Pour, Serve, Drink. Smile.
>> Temperature and Glass
One thing is guaranteed, drinking out of the bottle will completely stifle any aroma and most of the flavor of your beer. With the majority of beers on this blog, you’ll even find yourself with a mouthful of yeast upon your final sips from the bottle.
Picking a glass may seem more complicated than its worth, but we can simplify this whole blown-out debate right here and now. Brewers will sometimes tell you what type of glass their beer is best served, and at what temperature. If the instructions aren’t right under your nose (check your beer’s label), you can keep a couple of things in mind as a general rule of thumb.
The cooler the beer, the less you will taste it. It is for this reason a lot of American mass-produced beers are served ‘ice cold’ – they are simply meant to bypass the palate and your taste receptors to boot. The more complex the flavor, the more of it you will experience as you allow a beer to reach warmer temps. There are a ton of beers that will simply explode with flavor when served at room temperature, while others... may be best consumed ASAP out of the fridge. We would not feel like responsible tour guides, however, if we were to paint this hot topic in black & white. After all, trying new beer is about individual experience, not necessarily following the rules.
On that same note, there is practically a different glass available for every type and brand of beer on the market. Certain glasses allow for aromatic experience, others for head concentration and retention, while others are simply designed for stackability (a favorite among bartenders). You should be able to see, smell, and taste your beer without obstruction – any glass that detracts from the experience is simply getting in the way. So what’s a beer drinker to do?
Most of the beers we drink will be served chilled in a tulip glass. A tulip glass is a great choice if you’re looking to keep your glass collection to a minimum. The glass has a stem by which to hold the beer without imparting warmth from your hand; in cases where you do want to warm a beer, the curvature of the tulip fits comfortably in the palm. More importantly, the curved bottom of the glass actually helps agitate the beer as it is poured. This stirs up some aroma, and helps give the beer ample head (except for some crappy lagers, pictured left). Lastly, the flare at the top of the glass will help you smell your beer.
Make your own serving choices. If you like all of your beer cold, drink it cold. Doing so can even help to make bizarre beers a little gentler on the taste buds. Push your own limits as you dare, experiment at your own rate. Beer can be both exquisite and approachable, but you should make every effort to elevate your experience, for your own sake.
Will a ‘bad’ glass ruin your beer? No, not as long as it’s clean! On the other hand, many find that a ‘good’ glass can actually improve a beer’s flavor and aroma (or at least the imbiber’s ability to experience flavor and aroma). Improving the experience is what we’re all about.
>> The Perfect Pour
Start with a clean glass (dirt, grime, and oil can kill the beer’s head... and is just plain gross). Hold your glass at an angle and pour slowly down the side of the glass, aiming midway down the length of the glass. Try not to allow the bottle to come in contact with the glass or the beer (again, dirt and grime...). As you pass the halfway point, begin straightening your glass and pour right down the middle, leaving the last bit of yeast and sediment in the bottle [note: with wheat beers, you actually want to swirl the bottle halfway through, and pour in all of the yeast with your beer]. Filtered beers will be void of yeast and sediment. Despite popular belief, you should try to get a good head on your beer- one to three fingers’ width.
>> Imbibe
Look, smell, taste, reflect.
You don’t have to be a snob or a beer geek to appreciate your beverage. Unless you’re looking to challenge the sommelier to a terminology quiz, you should be aiming to improve your own drinking experience. Here’s what the pros are thinking about when they taste a beer:
Appearance – Color, clarity, head, lacing, bubbles, and sediment may help you draw preconceptions and expectations.
Aroma – Alcoholic, malty, hoppy, and yeasty characteristics are only a few of the potential olfactory stimulators to be found. Smell will impact taste significantly.
Taste – Different flavors come forth on different parts of the palate. Aftertaste may bring forward otherwise transparent nuances of flavor or bitterness.
Mouthfeel – Viscous, astringent, and alkaline aren’t uncommon descriptors here, literally translating the way the beer feels as it bathes the mouth.
Finish – Lingering flavor, aroma, bitterness, and remnants of mouthfeel may drastically change as the beer is swallowed. The lasting impressions shape the character of the beverage.
Drinkability – Does the beer leave the imbiber with a bad taste, or yearning for more? Heavy, pungent, highly alcoholic beers aren’t often touted in this category.
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