The Perfect Pour
If you worked hard to build yourself the best, most perfectly balanced draft system in town, and religiously maintain your system throughout the year it can be soul destroying to watch one of your staff serve a poorly poured beer. Last-mile training in the case of draft beer is extremely important. Here we’re going to run through the recommended steps for creating the perfect beer pour but first we’re going to cover some other important elements to consider around the pour.
Frozen and Chilled Glasses
Different styles of beer have different service temperatures, mostly ranging between 38ºF and 44ºF. Some locations use refrigerated or frozen glasses for beer, and whilst these may look cool, they only really suit domestic light lagers. The ice found in the glass can cause foaming, resulting in beer loss. To prevent ice forming these glasses should be fully dry before being put in the fridge or freezer.
For craft beer, room temperature glasses are preferred because they help warm the beer above the temperature of the draft system, releasing more of the aromas and flavors that the brewer intended. The problem with this is that using dry, room temperature glasses can cause the cold beer coming out of the faucet to foam.
Glass rinsers can be used to slightly chill room temperature glasses, and also add a film of moisture to the glass which assists in pouring a beer with no over-foaming. Check out our article on glass rinsers to learn more about how they can increase the quality of your beer service.
Hygiene and Contamination at The Tap
When pouring a beer, it is imperative that the faucet does not touch the glass or the beer in said glass. Doing so can transfer contamination from dried beer on the faucet into the glass, and if the faucet is submerged in beer it can turn into a breeding ground for microorganisms! It also has a chance of breaking the glass. Studies have shown that location which keep to the above practices, as well as rinsing faucets and drip trays at the end of every evening, show a significantly lower sign of fruit flies at the taps, and can significantly reduce how dirty their beer lines are.
Perfect Beer Pour
- Hold the beer glass at a 45º angle, about 1.5 inches underneath the faucet. Quickly pull the faucet open fully.
- Pour the beer down the side of the glass and slowly tilt the glass upright when the glass about half full.
- Pour the beer directing into the beer in the glass, moving the glass around so that a 1 inch head forms on the beer. This helps the visual appeal of the beverage along with helping with the release of carbonation.
- Close faucet swiftly to prevent beer loss.
Training bartenders to pour beer might sound simple yet it accomplishes two important things: prevents unnecessary beer loss and ensures that every beer passed over your bar is a perfect pour!
