How to Properly Pour a Beer Out of a Bottle, Can, or Tap
Why does my beer foam so much when I pour it into a glass? You’re probably pouring your beer incorrectly. Here’s how to properly pour beer out of a bottle, can or tap.
By Clara Jaide on Feb. 18, 2020
How to Pour Beer:
The Correct Way to Pour Beer into a Glass
Step 1: Select Your Beer
Grab your favourite beer and open it. Make sure it hasn’t been shaken or anything, so it doesn’t build up a bunch of foam and explode. We’d tell you to tap it, but according to science, tapping the top of a beer can doesn’t actually keep the beer from fizzing over.
Step 2: Select Your Glassware
Technically, you can drink beer out of any glass. You could drink it out of a coffee mug if you really wanted to. However, if you want to get the best out of your beer and drink like a pro, there are specific glassware to serve different beer styles in. Click here to learn about the right glass for your beer.
Step 3: Hold your glass at a 45-degree angle
To get the perfect pour, you’ll need to hold your beer glass at an angle. Don’t pour your beer while your glass is straight up or sitting flat on a table– this is what causes all the foam over.
Why does beer foam based on the angle of the glass?
It all comes down to physics and how much you agitate the carbon dioxide dissolved in your beer. If the angle of the glass is too sharp as the beer hits the wall of the glass, the kinetic energy is released and initiates a chain reaction releasing the carbon dioxide. If the angle isn’t enough, then the beer hits the bottom of the glass and again the kinetic energy is released initiating a chain reaction. It’s similar to why a shaken beer explodes with foam when opened, but if you’re careful, you can avoid this and be a pro pourer.
Step 4: Hold your beer can or bottle mid-glass and pour
Hold your beer can or bottle over the side of the glass and begin pouring the beer into the glass.
Step 5: Gradually tilt the glass upright until the glass is full.
Gradually tilt the glass upright as the glass is half full, filling the glass to the brim.
Congratulations! You’ve just correctly poured a beer.
How do you pour beer so it doesn’t foam?
To avoid foam, you’ll need to pour your beer slowly, tilting the glass as you pour. However, completely avoiding foam or head isn’t always the best way to pour a beer. There is evidence that suggests that not releasing some of the carbon dioxide can lead to bloat, so you’ll want to avoid too much foam, but still aim for a beer with head.
Photo of the Perfect Beer Pour
Should you pour beer slowly?
While it may be your first instinct to pour the beer slowly to avoid the foam, according to The Independent, pouring your beer slowly is one of the main causes of the beer bubbles. Pouring the beer with a little “vigour” down the edge of the glass allows the CO2 to be broken up into the glass rather than being trapped within the beer. The foam will eventually turn to beer, with just less carbon dioxide trapped inside. Less CO2 in the beer = Less belly bubbles.