A new meeting of companies sanitizing beer pipes in restaurants/bars/pubs will take place in Prazdroj

These days, a bartender can already influence beer quality in eight areas. These include, for example, thorough cleaning of glasses, temperature of served beer, correct pouring of beer or regular cleaning of pipes. If the bartender takes all these steps, costumers get beer of superior quality on their table, same as when it left the brewery. Based on a survey conducted by Plzeňský Prazdroj, about 96% of consumers consider cleaning of beer pipes to be a very important factor which influences taste and quality of beer. On the other hand, 64% of surveyed subjects are wrong in feeling that it is sufficient to clean beer pipes only scarcely and irregularly. But, if beer pipes aren’t regularly sanitized, if they aren’t rinsed with water, and if beer tap handles and couplers aren’t cleaned, microorganisms can start spreading. The beer first darkens a little and finally it could go bad.

“During tomorrow’s meeting, we would mainly like to show our thanks to people from sanitation companies, who set out on a daily basis to visit Czech restaurants/bars/pubs and have a tremendous influence on the fact that beer is of superior quality in Czech restaurants/bars/pubs. We have come a long way in the last ten years and that isn’t only in the amount of restaurants/bars/pubs which are now equipped to be sanitized, but mainly in regards to awareness about beer quality. Also bartenders are well aware of the fact that they can attract beer drinkers only with a perfectly served glass of beer, which can be influenced by the smallest details. We, in the brewery, brew superior-quality beer and people in sanitation companies and bartenders ensure that the beer is superior in quality when customers get it,” says Zdeněk Rais, specialist on quality of beer on tap at Plzeňský Prazdroj.

Every day bartenders should rinse the whole system with water, including the tap handles and couplers. Sanitation is the thorough rinsing and disinfection of beer pipes conducted by an authorized company; this should be done 1x week, not more than every 14 days assuming that daily rinsing of the beer pipes takes place.

“This year Plzeňský Prazdroj celebrates a ten-year anniversary of care for beer quality in the form of a promotion providing regular sanitation in restaurants. We get a lot of help especially from specialists from companies specializing in sanitation. Tomorrow, I would like to personally thank them that they, together with us, take care of the Czech beer culture.” Václav Berka, brewer from Plzeňský Prazdroj, is looking forward to the first meeting of sanitation companies.

Notes to editors:

• With total sale of 10.7 million hectoliters in the 2008 calendar year (including licensed production abroad) and with export to more than 50 countries, Plzeňský Prazdroj is the biggest producer of beer in the region and the biggest exporter of Czech beer.
• Plzeňský Prazdroj, a. s., is a member of the SABMiller PLC Pilsner Urquell global group. It is an international flagship of SABMiller brands.
• SABMiller PLC is one of biggest beer companies in the world, with activities and distribution in more than 60 countries on six continents. SABMiller brands include important international brands such as Miller Genuine Draft, Peroni Nastro Azzurro and Pilsner Urquell, and close to 200 successful regional and national brands.

Contact:
Jiří Mareček
Manager external communication
Ph. no: +420 724 617 219

Plzeň