Brewers Association Draught Beer Quality Manual Fourth Edition

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Brewers Association Draught Beer Quality Manual Fourth Edition DRAUGHT BEER QUALITY MANUAL FOURTH EDITION Prepared by the Technical Committee of the Brewers Association BREWERS ASSOCIATION DRAUGHT BEER QUALITY MANUAL FOURTH EDITION Prepared by the Technical Committee of the Brewers Association Brewers Publications® A Division of the Brewers Association PO Box 1679, Boulder, Colorado 80306-1679 BrewersAssociation.org BrewersPublications.com © Copyright 2019 by Brewers AssociationSM All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the publisher. Neither the authors, editors, nor the publisher assume any responsibility for the use or misuse of information contained in this book. Proudly printed in the United States of America. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 ISBN-13: 978-1-938469-60-2 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Brewers Association. Title: Draught beer quality manual / prepared by the Technical Committee of the Brewers Association. Description: Fourth edition. | Boulder, Colorado : Brewers Publications, a Division of the Brewers Association, [2019] | Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: LCCN 2018045113 (print) | LCCN 2018046073 (ebook) | ISBN 9781938469619 (E-book) | ISBN 9781938469602 Subjects: LCSH: Brewing--Handbooks, manuals, etc. | Beer--Handbooks, manuals, etc. | Brewing--Equipment and supplies. | Brewing industry--United States. Classification: LCC TP577 (ebook) | LCC TP577 .D73 2019 (print) | DDC 663/.3--dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018045113 Publisher: Kristi Switzer Technical Editor: Ernie Jimenez Copyediting: Iain Cox Proofreading: Iain Cox Indexing: Doug Easton Art Direction, Cover, and Interior Design: Jason Smith Production: Justin Petersen Cover Photo: Luke Trautwein Photo © Christine Celmins Photography Celmins © Christine Photo TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface ...................................................................vii Shanks ............................................................ 14 Acknowledgments .................................................ix Gas Source .................................................... 14 Introduction .............................................................1 Gas Filters .......................................................15 Gas Leak Detectors ......................................15 Section I: Gas Line .......................................................... 16 Draught Equipment and Regulators ....................................................... 16 System Configurations ........................................3 Pressure and Pressure Gauges ...................... 17 Gas ................................................................... 3 Elevation Affects Pressure ............................18 Beer ................................................................... 4 Cooling ............................................................. 4 Chapter 2: About This Section ............................................ 4 Temporary Draught Dispensing Systems ............19 Draught Beer Dispensing Systems ...............4 Hand Pumps ................................................... 19 Jockey Boxes ..................................................20 Chapter 1: Jockey Box Setup and Use ...........................20 Essential Draught System Components .................5 Setting Up a Cold Plate Jockey Box ....... 20 Refrigeration/Cooling ..................................... 5 Setting Up a Coil-Style Jockey Box ..........21 Kegs .................................................................. 6 Cleaning and Maintenance .......................... 21 Keg Valves ........................................................ 7 Couplers ........................................................... 8 Tail Pieces and Connectors ...........................10 Beer Line .........................................................10 Photo © Christine Celmins Photography Celmins © Christine Photo Faucets .............................................................11 iii DRAUGHT BEER QUALITY MANUAL Chapter 3: Section II Direct-Draw Draught Systems ............................ 23 Draught System Operations ................................ 47 Equipment .......................................................24 Drip Tray .........................................................24 Chapter 5: Towers .............................................................24 Preparation to Pour ............................................. 49 Shadow Box ..................................................25 Behind the Scenes Checklist..........................49 Gas (CO2) .....................................................25 Outside the Cooler ...................................... 49 CO2 Monitors ................................................25 Inside the Cooler .......................................... 50 Carbonation Dynamics .................................26 At the Tower .................................................. 50 A Note about Altitude ................................ 27 Cold Storage and Proper Chilling Determining CO2 Pressure of Kegs before Serving ..............................50 in a Direct-Draw System ............................27 Linking Kegs in Series .................................... 51 System Balance and Achieving Flow ...........27 Chapter 6: Chapter 4: Serving Draught Beer .......................................... 53 Long-Draw Draught Systems .............................. 29 Glassware Cleaning ......................................53 Beer Line .........................................................29 Manual or Hand Cleaning Barrier Tubing................................................ 