When it comes to pouring beer head, how much is too much? The first time that I poured a beer, I just dumped it into the glass and was left with a ton of foam. I was then instructed by a peer to put two fingers in the foam to make it go down. That trick does not work. Eventually a mentor taught me the proper way to pour a beer, but I always wanted to be foam free. Why do we need the foam anyway?!

Well, I'll tell you why...

  • The foam carries all of the yummy smells of what's hoppening, (see what I did there...) in your beer and whets your appetite with its aromas.
  • Foam creates more mouth-feel and a sense of fullness on your tongue.
  • Having little or no head on your beer is a sign that carbonation is low, the glass has soap residue or that the tap lines are dirty.

Other beer head facts:

  • Some naturally have more head than others; like Hefeweizens, Witbiers and American wheat ales.
  • A beer that is properly chilled and well made should ideally have a half inch to an inch and a half of foam.
  • Tilt your glass at a 45 degree angle, pouring down the side of the glass and finish it by straightening the glass and pouring down the middle.
  • The higher the volume of alcohol in a beer, the less foam it will create. Barley wines and imperial stout are both high in alcohol which inhibits foam.

Here's how to properly pour a beer:

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