Yes. A glass rinser sprays fresh water every time a glass is pressed onto it, so it needs both a water supply and a way for that water to drain away. How the drain has to be connected depends on your local plumbing code and health department.
Shop the equipment in this article: Mixology stations, Underbar sinks and Hand sinks. Freight is included on every order.
How a glass rinser works
A glass rinser is a spray head set in a shallow tray. Pressing an upturned glass onto the head opens a valve and sends a short burst of water up into the glass. The water falls back into the tray and has to leave through a drain outlet.
There are two common ways this is handled:
- The rinser has its own drain pan, and a drain line runs from that pan to an approved drain.
- The rinser is built into or set over a sink, a drip tray or a bar station that already has a drain, and the rinse water leaves through that drain.
Either way there is a drain. A rinser with no drain path will flood the bar top within a few glasses.
What the codes say about the drain
We did not find a section of the FDA Food Code that names glass rinsers. The general rule that inspectors apply is Food Code section 5-402.11, which says a direct connection may not exist between the sewage system and a drain from equipment in which food, portable equipment or utensils are placed. The section has limited exceptions that apply only where the law allows them.
Many health departments apply that rule to bar equipment by requiring an indirect drain, meaning the drain line ends above a floor sink or similar receptor with an air gap rather than being piped straight into the sewer line. Whether your inspector treats a glass rinser this way, and what size of air gap is required, comes from your local plumbing code. Jurisdictions differ.
The water supply side also matters. Rinser manufacturers tell installers to check local plumbing codes before connecting the water line. Depending on where you are, the code may call for backflow protection, a shutoff valve or a pressure regulator on that line. Follow the installation instructions for your model and have a licensed plumber make the connection.
Your local health department and plumbing inspector have the final say, so confirm the drain and water connection with them before you buy.
A rinser is not a wash sink
A glass rinser prepares a clean glass for the pour. It flushes out dust or residue, cools the glass and wets the inside. It does not wash or sanitize. Used glassware still has to go through a warewashing machine or be washed, rinsed and sanitized by hand. Food Code section 4-301.12 calls for a sink with at least three compartments for manual warewashing, so a rinser does not reduce the number of sink bowls your bar needs.
Common problems
- No drain planned at the rinser location. Adding a floor sink or drain line after the bar is finished is expensive.
- Drain line with no slope or a kink. The tray backs up and overflows onto the bar.
- Rinser drained into the ice bin drain or a hand sink. Ask your inspector before sharing any drain, and never route waste water where it could reach ice.
- No shutoff on the water line. A stuck valve then means shutting off water to the whole bar.
- Debris in the tray. Fruit and garnish block the small drain opening, so clean the tray daily.
What to buy
Decide where the rinse water will drain first, then pick the equipment.
- Mixology stations with a built-in glass rinser, so the rinser, ice bin and work surface arrive as one unit. Check the spec sheet for the drain outlet location and plan your floor sink to match.
- Underbar sinks for washing, rinsing and sanitizing glassware by hand.
- Blender stations with a dump sink if you also need a place to pour out leftovers.
- Hand sinks within reach of the bartender.
Express KitchQuip’s own stainless steel line is NSF certified. Freight to the 48 contiguous states is included in the price.