The Old Hack

The following article was first published by the author in Helium.com

Etiquette in the serving of beer is as important to beer lovers as is the service of wine to wine connoisseurs. There is a big difference, though. Whereas there is generally an accepted way to serve a particular wine which is recognised throughout the world, the same cannot be said for beer.

Australians traditionally complain that the British serve warm beer, which is unacceptable to them. The British, by contrast, complain that the Australians serve their beer ice cold only because that is the best way to hide its unpleasant flavour.

Neither, of course, is true. The truth is that the beers, climates and temperaments of beer drinkers vary greatly between these two great countries, just as they do throughout the world and the only universally sound advice on beer serving etiquette must be "When in Rome, do as the Romans do." I have never been to Rome, so
perhaps you will allow me, as a Brit, to give you my take on serving a traditional British ale. I will assume that this is to be done at home and that consequently the beer is to be served from a bottle rather than from the barrel. You should know, if you are not British or are not a beer lover, that the British beer lover is fanatical about British beer as well as being somewhat eccentric.

A good traditional beer should be served below room temperature, but not so cold that it gives you hiccoughs when it goes down your throat. Room temperature' is a somewhat loose term, particularly for somewhere like the United Kingdom, where the weather is so unpredictable.

To elaborate just a little, when in winter room temperature can fall below 40 degrees (Fahrenheit), I would not suggest further chilling the ale, for fear your guests should mistake it for some foreign' lager, whereas in the somewhat rarer hot summers when room temperature may be as high as 75 degrees, to serve it just below that temperature would be insulting not just to the Australians present, but to one and all. In this instance, keep the bottle(s) in the refrigerator for a while, but remove about half an hour before serving.

If you are from the North of Britain, you will probably prefer a head' on your beer. In this case, tilt the glass slightly and pour the beer slowly into the glass until it is about two-thirds full. Then pour a little more into the glass quickly and into the centre. This will form a small amount of foam on top of the glass, and should please your Northern guests.

If from the South, you will not appreciate your beer with any kind of head. Continue to pour gently with the glass tilted until the glass is nearly full to the brim. This will keep you Southern guests happy.

If your company is a mix of Northern and Southern people you may spend the entire evening arguing about which is best. When you have finished several bottles of ale you will all be the best of friends, and no-one will remember who won the debate the following day.