Commerical Beer. When to pour into glass or not?

So I'm a home brewer, and naturally pour store bought beer into a glass to observe the carbonation, initial aroma and stuff like that. Call me crazy if you will, but I've been noticing some beers (maybe not the majority but a good little chunk) actually tasting better strait from the bottle. Perhaps maybe retaining more favor and not oxidizing? The one i just finished for instance, flying dog's oyster stout. Had it about a month or more ago out of a glass, thought it might be more than decent but nothing special. A minute ago i had it out of a bottle for easier carrying and though it was much better. I know there's a million other factors that contribute to taste and drinkability, but ive noticed this before with a few others. Im sure others have too, i just couldn't find a thread about it.

If it has flavor but mainly aroma, drink it from a glass, or in the case of belgians/saisons, a big brandy snifter is excellent (a large "red wine" glass is also acceptable but not preferred, too tall). If the beer doesn't qualify under any of those, suck em down from the bottle/can like it was goin out of style. Some prime examples include but are not limited to inbev/millercoors products, corona, most Mexican light lagers for that matter etc. Though, if you want a real sensory experience put your nose right next to the opening of a can of Tecate as you crack it and inhale deeply through your nostrils, a treat to be sure, do it just for funsies, get's you higher than a Georgia pine.

What about Hefes and most wheat beers? They usually have a sediment, although the label usually does not specify. Mixing in the sediment does change the flavor I've noticed.

And I will try that, i typically think Tecate is pretty ok to me, but my friends and spouse disagree.

Personally, if I'm visiting a friend and am offered a beer in a bottle (without a glass) I simply drink it that way--of course it's usually a BMC product and I expect little from the taste. If I'm at home or out for dinner everything gets consumed from a glass--of course the beer I buy is very different from what my BMC friends drink.

Don't forget that even though something may taste better in your opinion, it really only tastes different and that difference is more in line with your personal taste preferences and thresholds. So a beer that tastes better to you from the bottle has simply changed the flavor profile to one your pallet prefers. Most upper quality beers are made for drinking from a glass and should be consumed that way if you want to experience the beer the way the brewer intended. However, once it's in your hand it's up to you to decide how you prefer it. My wife loves to drink some beers from the bottle with a straw . I know one person who likes to put hers in a glass with ice. I can't understand either but to each their own.

Point made. I agree with the visiting a friend thing. Had a another pearl necklace oyster stout tonight, this time paired with a small marinated steak and then later with a deli style swiss cheese sandwich. Poured it pretty slow, as i would a homebrew. Noticed different colored bubbles at the end of the pour where sediment would be, but definatly better than the bottle last night. Cheers.

Breweries almost always tell you to drink from a glass. Now I wouldn't necessarily think there's a massive difference between bad beer in a glass or not. But I know that the glass can make all the difference. I have a variety of glasses for specific beers. SOmetimes I still drink from the bottle, usually because of not wanting to clean a glass, but typically unless I'm at someone elses house who doesn't freely offer it, I drink my beer from a glass.

I almost always drink from a glass. I just prefer it that way, ocassionally from a bottle, never from a can. I counted today, I have 27 different beer glasses, my wife asks that I don't remind her how many I have. Lol

Drinking beer from a bottle is like eating a steak while holding your nose

wailingguitar said:

Drinking beer from a bottle is like eating a steak while holding your nose

Click to expand...

I couldn't have said it better.

While I agree, I also find that Founder's All Day IPA is better straight from the bottle. Can't wait for the cans!