On International Beer Day (August 3), the chief marketer of a Spanish beer brand in India and a celebrated chef share some tips on the right way to savour this drink: 

The right serving temperature: Each style of beer requires an appropriate temperature to enjoy its best characteristics. As a general rule, higher the alcohol content and intensity of colour of the beer, the higher its serving temperature. What needs to be noted here is that at a temperature above 12 degree C, the beer loses the sensation of freshness, while below 0 degree C, the beer becomes tasteless. But in general between 4-6 degree C is best suited.

The rule for pouring: Not many people know that it is the barm/ foam (cream) on the top of the glass that protects the beer from oxidation and maintains its carbonation and taste. The way you pour a beer has a drastic effect on the thickness of that foam. 

You should always hold the beer glass at a 45-degree angle, that is with a slight tilt and only then you start to pour it. Beer should neither be poured way too fast nor way too slow. If you have too much froth at the head of your beer glass then you poured it way too fast. Straighten the glass when it is half full and continue pouring it. Finish pouring when you’re inches away to fill the entire beer mug.

The right glassware: It is imperative that the glassware is clean of dirt, dust or rest of dishwasher detergent. Otherwise, the aroma, flavour, and foam of the beer will be harmed. It is important to use an appropriate type of glass for each beer style, in a way that allows us to enhance its characteristics.

 

For example, wheat beer is traditionally served in ‘flute’ type glass. It should be wide at the top to favour the creation of a good foam and tapered at the base to trap yeast sediments at the bottom of the glass while lagers should be served in glasses that have a narrow mouth that concentrate their delicate aromas. In Spain, people drink beer in “caña” (small glass) that allows you to drink moderately without losing any characteristics of beer.