I just finished the keg of my amber ale that had the most amazing lacing on a beer I've made, didn't matter if I just gave the glass a thorough wash or if I used the one I didn't clean out from last night (I wanted to see if the dirty glass thing would stop it). Going to have to make that one again! So smooth, recipe is here if you want it:
Lacing = well carbonated with (typically) very good head retention
Nucleation on the sides of the glass = Dirty glass
Good lacing is a sight to behold. I love it when I drink a beer and I can see the individual rings going down the glass showing the progress of the drinking.
If I don't clean and rinse my glasses well enough there is no head or lacing.
My wife and I have an ongoing lacing joke because of the TSA obsession. It is nice to see lace in your beer, and I really like the meringue-like head of the wheat I brew for her. Kyle