How To: Properly Pour a Beer

I hate it when I get a beer that isn't poured properly. I know I sound like a snob, but I can't help it. It bugs me. When I'm paying good money for a beer, I want the full experience of my beer (just as I do my wine). Over carbonation makes the beer hard to drink or worse, kills flavors. Too weak of a head prevents me from being able to detect the full aroma. (But to my friends, don't worry. I don't criticize when I'm at houses; it's just restaurants and bars that fall under my wrath ;))

Pouring a beer properly is actually a lot easier than it seems. And once you get it down, you will most likely notice a difference in the taste. Give it a try with these easy steps:

1. Make sure you start with a clean glass. This is extremely important as a glass with residue on it (such as soap or mineral residue) can kill the carbonation of your beverage.

2. Tilt your glass in one hand at a 45 degree angle. Begin pouring your beer with the other hand so that the beer hits the glass about half-way below the rim and flows slowly down the side of the glass. This is the part that prevents over-carbonation.

3. When your glass is around half full, continue pouring, but tip your glass fully upright. This will create a nice head at the top of the glass when through. The half-full mark is more or less. Different beers require different 90 degree turn points to create a proper head. You will learn which are which simply by practicing with your favorites. Ales, for instance, need to be tipped slightly past half-way. Hefeweizen should only be tilted right at the very end. There are some that feel Pilsners should be a straight pour, no 45 degree tilt at all, to achieve the proper head. You get the idea.

4. It is important to note that there is an added step when pouring stout. When the glass is about 2/3 full, set it down and let it completely settle! (Note the exclamation point. I'm pretty serious about this one. Don't mess with my Guinness!) Once it's settled, continue to pour very slowly in the center of the glass, with the glass straight up, to create the proper head. When it's done correctly, you can trace a design (you've all seen the shamrock, I'm certain) in the head and the design will stay.

5. Enjoy!

It's really as simple as that. The hardest part is getting the timing down to tip at the right moment. If you tip too late, your head will be thin, too early, it will be too much, but you'll learn your own timing preference.