30 in a Three-Tub Sink .................................. 54 Choker Line ....................................................31 Automatic Glass-Washing Machines ..... 54 Wall Brackets .................................................31 Handling Clean Glasses............................ 55 Foam on Beer Detector (FOB) .................. 32 Testing for “Beer-Clean” Glass .....................55 Beer Pumps .................................................... 32 Glassware Temperature ................................56 Quick-Connect (Push) Fittings ................... 34 Pouring Draught Beer ....................................56 Gas .................................................................34 Technique....................................................... 56 Mixed Gas: Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Pouring Hygiene .......................................... 57 and Nitrogen (N2) .................................. 34 Free-Flow Pouring ........................................ 57 Blended Gas Bottles ................................... 35 Faucet Hygiene ............................................ 57 Gas Blenders ................................................ 36 Growlers .........................................................57 Nitrogen Generators ...................................37 Growler Container Cleanliness ................ 58 System Balance and Achieving Flow ...........37 Growler Filling .............................................. 58 Designing for Resistance ...............................39 Growler Filling Hygiene ............................. 59 Accommodating Beers Consumer Education, with Varying Carbonation .........................39 Post-Filling Quality ................................... 59 CO2 Percentage Adjustment ..................... 39 Applied Pressure Adjustment ..................... 40 Applied Pressure Adjustment with Flow-Control Faucets ..................... 40 Balancing Draught Systems .......................... 41 Nitrogenated (Nitro) Beers ...........................42 Cooling ...........................................................44 Glycol Chiller Maintenance ..................... 45 iv BREWERSASSOCIATION.ORG TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 7: Chapter 8: System Maintenance and Cleaning .....................61 Troubleshooting ....................................................81 Cleaning Guidelines ......................................62 Off-Flavors in Draught Beer ..........................85 Common Issues ..............................................62 Cleaning Safety ........................................... 62 Appendix A: System Design and Cleanliness ................ 63 ISBT Guidelines for Beverage Other Line Cleaning Methods ......................64 Grade Carbon Dioxide .................................... 87 Sponge Cleaning ........................................ 64 Sonic Cleaning ............................................ 64 Appendix B: Automatic Cleaning Systems ..................... 64 CO2 Equilibrium Gauge Pressure Line Replacement and Materials .............. 64 Reference Chart ................................................ 89 Detailed Recommendations ..........................64 Figuring Ideal Gauge Pressure When Cleaning Frequency and Tasks ................. 65 Carbonation Level is Not Known..............90 Cleaning Solutions and Their Usage ............65 Converting Volumes of CO2 Caustic-Based Cleaners ............................ 65 to Grams per Liter.......................................90 Acid-Based Cleaners.................................. 66 Water Rinsing ............................................... 67 Appendix C: Cleaning Methods and Procedures ..............67 Carbonation, Blended Gas, Gas Laws, Before You Start ........................................... 68 and Partial Pressures .........................................91 Electric Recirculating Pump Cleaning ...........68 Carbonation
Recommended publications
  • Serving Nitrogenated Beer
    BREWERS ASSOCIATION FACTS ABOUT SERVING NITROGENATED BEER itrogenated beer (“nitro”) was developed in 1959 as a way to replicate the creaminess of cask-conditioned CAN YOUR BREWING EQUIPMENT Nale, which has lower carbonation than most beers. WITHSTAND THE PRESSURE? Nitro beer is dispensed utilizing a draught system, whereas cask ale is pulled out with a beer engine. One benefit of nitro Typical methods used to nitrogenate beer require higher pressure beer is that kegs are easier to ship and serve than casks. (See Draught Beer Quality Manual, Appendix D for more info on than most brewing vessels are designed to safely operate under. cask-conditioned ale). A nitrogenated beer has much lower In addition, many jurisdictions require any tank that is pressurized volumes of carbon dioxide (1.1-1.7 v/v) dissolved in it than above 14.7 psig to carry an American Society of Mechanical a typical beer as well as a small amount of nitrogen. Because Engineers (ASME) stamp. For safety and regulatory requirements, the amount of nitrogen dissolved in the beer is so small, it isn’t all tanks used to nitrogenate or serve nitrogenated beer should usually quantified. be rated to handle these higher pressures and must meet all local, state, and federal regulations. NITROGEN’S EFFECT ON BEER Nitrogen (N₂) bubbles are smaller than carbon dioxide (CO₂) bubbles. This creates a “creamy” or “smooth” mouthfeel. THE GAS BLEND The small bubble size also contributes to a more stable and • To maintain the correct balance of carbon dioxide and longer-lasting head. This is due to the relatively low gradient nitrogen in a nitrogenated beer, a gas blend must be used to between the concentration of nitrogen in the beer compared to dispense these beers.
