Keeping your craft beer crafty: Part 2 - Serving

It’s time for the second installment of the “Keeping your craft beer crafty” series with a few notes on the lost art of serving. Believe it or not, as important as storage is to ensuring the deliciousness of your brew, the temperature and pouring method are instrumental in contributing towards the beer’s integrity.

Most "standard" beers taste fresher if served as soon as possible after purchase. (This seems obvious, but we're all guilty of letting bottles lurk around the back of the fridge for six months).

The art of the perfect pour

When dispensing a keg with an air-pump, relatively quick consumption is best - at least for beer quality, if not the consumers - to prevent any remaining beer from oxidizing and tasting "stale" and going flat.

When pouring a bottle, there are two ways to go: either dump the beer down the center of the glass, blowing out excess carbonation (making it taste more draft-like) and releasing its aroma; or "sneak" it down the side of the glass, preventing over-foaming and preserving the bottle's extra fizz. We all grew up being told that you want to limit the “head” that forms when you pour a beer too fast. That is not necessarily true, as exploding bubbles in the beer’s “head” release aromas, adding to the overall experience of drinking the beer.

...but not too cold

The most important element of serving a beer, however, is temperature. Ales can be served at a cool 55 degrees F - what the English call "cellar temperature" - and lagers can be served around 48 degrees F. The logic here is simple: the colder the temperature, the less you taste (this holds true for all foods, not just beer). And before you ask, this is exactly the reason why Coors Light markets their beer as “cold as the Rockies” and “serve ice cold” with the “cold and super-cold, mountains turn blue” nonsense. Remember, the colder the beer, the less you taste. Let’s just say it’s not in Coors’ interest for their customers to actually taste their product.

By contrast, the more flavor a beer has, the better it will taste at warmer temperatures. Cleaner, lighter ales (such as cream ales) can work well closer to "lager" temperatures. Darker, stronger lagers (bocks, doppelbocks) can benefit from approaching "ale" temperatures. But only the richest ales (stouts, strong ales, barley wines) should be served near room temperature.

To be continued...

Here’s to craft-brewed happiness… Cheers!