[Philbrew]

I mean on your beer, d*mnit!    Seriously, what you use to wash your beer glasses seems to make a big difference in head retention and the look of the pour.  What have you folks found that works good?  I know that Dawn is bad.

[HoosierBrew]

I run mine on the bottom rack of the dishwasher, nearest the strongest water pressure, using one of the tablets with Jet Dry in it. When the cycle is done I rinse the glasses in the hottest water I can stand and dry with a paper towel. Makes a big difference on head retention.

[duncan]

The Cicerone program details how they suggest glasses are to be cleaned and how to test dirty glasses. It was too funky to copy and past, but it's on page 4 of this doc:

http://www.glastender.com/PDF/remote%20beer%20dispensing%20opman.pdf

[erockrph]

Hand wash and air dry only for my glasses. I use a bottle brush to scrub them.

We usually run the dishwasher before bed or work and by the time we get to emptying it my glasses occasionally pick up some funky smells. I don't chance it any more.

[dmtaylor]

Lots of very hot water.  I usually rinse my beer glasses several times in the sink with hot water immediately after use.  Then just prior to use, I rinse in the sink again a couple of times, this time with cool water.  Unless there's something sticky that needs better cleaning, I usually just do the hot rinse and don't use soap.  At least for my own use.  If I were serving friends then I would pull clean glassware out of the cabinet and do the cool rinse thing immediately before serving to remove any possibility of soapy residue.

[Phil_M]

Regular "quaffing" barware gets put through the dishwasher, all the good glassware gets hand washed with hot water and baking soda.

[BairsBrewing]

I keg so I can adjust my head.... But I used to use pbw, extra hot rinse water, then star-San sanitize

[3bbrewing]

How about something simple like Bartender's Friend or a similar wash...?  Cheap, easy, and works great.

[duboman]

I have found a basic salt scrub works exceptionally well. Simply wet a clean sponge, sprinkle a little table salt on it and scrub the inside of the glass, rinse with hot water, dry and pour.

[majorvices]

I thought JetDry kept lacing from forming on glass?

I try to hand wash all my glasses with hot water and soap. The dishwasher screws up logoed glassware. Also, chips and cracks are more likely from dishwasher. Sometimes they get run through though....

[norcaljp]

http://brulosophy.com/2014/04/03/the-impact-of-different-glass-cleansers-on-beer-foam/

Good article about just this question

[denny]

I have found a basic salt scrub works exceptionally well. Simply wet a clean sponge, sprinkle a little table salt on it and scrub the inside of the glass, rinse with hot water, dry and pour.

agreed.

[HoosierBrew]

http://brulosophy.com/2014/04/03/the-impact-of-different-glass-cleansers-on-beer-foam/

Good article about just this question

Ok, good info. It never really occurred to me to use Starsan, but I will be trying that next time. I'm all for good foam and lacing.

[Philbrew]

OK.  I think I've figured out why I'm not getting any head.

Yeah, well that TOO...but we're talking about beer here.

We've been washing our dishes in ion exchange softened well water.  TDS about 380.  Mostly salt and a little citric acid.  That's not enough to taste salty, but it's there.  I think that the salt residue on the glassware is killing the head.  If I wash and rinse in tap water and let dry then rinse with RO water from the vending machine (TDS 16) and drain dry, BINGO, great head on the pour and super lacing.