How to give Good Head

How many times have you gone out for a night on the town and served a flat beer with no head? It can be frustrating. We have all made mistakes when pouring that perfect beer. There are many reasons that can cause this to happen.

I will try and give you a few tips on improving your technique

· Tip the beer glass on an approximate 45 degree angle

· Slowly pour the beer down the side of the glass. As it reaches half full, return glass to upright position. Pour the remainder straight into the beer to create the perfect head.

· Good head should be about 1/2 inch on top of glass. This could depend also on the beer itself.

All beers do not produce the same head. Ales are very different to Stout. It is very important to know which beer produces more head. You can adjust the tilt and pour to suit the type of beer to produce a perfect head at all times. Too much head could result in loss of the flavor of that particular ale.

Some beers like the Stout are quick to foam. When pouring these you need to pour very slowly onto the side of the glass until half full, then let it settle before topping up? This will result in a beautiful head. Stout is traditionally a very foaming enjoyable drink. I hear tell there is a baby in every bottle. It is also said that stout is good for you and your heart. Who are we to argue that point, it sure tastes great?

Sediment and Home Brewed beers

Some beers will have yeast sediment at the base of the bottle. To prevent having any sediment, then pour slowly into glass, keeping the bottle tipped at an angle to pour the second glassful. This will leave sediment in the bottom of bottle.

What causes beer to go flat in a glass?

I notice that my beer goes flat when drinking from a glass sometimes. One of the main causes for this is a dirty or greasy glass. The beer in the bottle is flat when opened. If that happens return it to supplier for exchange or refund.

Possible causes:

· Sometimes we tend to nibble on snacks like Italian sausages, burgers, cheeses or similar. As we eat the grease goes on the glass from our mouth causing the beer to go flat. Grease will kill a beer head.

· Dirty glasses- by that I mean a beer glass should be kept for beer. One used to drink milk from could leave a residual of this on the glass. Always wash and rinse out with hot water if going to use for beer and leave to drain not towel dry.

· Some beer dispensing equipment could even be faulty and cause this to happen in manufacture. Or the keg at the pub when turned on dispensing the beer through faucet could cause the problem. Never hold glass too close to the faucet.

What to do when beer is flat in glass

· Use a fresh glass and pour beer into that

· Add a pinch of salt and the bubbles will quickly return.

Home Brewed Beers

There are many great beers to make for the home brewer. We have tried many different brands like Coopers and a variety of Ales, Draughts, Bitter and the Stout of course. This is a good way to save money and still have a ready supply of coldy’s in the fridge for any beer loving person.

Whatever type of beer you drink, make sure to give it a good head.