Opening a Craft Beer Bar in China: Navigating the Challenges of Foam and Taps

When my brother and I relocated to China last year, we were filled with ambition and a passion for beer. Settling in a mid-sized city that seemed to lack a vibrant beer culture, we were determined to change that. Inspired by our love for craft beverages, we set out to establish a bar that would stand out in the local scene—and we accidentally achieved more than we envisioned. Our bar now boasts an impressive 40 taps, featuring over 30 different craft beers. As it turns out, we’ve unintentionally opened a bar with the largest number of taps not just in our city, but across all of China.

However, with great enthusiasm has come a multitude of challenges. One of the most pressing issues we’ve encountered is the excessive foam pouring from nearly half of our taps. This has prompted my search for guidance and resources to help us improve our beer dispensing system.

Seeking Expertise and Knowledge

Despite having reached out to representatives from big-name breweries like Carlsberg and Heineken, I found their assistance lacking. Thus, I’ve realized that understanding the intricacies of our tap system is crucial. I’m reaching out to the community to see if there are any knowledgeable sources, websites, or forums that could provide insights into optimizing and troubleshooting a beer dispensing setup.

I recognize that there are numerous potential issues contributing to our foamy pours, and I aim to familiarize myself with the entire setup to better diagnose and address the challenges at hand.

Initial Steps Taken

I want to take this opportunity to share some updates and the steps I’ve implemented so far based on feedback and my observations:

1. Cooler Temperature Regulation: My first action was addressing the fluctuating temperature of our cooler, which had been ranging between 32-46°F. I’ve adjusted the cooler’s settings to maintain a temperature between 35-36°F to prevent it from turning off and on erratically.

2. Keg Movement: The kegs generally remain stationary, which should help in minimizing difficulties associated with movement.

3. Gas Mix Adjustment: Initially, we utilized CO2 for our beer dispensing but have recently transitioned to a CO2/N2 mix following a supplier’s recommendation. They provide a premixed tank, which is a new concept for me, as I previously thought mixing required a separate system.

4. Foamy Pours: I noticed air gaps