Airport Beer

We have a little saying in the beer business. "Sometimes the best beer at the airport is a rum and coke."

Here's the problem. It's a huge pain in the ass to get line cleaning equipment through security and into a busy bar.

If you own a line cleaning company, would you rather:

A) Drive into one of the many parking spots (free parking spots, btw) at the restaurant's back door, carry your cleaning pots and tool kit about 100 feet into the beer fridge and start cleaning lines.

Or B) Drive to the loading dock in the Airport Service area. Register your truck for parking. Wait for your contact to arrive. Gather all of your tools and cleaning pots (make sure you bring everything - there is no going back). Go through security having everything analyzed, inspected, and x-rayed. Walk 20 minutes to the very end of the terminal to the bar that pours draught....

You know what it's like at the airport. It's not much better as a contractor. Line cleaning companies have to charge at least double their normal fees so some bars extend their line cleaning schedule, or abandon it all together. This causes many problems.

When cleaning lines in a "normal" restaurant, it's typically closed; there are no guests, no noise, no floor staff, and no problems. Airport bars are open almost 24 hours so the cleaner is behind the bar dismantling and cleaning the taps as guests are sitting at the bar with the bartender trying to do their work as well. It's not fun for anyone.

We have done some work for HMS Host, travelling across Canada doing audits on all of their locations which pour draught. All of their bars subscribe to a regular cleaning cycle, but not all of their competitors do. I was in a large airport bar (not HMS run) just two weeks ago and had a full pint glass of diacetyl disguised as an imported lager. Some of you have been to this bar, I am sure. It's busy. All the time.

Maybe it's not jet lag. Maybe it's dirty lines.