Joker Keung – Draught Beer Supervisor, Jebsen Beer
There is nothing like a nice cold beer in the summer. Whether it is catching up with old friends at a bar or enjoying dinner at a family restaurant, beer is always the beverage of choice for the happiest gatherings. I like to think of myself as an important part of this social ritual.
When I was Draught Beer Technician at Jebsen Beverage, it was my job to install and maintain the beer cooling systems in bars, restaurants and entertainment venues to ensure that an endless stream of cold draught beer is always on tap. People are often awestruck when they hear what I do, first saying that I have one of the best jobs around then commenting that I must have an affinity for beer. This is not exactly true.
I entered the industry five years ago, but prior to that I had no knowledge in cooling systems, mechanics, or even beer. But the support I received at Jebsen was second to none. Working together with my teammates, I learnt a lot on the job about the characteristics of all kinds of beer, and familiarised myself with the design and operation of different cooling systems.”
Every bar, restaurant, concert hall or festival ground has different serving needs. At the same time, cooling systems come in all different sizes, so an important part of my job is to inspect each venue ahead of time. My teammates and I then work together, using our joint experience to select the best cooling system for the venue. After installing it, I will make regular inspections every 10 to 14 days, and provide ongoing emergency maintenance service.
I have learnt that beer cooling systems work in a similar way to air conditioners and refrigerators. If there is not enough space around the machine for heat to dissipate, then the beer inside won’t cool, and nobody wants warm beer! It is therefore crucial that we accurately calculate the space needed around the machinery and install fans to cool the surrounding air.
When my friends ask what they have to do to get a job like mine, I always tell them the same thing: enthusiasm and interest. If they love tinkering with machinery and enjoy solving complex problems, a job as a draught beer technician offers amazing opportunities to learn lifelong skills and get ahead. While working in this role, I was able to study A/C repair and maintenance and gas welding on the side, and I was promoted to master technician after just two years. Today, I help train new employees, encouraging them to share ideas to improve our operations.
As for whether I often drink beer as much as I know about it, the answer is no. In fact, the majority of technicians don’t actually drink too often. We just love the challenge of this type of complex mechanical inspection process, which keeps the job interesting and us on our toes!