Step
One: The Glass
The bartender takes a dry, clean glass, which should be a 20-ounce tulip pint glass. The internal
aerodynamics of a tulip glass allows the nitrogen bubbles to flow down the sides of the glass, and the contour 'bump'
in the middle pushes the bubbles back to the center on their way up.
Step Two: The Angle
The glass
should be held at a 45-degree angle under the tap. The tap faucet should not touch the tulip glass or beer. If you just hold
it straight under the faucet, you'll get a big block of bubbles and a fish eye."
Step Three: The Pour
Let the beer flow nice and smoothly into the angled glass and fill it up three-quarters of the way.
Step Four:
The Head
Let it settle. On the way through the faucet, the beer passes through a five-hole disk restrictor plate
at a high speed, creating friction and bringing out nitrogen bubbles. The bubbles are agitated now -- they can't go back
into the solution, so they flow down the interior sides and back up the middle -- but they can't escape. So they build
this wonderful, creamy head on top. It's like an architect building a strong foundation.
Step Five: The
Top-Off
Once it settles, you want to fill up the glass and top it off. You allowed it to settle, you created
a domed effect across the top of the pint, and now your head is looking proud over the glass. That's the perfect vision
of the perfect pint.