    [Show full text]
  • General Technical Characteristics
    General Technical Characteristics For more specific informations about the product or the company please visit www.kegsolutions.it or get in touch directly with Keg Solutions at the contact details below. For coloured kegs like amber or other colours refer to the list below. General dimensions @ 23°c 1.0 bar KS KS 20 KS 20+ KS 24 KS 24+ Height (mm) 610 610 610 610 Diameter (mm) 250 250 270 270 Empty volume 1atm (L) 20 20 24 24 Total weight empty keg (Kg) 1,3 1,4 1,4 1,4 Overall Composition The KS keg is an innovative disposable container, made mainly by plastic External Handle/pedestal: PP** material, for drinks on tap. it’s suitable for beverages such as beer, wine, coffee Locking ring: PP** and other liquids. Bottle: PET Central valve: POM* The KS kegs are perfect for non, low or medium carbonized beverages, for high Other valve elements: POM* carbonized beverages (like high carbonized beers, Champagnes etc.) need to be Thin cane: LDPE* checked on demand. Beers that carbonize into the kegs can’t exceed 3 bar (43,5 Tube: LDPE* psi) of pressure in the process, for security issues. Bag Tap: LDPE* The keg is usable only once and must be disposed in separated waste collection, Bag: Multifilm PA PE* except for the internal springs that need to be collected in the undifferentiated Springs: INOX AISI 316* garbage. Black seal: NBR FDA White seal: silicone* The bag inside the keg allows a significant increase of the shelf life of the beverages, absorbing the oxygen and preventing the liquid from the thrust gas.
    [Show full text]
  • The Pour Travelers: Dela... Where? - Part 2
    The Pour Travelers: Dela...where? - Part 1 More Create Blog Sign In The Pour Travelers The Pour Travelers follows two craft beer enthusiasts and their monkey on excursions throughout their home state of PA as well as vacations to beer destinations across the country and beyond. Pages Friday, January 10, 2020 The Pour Travelers Ffej's Band Performance Dela...where? - Part 1 Schedule Looks like we're coming out of the gate swinging as we commence with 2020! The first weekend of the year, and we're already headed down the ol' Pour Travelers About Me trail. After a quick three-day detox from a beer-and-liquor-soaked New Year's Eve ffejherb (and Brewslut's birthday party), we're back at it, doin' what we do. We had originally planned to check out some new places in Philadelphia on this particular weekend, The skinny: Born March 26, but we decided to switch gears and try Delaware on for size. Despite being one of 1974 in Shamokin, PA. the nation's smallest states and next door neighbors to PA, we hadn't spent much Graduated from Shamokin time in "The First State." Save for a few visits to the Dogfish Head brewpub in Area High School in 1992. Graduated from Penn State Rehoboth Beach, Delaware was largely uncharted waters for us Pour Travelers. So it in 1996. Married my best was settled. We were off to Delaware. friend, Brandi, in 1999. Played in a zillion different I got up bright and early on Saturday morning after a good night's sleep and prepared bands (most notably Solar a healthy breakfast of scrambled eggs, home fries, and turkey bacon.
    [Show full text]
  • Brewers Draught Dispense
    DRAUGHT TECHNICAL GUIDANCE ON DISPENSING - 2007 PREPARED BY: PRODUCT QUALITY COMMITTEE INTRODUCTION A licensee is often known and rated by the quality of the draught beer that it serves. Is it brilliantly clear with a crown of thick foam or, is it flat like apple juice? A customer’s draught experience will often influence where their decision to come back another time for a pint or recommend the establishment to a friend. A licensee’s draught system is judged on its slowest moving keg. For this reason, the system needs to be able to deliver the last glass from the keg as well as the first glass. Three things that guided the thought process in developing this document: 1) Presentation of the product; 2) Constant clear flow at the appropriate flow rate; 3) Having the last glass drawn from the keg pour as well as the first. Draught beer systems are relatively simple and if set up and maintained properly, can provide many years of top quality draught beer. Key system design features and procedures which affect temperature, foam and sanitation are all covered. With the expanding interest and understanding of beer styles and the adventure that they bring to the consumer, there has been a growth in the demand for increased draught beer selection. Rarely do you find only two or three draught lines at a licensee. Now, it is not uncommon to have 10, 20 or 50+ draught lines in one location. And remember, your system will always be judged on the slowest moving keg. For this reason, the system must be capable of delivering the last glass of beer from the slowest moving keg as well as the first glass.
