Beer dispensers, if they aren't maintained properly, can become horribly dirty. We're talking about infestations of fruit flies deep within the machine and smelly, flavor-destroying gunk clogging up the tubing that pumps the beer from the reservoir to your cup.
When you pull a pint through the dirty line, your drink mixes with the fermented byproduct and ends up tasting like vinegar.
Respectable beer bars will have their beer taps cleaned by specialists once every two weeks. Unfortunately, not every bar is so diligent, which is why you might want to start with a bottle first before you get to ordering a craft beer from the tap.
If the beer comes out with a thin head that dissipates immediately and also has a flat taste without much fizz at all, then the lines definitely haven't been cleaned in a while.
Collection
[
|
...
]