Czech pubs switch to technology to reduce costs

PRAGUE Czech pubs are switching to technology in order to reduce the cost of putting beer on the bar for thirsty locals.

With Czechs among the biggest beer drinkers in the world, brewer Plzensky Prazdroj plans to install sensors that collect data on beer flow, tube and tap temperatures.

Jakub Zaoral, who is the head of the Asahi-owned brewery's Smart Taproom project, said that this will be sent to a cloud database and analysed to make recommendations on improving the pub's systems.

Plzensky Prazdroj hopes that by making adjustments its pubs will save up to 30 per cent of the energy needed for cooling and tapping their beer, a goal made more pressing by rising energy costs.

We will 'x-ray' and observe 45 pubs using 1,200 sensors, which gives us the exact numbers, how our tapping system consumes electric energy, and we will relate this with the beer flow and consumption in the pub, said Zaoral.

The system uses Internet of Drinks solutions by start-up firm Smart Technology, which uses ultrasound metering and provides information on the amount of beer tapped, sanitation intervals, and the state of the cooling system.

Manager Michal Reznicek wants to have an impact on rising costs, which are impacting beer, food and staff at Prague's Katr pub, where the system is already in use.

Reznicek said that the goal is to exist further, and that is what we want to do.