When it comes to beer faucets, there are two main types: rear-sealing and forward-sealing. The key difference between the two lies in how they handle the flow of beer and the cleaning process.
Rear-sealing faucets, as the name suggests, allow the beer to completely drain from the faucet after each pour. This means that every time you pour a beer, the faucet has to empty itself of any remaining liquid. While this may seem like a minor inconvenience, it can actually lead to some issues.
One of the main drawbacks of rear-sealing faucets is that they can often become sticky and difficult to clean. As beer flows through the faucet, it can leave behind residue and sugars that can build up over time. This sticky residue can attract bacteria and other contaminants, leading to off flavors in your beer. Cleaning a rear-sealing faucet requires disassembling the entire faucet and scrubbing all the parts thoroughly.
On the other hand, forward-sealing faucets are designed to keep beer inside the faucet, preventing it from fully draining after each pour. This design feature means that there is less chance of sticky residue building up and causing cleanliness issues. The beer is held within the faucet, which helps to keep it clean and reduces the risk of off flavors transferring to your beer.
Cleaning a forward-sealing faucet is generally much easier compared to a rear-sealing faucet. Since the beer is retained inside the faucet, you only need to clean the outside and the immediate area where the beer flows. This can be done by simply rinsing the faucet with water or using a mild cleaning solution. The reduced maintenance and cleaning time make forward-sealing faucets a popular choice among brewers and bar owners.
I have personally experienced the benefits of forward-sealing faucets in my brewing journey. In the early days, I used rear-sealing faucets and found that they required frequent cleaning and often had a sticky residue that affected the taste of my beer. Switching to forward-sealing faucets made a noticeable difference. Not only did I spend less time cleaning, but the flavors of my beer were also much cleaner and more true to style.
The key difference between forward-sealing and rear-sealing faucets lies in how they handle the flow of beer and the cleaning process. Forward-sealing faucets keep beer inside the faucet, preventing stickiness and reducing the risk of off flavors. Cleaning forward-sealing faucets is easier and less time-consuming compared to rear-sealing faucets. Based on personal experience, I highly recommend forward-sealing faucets for both homebrewers and commercial brewers alike.