Why you should ditch the beer bottle*

Love drinking beer straight from the bottle or can?

:: I am indebted to McClelland Beers of Canada for this article as it is lifted straight from the McClelland Premium Beer website (www.mcclellandbeers.ca)

I am also most grateful to have the subject so eloquently stated as I have read the same sentiments on many other sites.  Having been enlightened when I see folks drinking straight from the bottle I now shudder… maybe they will catch this post!

De-gassing your beer

Beer was never intended to be consumed directly from a bottle or can.

A naturally fermented beer, on average, contains about 2.5 volumes of carbon dioxide. So if you drink it right out of the can or bottle, you’re essentially putting a bottle of water and 2 1/2 bottles of gas in your stomach. And that will no doubt leave you feeling bloated.

The gas that gives beer its characteristic bite or bubbliness or effervescence is a natural aspect of fermentation. But it’s really intended that you explode some of that gas out when you pour it.

The simple action of pouring the beer out of the bottle gives it the right taste, mouth feel and greatly reduces that filling or bloating feeling that results from drinking beer out of the bottle.

Head is Good

And when you pour beer in a glass you’re creating head, which actually protects your beer from the harmful effects of the air and makes it taste better. When beer makes contact with air it can affect both the taste and quality of the beer. In other words, head is good!

The Right Glass

Like wine, for optimum appreciation, you should drink beer from the right kind of glass.

Different styles and characteristics of beer are best accentuated by the right-shaped glass.

Think of ale as red wine and lager as white wine.

Like red wine, an ale is more robust, aromatic and flavourful, which is why you should accentuate an ale with a glass with a wide open top- like the Affligem Chalice.

Like white wine, a lager glass should be taller and narrower in shape to show off the color, effervescence & clarity of the style.

The shape of the lager glass serves two purposes. First the taller, narrow shape ensures a solid head to protect against contact with oxygen. Second, the lager glass helps maintain the carbonation level and will often contain nucleation points at the bottom of the glass (like Stiegl) to further ensure consistent carbonation.

Cheers

Courtesy of McClelland Beers Canada