Beer Glass Rinsers: What You Need to Know

Beer, pretty popular and not going anywhere anytime soon, which means hospitality fit-out trades should probably get familiar with the equipment that comes with it.

Let’s talk beer glass rinsers. They aren’t new, but their installation seems to be causing headaches left and right. Here’s what you need to know to avoid unnecessary drama.

What’s a Beer Glass Rinser?

Think of it as a coffee milk jug rinser but with a chilled water feed. Its job?

• Wetting the inside of a clean beer glass to improve the pour (depending on which beer nerd you ask).

• Chilling the glass down without needing a fridge.

Simple enough in principle. But from a plumbing standpoint, it comes with some challenges—mainly around backflow prevention.

The Plumbing Risk

Most water outlets direct water downward, where it drains away. But beer glass rinsers shoot a jet of water upward into an inverted glass. The concern? Contaminated water could potentially backflow into the mains.

The risk might seem minor, but it’s enough to trigger regulatory requirements.

How to Prevent Backflow Issues

The solution is straightforward:

• Install a backflow prevention device between the water chiller and the rinser.

• Offset nearby taps from the rinser jet to further reduce risk.

Design Considerations

If you’re including beer glass rinsers in your fit-out, factor them into your preliminary hydraulics design. That way, your hydraulics engineer and plumbing inspector won’t be blindsided later.

Keep in mind that plumbing inspectors vary between councils, and not all will allow the same type of backflow device—some are stricter than others. Whoever’s managing consultants should make sure the preliminary hydraulics design gets in front of the relevant inspector early. Sorting this out upfront will help you avoid defects at plumbing inspection time.

Plan Ahead, Pour Smoothly

Like with any design decision, early planning and clear communication will save you from a world of trouble. Get it right from the start, and you’ll avoid unexpected problems coming to a head.

Yeah, I went there.

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