Now you've got your beer, what next?

Your polypin or demi-pin comprises an outer heavy duty cardboard box, with inside a membrane which contains the  beer. As beer is drawn off so the membrane collapses, which prevents the ingress of air. You will wish at some stage to access the tap, which is located behind the tear-open flap. The operation of the tap is simple: just hold the two "wings" and press the button with your thumb, (easily achieved with one hand), whilst holding the glass underneath.

Here are some tips to help you get the best from your Nethergate beer.
Your beer will arrive at your home either by our delivery vehicle, or by carrier, or because you picked it up from the brewery. Which ever way it arrived, it will have been bumped around a bit ,which means the sediment in the bottom will have been disturbed. This has no effect on the taste of the beer, but until it has been allowed to settle will result in a cloudy pint. So rule number one, put the beer where it can be left to settle, and if moving it again, try very hard to do so in such a way that the sediment remains on the bottom. 
It is best to store your beer in as cool a position as possible, though not in a fridge as this causes "hazing", and preferably where there is as little change in temperature during any 24 hour period as possible. Real ale improves providing it is not subject to extreme temperature changes, as could occur for example were the box placed on a sunny widow sill.
Your beer is still continuing its secondary fermentation process whilst in the poly or demi-pin, which produces as a by-product some CO2 gas. This may cause the box to bulge, and we recommend that if the beer is not drunk within the first day or so and it is becoming obvious that the box has taken on a more rounded look, it is carefully laid on its side so that the tap is uppermost, and then by carefully releasing the tap the CO2 can be allowed to vent. It is always useful to have some CO2 present in the box as, being an inert gas, as it protects the beer from contamination from normal air. Just release enough to remove the bulge.
Your beer will remain very drinkable for at least two weeks, providing the temperature rule has been followed. It can easily last longer, and in our own experiments we have left beer in a polypin of Nethergate IPA for three weeks in the sales director's office, ( yes, he is banned from having more than one glass a day), where the last pint pulled was as good as the first, and that was in far from ideal conditions.
Once the beer has been consumed the box has no further use, and can be disposed of.
If you have ordered Nethergate bottled beer, we would simply recommend that it is stored somewhere with a reasonable constant temperature, and that the bottles are not unduly shaken about. Beer is best served at a temperature of between 55 and 65F.

We hope  that you enjoy our beer, (and put our website in your "Favourites" file in your internet search engine!)