Art of the pour

With the widespread popularity of craftbrews, micro breweries, and pubs it still amazes me how many people do not know how to pour a pint.  I even see bartenders who couldn’t pour a pint to save their life. I’ve been drinking beer far longer then I’ve been brewing, but I always seemed to understand or at least try to make my glass look like one you’d see in an ad.  

Here’s a great article/quicktime from the Beer Advocate on how to pour the Perfect Pint. http://beeradvocate.com/beer/101/pour

Every beer is different, different levels of carbonation, different hops which influence the head retention and stability, the yeast and the age of the beer effect the beer and thus how the beer reacts as it is poured.  Some beers need a harder (less angle on the glass) and other need a softer pour (more angle on the glass) to ease the growth/size of the head.  You can also adjust your rate of pour as well.

The bottom line is a good beer deservers a good glass and having an appropriate head on your beer will open up more flavors and aroma making a more enjoyable experience.