Opening and closing checklists for a brewpub

Why checklists beat memory

A brewpub shift is crowded with small jobs. Somebody has to check the cold room, somebody has to light the kitchen and somebody has to count the float. When the team is experienced, they still miss things on a busy Saturday. A checklist does not insult the team. It moves the memory out of people's heads and onto a page that every shift can see.

It also gives you records. If a beer turns up with an off flavour, you can look back at the line cleaning log and the cellar temperatures. Our guide on planning a brewpub opening month explains how these routines get set up before the first guest.

Opening checklist: cellar and brewhouse

Walk the cellar first, before staff arrive.

• Read the cold room temperature and compare it with the log. Draught beer is best held at about 2 to 4 °C.
• Check fermenter and brite tank temperatures against the set points. A glycol chiller that tripped overnight shows up here.
• Look at gas: CO2 cylinder or bulk tank pressure and the pressure on the regulator.
• Check for leaks, drips and anything on the floor.
• Confirm that the cellar CO2 alarm, if fitted, shows normal. Carbon dioxide is heavy and collects at floor level in a closed room.
• Check the brew schedule for the day: who is brewing, transferring or cleaning.

Write each reading in the log with the time and your initials. A number nobody wrote down is a number nobody can use later.

Opening checklist: bar, lines and tap list

Then the bar, before the first pint is poured.

• Check the date of the last line clean. Draught lines commonly need cleaning at least every two weeks.
• Pull a small taster from every tap. Look at colour and clarity and smell it. Do not serve a beer you would not drink yourself.
• Set glass washing, sanitiser strength and fresh bar towels.
• Update the board so it shows the beers that are actually on.
• Check ice, garnish, soft drinks and non-alcoholic options.
• Display the licence and any notices that your state requires.

Opening checklist: kitchen

The kitchen has its own start-up routine and it matters just as much for the brewpub's reputation. Check the fridge and freezer temperatures and record them. Check the date labels on stock. Switch on exhaust fans. Confirm hand wash stations have soap and paper. Check gas connections before lighting any burner. Our guide on passing a food safety audit shows which of these records an auditor will ask for.

Closing checklist: beer and cellar

Closing is where a brewpub protects tomorrow's beer.

• Check every keg or brite tank on tap. Note the level so the brewer knows what needs refilling.
• Flush the lines if your routine calls for a nightly water flush. Record it.
• Close the gas supply the way your equipment maker advises.
• Walk the cellar once more. Check that the cold room door seals shut and that the temperature reading is steady.
• Record the final fermenter temperatures and any gravity or pH checks.
• Make sure cleaning chemicals are capped and stored away from the beer.

Closing checklist: bar, kitchen and cash

Count the till and match it against the point of sale report. Record spillage and waste, because a rising waste figure points to a line problem, over-pouring or theft. Store and label food. Clean the grease traps and floor drains on the schedule your kitchen sets. Switch off non-essential equipment and gas at the main valve. Lock the cash and the stock room. Two people should leave together where possible, for safety.

Write the day's incidents on the handover sheet: a keg that blew early, a guest complaint, a missing delivery. The next manager should not have to ask.

Keep it short and keep it used

The best checklist fits on one page per area and takes ten to fifteen minutes. If it grows to four pages, nobody will do it. Review it every month with the team, remove what never finds a problem and add what keeps going wrong. Tick boxes mean little unless someone looks at them, so the owner or general manager should read the last week's sheets on a fixed day. Our guide on brewpub opening hours and staff shifts shows how the routines fit into the roster.

These routines are what turn a brewpub into a business. Brewery Business Management covers staffing, operating costs and monthly planning in a way you can apply to your own site.

Common questions

How long should an opening checklist take?

Ten to fifteen minutes for each area is realistic. A longer list tends to be skipped on busy days.

What temperature should the cellar and cold room be?

Commonly about 2 to 4 °C for draught beer in kegs or brite tanks. Fermenters run at the temperature the recipe needs.

Who should sign the checklist?

The person who did the checks, with the time. The manager then reviews the sheets weekly.

Why is carbon dioxide a safety issue?

It is heavier than air and collects in low, closed spaces such as cellars. A CO2 alarm and good ventilation protect staff.