How to pour a perfect beer

Some everyday things would apparently seem very simple at first sight, and we never really stop to think if there is another or better way of doing them. For example: Have you ever wondered how to pour the perfect glass of beer?

Obviously we can just take a bottle or can of beer from the fridge, open it and pour it any old how in the first glass we find within easy reach. We can even dispense with the glass altogether and drink it straight from the bottle or can. However, there are some guidelines for pouring beer than can help us to enjoy it even more. Let‘s take a look at them.

Pouring beer process

The process of pouring beer starts by choosing the temperature we want to serve it at beforehand. Due to the climate here in Spain and our traditions, we tend to drink all beer well chilled, which can prevent how we perceive the wide range of bouquets and flavours of some brewing styles. As a general rule, golden beer with a moderate alcohol content such as Pilsen beer (Kronenbourg 1664) or wheat beer (Tyris Trigo) are best served at around 5ºC, whereas stouts (Guinness), those with a higher alcohol content and more complex beers (Leffe Blonde) and barrel-aged beers (Mahou Barrica Original), are best served at a slightly higher temperature, up to 7ºC depending on the variety.

The next thing is to choose the right glass.Using a glass cup or goblet enhances our multisensory perception of beer and also allows us to contemplate the colour, transparency or cloudiness, the texture of the head and above all the bouquet, which together exponentially improve the overall taste. Not all cups and glasses are the same though. Each type of beer is best served in a specific glass in order to enhance its organoleptic properties. To sum up, and based on what we mentioned in the previous paragraph, we could say that tall, narrow glasses are perfect for serving beer that we drink cold (Carlsberg); whereas wider rimmed glasses are better for drinking beer that is served warmer (Grimbergen Double Ambrée).

How to pour a beer

So now we have finally reached the subject matter of this article on how to pour the beer into our glass, and at this point we should also state that there is not just one way of doing it properly. In fact, the brewing style can sometimes even condition how the beer should be poured. However, we are going to make a recommendation that will lead to good results regardless of the beer type:

1. Position the glass in a tilted position and pour the beer from the bottle or can over the vertical side of the glass, as far as possible avoiding forming a head.
2. Slowly straighten the glass to a vertical position, and when the beer is just 2 or 3 centimetres from full, raise the bottle or can so that the beer produces the protective head.
3. If the beer has yeast lees in it (Franziskaner Weissbier), twirl it gently when only a little is left so that it mixes with the beer and then pour it into the glass so as to enjoy the natural cloudiness.

We hope these tips will help you enjoy the wide assortment of bouquets and tastes of this delicious beverage even more. Always drink in moderation and take your time to savour the flavour as it should with each sip.

Cheers!

Julio Cerezo - Beer Sommelier

Director of Sabeer Beer Academy