Are You Pouring Beer The Wrong Way?
Pouring beer isn't rocket science. However there are some things that are done in bars all around the country which have me scratching my head from time to time. Like not holding a pint at 45 degrees, laying the beer pint flat on the drip tray and pouring. How about not using a glass rinser to prep the pint before beer is poured. Lastly, watching beer faucets submerge in a pint of beer... ewww ewww ewww.
After reading this post you should have a good idea on how to pour beer the right way. If nothing else it will be a refresher. Let's get going.
How to Reduce Foam When Pouring Beer
First, pour the beer into a glass-making sure you don't spill it. Since most of us want to drink our beers and not wear them we need to take care in pouring them. Just tilt your glass at about 45 degrees and pour down the side so that the beer will hit the bottom of the glass and start to flow up. Pouring directly on top of the bottom of a glass gets you nothing but foam, and nobody wants that. Tilted more than 45 degrees won't allow the beer to break limiting the aroma of hops in the beer. While leaving a lot of Co2 in the solution. Hold the glass at 45 degrees until it's 3/4 full and tilting up to finish the pour. Is the best way to pour a beer and reduce foam.
Why Rinse a Glass Before Pouring Beer
It is important to rinse the glass with cold water before you pour your beer into it. This helps chill your pint glass and reduce the amount of foam on top of your beer when you pour it in. It also removes any dust or debris from sitting on the glass which could end up in your drink. As an added bonus, this also makes your beer more flavorful.
The sight of someone unsuspectingly pouring a beer in a warm glass is enough to make any true craft beer lover cringe. By rinsing the glass with cold water you are reducing the likelihood of flashing and foamy beer.
Why You Shouldn't Immerse The Beer Faucet In Beer
If you are pouring your beer in a glass, from a draft beer system. Chances are at some point when you pour. The beer will reach the top of the faucet, and be submerged in beer. If this happens you contaminate the beer you're about to serve a customer. Remember beer is a food product. Yeast, bacteria, and mold live in beer. So by doing this you'll be giving extra organic goodies to someone who probably doesn't want them. Not only does this contaminate your beer, but it is gross. So if your beer is submerging the beer faucet. Don't do this anymore.
Don't Pour Into a Frosted Mug
That's right it may look cool to have a frosted mug...but great craft beer should be dispensed at 38 F degrees. If you are using a frozen glass it will cause your beer to flash and foam at the beginning because the glass is cooler than the beer. Consistently using frozen mugs will cause a lot of foam. This over time can cause a loss to your business because your pour costs will be higher. If you had used a pint, at room temperature and rinsed it with a rinser. You would have maximized keg yield. The second reason not to use a frosted mug. Is it will kill the aroma of the beer as well. So don't use a frosted mug.
Why You Should Tilt a Glass When Pouring Beer
If you pour a beer without tilting the glass at all (like you see bartenders sometimes do). The head will quickly rise and overflow, creating way too much foam on top of your beer. Tilting your glass 45 degrees will help to reduce this and give you a perfect pint every time. Remember: don't tilt it too much, or you might get a beer without much foam. Foam isn't a bad thing. We are looking for the perfect amount of foam on a beer.
Conclusion
Whether you're enjoying a nice cold one out on the town or trying to pour from a friends kegerator. There are several ways to prevent foam when pouring beer.
The trick is make sure when you pour, the faucet isn't submerged in beer. That you're tilting the glass at a 45-degree angle instead of straight up and down. Use a glass rinser to prep your pint before you pour beer. This will help the beer when it hits your pint.
I hope you enjoyed this post. If you have any other questions feel free to reach out to me here. Check out the rest of our blog here.
Talk soon.
Cheers!
