It seems like there's a thousand ways to pour a beer, but in reality, there's just one. Let's take a deeper look at the entire process of pouring the perfect pint (or whichever glass you choose) beginning with the question: to tilt or not to tilt?
We know the suspense is too much, so we'll let you know the answer. Absolutely, please tilt.
1. Rinse your glass.
This will rid your vessel of any leftover residue from regular dish washing. At the same time, water will reduce friction when beer is poured, resulting in the perfect head and ideal aromas.
2. Always use a fresh glass between beers.
This will eliminate any flavor or aroma transfer from one glass of beer to the next.
3. Tilt!
Tilting the glass (we recommend 45 degrees) allows the foamy head to form and brings out the beer's aromas.
4. Use the correct glass.
With Luigi Bormioli's Birrateque collection, there’s a glass for every occasion and beer style. When you use the right glass, you'll experience beer the way the brewers intended it to be enjoyed.
5. Pour slowly.
You want the beer to hit at the middle of the glass. And with Belgians and IPAs, pay particular attention to pouring slowly as they tend to foam faster than other beers. Begin to place the beer upright when it is about half full.
The goal is to have about 1/2" to 1 1/2" of head when your beer is poured. If you have 2" or more of foam, the pour was too aggressive, and less than a 1/2" of foam means the pour was too slow.
If at first you don't succeed - try, try again!