    [Show full text]
  • Private Cuvée Keg Guide
    NEW! PRIVATE CUVÉ E KEG GUIDE Zardetto is thrilled to announce a brand new Private Cuvée keg oering to our line-up of unparalleled sparkling wines! Enjoy this true-to-style Veneto Frizzante, now on-tap for eortless pouring, an extended shelf-life, and consistently crisp bubbles. Before filling each keg, clean and sanitize all parts. Connect product tube to product filling connection (5)- ensure secure connection. Purge product through tube to ensure no air is left in the tube using product filling valve (6). If additional back-pressure is required (this will reduce foam build-up during filling) connect suitable gas supply to back-pressure top-up connection (1). Note: for Polykegs® without liner this should be CO2 or Nitrogen (max. 3.5 bar). Adjust back-pressure regulator (4) to maximum setting. Place Polykeg® to be filled on a stable level surface. Fit coupling head to Polykeg® valve. Note: spray a suitable sanitizer solution onto both parts before connection. Close coupler handle (7). Note: Back-pressure gauge (3) will now display the internal Polykeg® pressure. If additional back-pressure is required. Carefully open back pressure top up valve (2) until required pressure is achieved and close the valve. Note: It is vital to have the correct back-pressure when filling Polykegs® fitted with a liner. Carefully open product filling valve (6) - the Polykeg® will now start to fill. Note: It may be necessary to adjust the filling rate using this valve. As the Polykeg® fills, the back- pressure will rise, carefully adjust the backpressure regulator to maintain the desired back-pressure.
    [Show full text]
  • 2015 Festival Organizers and Staff
    Welcome from the President ELCOME TO THE 29TH ANNUAL Great Taste of the Midwest. At a time when we probably should be over- whelmed by the explosive growth of the craft beer industry, we are too busy trying to figure Wout how to make this event a better experience for all. To that end, we are excited that we have maintained the same foot- print as we’ve had in past years, but have added more brewer space, by moving our merch tents and adding a few new tents to a previously restricted staff only area of the park (inside the “loop road”). This allows us bring in some new brewers while continuing to bring back the brewers that you come to expect to see at the Great Taste of the Midwest. I would like to thank Great Taste Chairman, Mark Garthwaite and the multitude of volunteers that make this event happen. We are all very proud that this is the only event of this size that is run by a 100% volunteer effort. Their passion for beer is a large part of what makes a volunteer effort of this size a success. I would also like to thank all of the Brewers that come to the Great Taste of the Midwest. All of “our” passion for beer flows from their passion. As the event has grown and produced more return Brewers each year, we’ve come to think of the Brewers as family coming home every year on the second Saturday in August. Sadly, I have to acknowledge the passing of several MHTG members since the last Great Taste.
    [Show full text]
  • Closing Down Procedures
    CLOSING DOWN PROCEDURES KEG · TO SHUT DOWN ALL KEG BEER AND KEG CIDER LINES IMPORTANT · Lines should be cleaned first then purged of liquids. All In Line remote coolers should be switched off Firstly - Clean lines to correct practise, which is: · Remove all dispense tap spouts and sparklers on lines to be removed and clean separately · Adhere to COSHH regulations when line cleaning - wear protective clothing · Turn gas off to secondary valves, disconnect keg couplers · Clean Keg couplers before connection to cleaning sockets · Flush all beer out of lines with clean, cold, fresh water – starting with fob detectors · Mix a fresh mix of line cleaner to the correct strength as indicated on the instructions on the product label. · Fill Fob detectors with correct strength diluted line cleaner, then pull through to the dispense taps · Soak lines for 10 minutes, agitate detergent through fob detector and totally refill each line with fresh detergent · Soak lines for another 10 minutes, agitate detergent through fob detector and totally refill each line with fresh detergent · Soak lines for a final 10 minutes, agitate detergent through fob detector and totally refill each line with fresh detergent · Rinse cleaning bottle and fill with clean, cold, fresh water · Remove detergent from fob detectors with plenty of fresh water · Remove detergent from beer lines by volume then flush through each line with a further 10 litres of water Secondly – To purge lines of fluid: · Empty cleaning bottles of any liquid, connect as for standard line clean · Make sure fob detectors float release buttons are set to release the float · Purge all liquid out of the fob detectors by using the priming buttons · Open all taps at the bar and purge all liquid out of the lines, until mostly air comes out.
