Pouring beer

**nukebrewer** · 11-14-2008, 03:00 AM

So what is the proper way to pour a beer? Growing up, my dad taught me that you're supposed to pour down the side of the glass to minimize the head you get, but I know that head retention is kind of a big deal. In an article on the BJCP site, it says to pour straight down the center of glass. I have a feeling the "pour down the side" method came from BMCers who don't give two ****s about head retention.

**mibrewer** · 11-14-2008, 03:08 AM

I pour down the side of the glass for about 3/4s of the bottle and then I pour the rest down the middle to produce head. If I pour straight down the whole time the head becomes almost the entire height of the beer and then I have to wait a few minutes to drink.

Edit: Didn't answer your question. Pour the beer in the way that gives you the most pleasure in drink. Try different methods and stick with the one you like. Perhaps more middle pour with a heavier (body) beer to get the head and with a lighter (body) beer do more side pour. It seems that a heavier brew takes a little more to get a good head.

ifishsum · 11-14-2008, 06:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mibrewer

I pour down the side of the glass for about 3/4s of the bottle and then I pour the rest down the middle to produce head.

This is pretty much how I like to do it. I like a little bit of a head for aesthetic reasons, but I don't want to drink all foam and I don't want to wait too long for it to drop. The proper way is whatever works for you IMO, unless you're a bartender or something. The BJCP pour is probably so they can judge the head of the beer or some such.

carnevoodoo · 11-14-2008, 06:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mibrewer

I pour down the side of the glass for about 3/4s of the bottle and then I pour the rest down the middle to produce head. If I pour straight down the whole time the head becomes almost the entire height of the beer and then I have to wait a few minutes to drink.

Edit: Didn't answer your question. Pour the beer in the way that gives you the most pleasure in drink. Try different methods and stick with the one you like. Perhaps more middle pour with a heavier (body) beer to get the head and with a lighter (body) beer do more side pour. It seems that a heavier brew takes a little more to get a good head.

I do thee same. Tilted most of the way, and I finish off with a little more splashing to get the head I want.

If only head were that easy in the rest of life.

ivanavich · 11-14-2008, 01:20 PM

I'm new to the brewing world and drink what I can get my hands on at the moment. If I pour myself a ____lite i'm pouring down the side all the way. On a decent beer i'l pour down the side at first and then down center.

HokieBrewer · 11-14-2008, 02:11 PM

I could be mistaken, but I thought there were benefits to pouring straight down the middle, like reducing carbonation in Wit beers and creating more aroma...

Eves · 11-14-2008, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HokieBrewer

I could be mistaken, but I thought there were benefits to pouring straight down the middle, like reducing carbonation in Wit beers and creating more aroma...

I believe you're correct. Plus there is that thing about the carbonation in the beer is going to come out somewhere. So your options are release much of it in the glass from pouring, drink it down and burp, or drink it down and...well...its basically a gas so...

My preference is what many have said: Pour on the side most of the ways and then down the center to get the desired amount of head when finishing off the pour.

TeleTwanger · 11-14-2008, 04:03 PM

I don't pour, I decant

Boodlemania · 11-14-2008, 05:20 PM

How do I pour beer?

Directly into my mouth! BBWWAAAahahaha

**nukebrewer** · 11-14-2008, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boodlemania

How do I pour beer?

Directly into my mouth! BBWWAAAahahaha

I hope you mean directly from the glass to your mouth rather than from the bottle to your mouth. If it's the latter, I weep for you