app so I can look at the parts when it would be inconvenient to have a faucet in my pocket (e.g., almost never). But I found the process very helpful. I felt confident going into the Certified Cicerone exam because of this practice along with practicing how to clean beer glasses, how to test if glasses are actually beer clean, and how to properly pour from any vessel.