    [Show full text]
  • The Keg. Made in Germany Finn Keg
    FINN KEG The versatile keg BLEFA – THE KEG. MADE IN GERMANY FINN KEG The characteristic top and bottom chimbs are made of high-density polyethylene. This guarantees careful handling during the transport and behind the bar. The chimbs are machined to provide a keg that is easily stackable with a high degree of stability. VARIATIONS AREAS OF APPLICATION DIN, EURO, Beer, Wine, Soft Drinks, Cider, SLIM Kegs Mixed Drinks FINN KEG INDIVIDUAL DECORATION Ø 322 Coloured top and bottom chimbs Hot foil printing of your brand name in the top and/or bottom chimb High-quality silk screen printing of your brand name or logo on the keg body (one or two-coloured) H1 Stickers / Labelling Electrochemical etching FEATURES Top and bottom chimbs are made of HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) Exchangeable top and bottom chimbs Geometry of chimbs can be adapted individually Laser etching of 2D Matrix code or QR code as an alternative BLEFA KEGS — MADE IN GERMANY Highest quality: ISO certified 9001:2008 Hygiene: Utilization of high-quality stainless steel for all components that come in contact with contents (Standard 1.4301 / AISI 304; Special 1.4571 / AISI 316) Focus on safety: All kegs are equipped with a safety burst disc TYPE CAPACITY (L/GAL) Ø D (MM/IN) H1 (MM/IN) WEIGHT (KG/LB) STACKABLE HOTFOIL PRINT SILK SCREEN ETCHING LASER 2-D BARCODE AND NO. FINN Keg F30D 30 / 7.93 363 / 14.29 400 / 15.75 8.6 / 18.96 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ FINN Keg F50D 50 / 13.2 363 / 14.29 600 / 23.62 10.7 / 23.59 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ FINN Keg F15M 15 / 3.96 303 / 11.92 334 / 13.15 6.0 / 13.23 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ FINN
    [Show full text]
  • Draught Beer Basics Brochure
    Draught Beer Basi cs Table of Anatomy of Aroma Determined by malt, Contents grain and fermentation by-products. Anatomy of Beer .................................. 3 Styles of Beer ...................................... 4 Keg Sizes and Information ................... 6 Keg Layouts ......................................... 7 Head Produced by Coupler Information ............................ 8 bubbles of carbon dioxide rising to the Keg Coupler Chart ................................ 9 surface. Beer Installing Dispensing Equipment .......... 10 Co2 Connection Information ................. 12 Color Determined by Tapping a Keg ...................................... 13 the kilning of the malts. Perlick Beer Dispensers ........................ 14 Can also depend on mashing, boiling and Alcohol Content Pouring the Perfect Beer ...................... 16 fermentation. Beer ranges from less than 3% to just under 30% alcohol by volume. About this book eer is one of the oldest, and most The following information is Flavor Determined by popular, beverages known to man. The from Perlick’s publication, Tap the malt, hops and water Bconsumption of beer has been traced used in the brewing back 7,000 years to Asia, and is now enjoyed My Beer Brain Draught Beer process. Reference Manual. around the world. There are upwards of 5,000 breweries in the US and Europe alone, giving Perlick (as a supplier of you, the consumer, more choices than ever. draught beer dispensing This manual will teach you the basics of beer, equipment, parts and industry Carbonation Carbon as well as everything you need to know about Dioxide is a by-product of your Perlick Beer Dispenser. Perlick’s Signature expertise) expresses its deep fermentation. appreciation of the Brewers Series line of Beer Dispensers brings brewery Association for allowing us to fresh flavor right into your home, satisfying use its Brewers Association the palate of even the most discriminating Draught Beer Quality Manual beer connoisseur.
    [Show full text]
  • Knowledge Areas Outline
    Cicerone® Certification Program International Certified Beer Server Syllabus Updated November 20th, 2017 This syllabus outlines the knowledge required of those preparing for the Certified Beer Server exam outside of the United States, Canada, the UK, Australia, or New Zealand. While this list is comprehensive in its scope of content, further study beyond the syllabus is necessary to fully understand each topic. The content tested on the Certified Beer Server exam is a subset of the information presented within the Master Cicerone® Syllabus, and individual syllabi for all four levels of the program may be found on the cicerone.org website. Outline (Full syllabus begins on next page.) I. Keeping and Serving Beer A. Serving alcohol B. Beer storage C. Draught systems D. Beer glassware E. Serving bottled beer F. Serving draught beer II. Beer Styles A. Understanding beer styles B. Style parameters C. History, characteristics, and flavour attributes of styles by region III. Beer Flavour and Evaluation A. Taste and flavour B. Identify normal flavours of beer and their source C. Off-flavour knowledge IV. Beer Ingredients and Brewing Processes A. Ingredients V. Pairing Beer with Food © Copyright 2017, Cicerone® Certification Program For more information, visit www.cicerone.org or email [email protected] Cicerone® Certification Program Version 3.2 – November 20th, 2017 Certified Beer Server Syllabus - Page 2 Full Syllabus I. Keeping and Serving Beer A. Serving alcohol 1. Alcohol’s effects a. Absorption and elimination b. Physical and behavioral indicators 2. Responsible serving practices a. Provide accurate ABV information to consumers b. Adjust serving size based on ABV B.
    [Show full text]
  • ADVANCED ABV Content Contributed by Jenny Parker, Imperial Beverage
    ADVANCED ABV Content contributed by Jenny Parker, Imperial Beverage Alcohol by volume (i.e. ABV, or alc/vol) is a standard measure of how much alcohol (ethanol) is contained in an alcoholic beverage. The ABV standard is used worldwide. DRINK TYPICAL ABV Fruit juice (naturally occurring) less than 0.1% Low-alcohol beer 0.0%–1.2% Kombucha 0.5%–1.5% Cider 2%–8.5% Beer 2%–12% (usually 4%–6%) Barley Wine (strong ale) 8%–15% Mead 8%–16% Wine 9%–16% (most often 12.5%–14.5%) Dessert Wine 14%–25% Alcohol by volume states what portion of the total volume of liquid is alcohol. To determine the ABV of a beer, a brewer typically uses what's called a hydrometer, which is an instrument that aids in measuring the density of liquid in relation to water. (It essentially free-floats in a cylinder or liquid.) The hydrometer will be calibrated to read 1.000 in water (at 60°F), and the denser the liquid (example: add sugar to the liquid), the higher the hydrometer reading. Before yeast cells are introduced to ferment beer, the liquid is called "wort” (pronounced wert), and it's full of all kinds of sugars that were previously extracted from the grain. A brewer will take a hydrometer measurement of the wort (at 60°F) to determine what's called the original gravity (OG). Then yeast is pitched into the wort, and fermentation begins. As the yeast cells eat the sugar in the wort, they create two wonderful by-products: carbonation (CO2) and alcohol.
    [Show full text]
  • Lisa Gardner Prologue
    LISA GARDNER PROLOGUE Who do you love? It’s a question anyone should be able to answer. A question that defines a life, creates a future, guides most minutes of one’s days. Simple, elegant, encompassing. Who do you love? He asked the question, and I felt the answer in the weight of my duty belt, the constrictive confines of my armored vest, the tight brim of my trooper’s hat, pulled low over my brow. I reached down slowly, my fingers just brushing the top of my Sig Sauer, holstered at my hip. “Who do you love?” he cried again, louder now, more insistent. My fingers bypassed my state- issued weapon, finding the black leather keeper that held my duty belt to my waist. The Velcro rasped loudly as I unfastened the first band, then the second, third, fourth. I worked the metal buckle, then my twenty pound duty belt, complete with my sidearm, Taser, and collapsible steel baton released from my waist and dangled in the space between us. “Don’t do this,” I whispered, one last shot at reason. He merely smiled. “Too little, too late.” “Where’s Sophie? What did you do?” “Belt. On the table. Now.” “No.” “GUN. On the table. NOW!” In response, I widened my stance, squaring off in the middle of the kitchen, duty belt still suspended from my left hand. Four years of my life, patrolling the highways of Massachusetts, swearing to defend and protect. I had training and experience on my side. © Lisa Gardner. All rights reserved. Page 1 www.LisaGardner.com LOVE YOU MORE LISA GARDNER I could go for my gun.
    [Show full text]