Arts & Leisure
Posted on March 02, 2016 05:23:00 PM
The art of pouring a beer
“THERE’S MORE to bartending than just serving you a drink,” said bartender Jordan Bernarde as he carefully wiped the excess beer froth from a glass. He is one of the three Filipino bartenders who won the chance to compete at the regional Stella Draught Masters -- an international pouring ritual competition -- in Kuala Lumpur in May.
BEHEADING, or removing the froth from a glass of beer, one of nine steps to pouring the perfect glass of Stella Artois beer.
Mr. Bernarde, Raniel Dy, and Eduardo Mayani II will represent the country and compete against representatives from Singapore, Japan, Malaysia, and Thailand.
“We have the same skills [as the other competitors] but I think our Filipino hospitality will set us apart,” Mr. Bernarde said as he put the glass of beer down carefully, as if it was a delicate baby.
Well, maybe it is. While many Filipino beer drinkers drink carelessly straight from the bottle or from a large mug, apparently, like wine drinking, there’s a science and art to enjoying a cold glass of beer -- at least for Stella Artois, a 650-year-old sophisticated beer brand from Belgium.
“We believe in local beers. We’re not here to replace them,” said Stella Artois South East Asia Manager Philip Tan. The brand is aware that San Miguel Corp. holds the loyalty of the majority of the Filipino beer drinking community. “But maybe, if you have friends coming over from abroad, you may want to serve a premium brand, especially on an important occasion,” he said.
Belgian beers (Belguim has been brewing beer since as early as 12th century) are traditionally served in special glasses to draw out the flavors and aroma of a beer. For Stella Artois, the secret of a good beer lies in its special stemmed glass called the “chalice.”
There’s a calculated way of pouring a glass of beer, so said Mr. Tan. In fact, there are nine steps to a beer ritual. And this ceremony was carefully demonstrated by the bartender winners on Feb. 25, a holiday, so many people were able to witness, and learn, this art.
A good glass of cold beer starts with a clean slate. Called the “purification” process, the chalice is cleaned and rinsed with cold water to allow the glass to reach the same temperature as the beer. “A good beer should always be served cold,” said Mr. Tan. He said the Belgian beers travel 30 days oversea before reaching the Philippine. The bottles are placed in a special storage to keep them fresh.
After purification comes the “sacrifice,” or the act where the beer tap is opened in a single swift motion to let the first drop flow (the “sacrifice drops”) before finally holding the chalice at 45 degrees under the stream of beer. The angle makes the beer roll around the glass.
Then comes the process called “liquid alchemy” or holding the chalice by the stem without the nozzle tap touching the glass.
The bartenders must always make sure that the logo faces the customer. This seemingly mundane, yet important ritual process is called the “head.”
Now comes the “removal” process, when the bartender fills the chalice with beer. A connoisseur needs to make sure that the beer slightly overflows the chalice.
The “beheading” process that follows next is the art of allowing the excess liquid to overflow. The froth that forms after pouring a glass of beer is called a “head.” A head cutter is used to smoothen the foam.
In the “judgment” process, the bartenders make sure that the foam or head is not too thick or thin. It should be no more than two fingers thick. The head is important because it adds in the flavors (and perhaps texture)of the beer.
After the perfect beer is poured comes the “cleansing” process -- the act of cleaning the bottom of the glass so it is not sticky.
Finally, the last act is the “bestowal,” which, as the term implies, is the signal for you to enjoy and savor the drink. Cheers! -- Nickky Faustine P. de Guzman
“We have the same skills [as the other competitors] but I think our Filipino hospitality will set us apart,” Mr. Bernarde said as he put the glass of beer down carefully, as if it was a delicate baby.
Well, maybe it is. While many Filipino beer drinkers drink carelessly straight from the bottle or from a large mug, apparently, like wine drinking, there’s a science and art to enjoying a cold glass of beer -- at least for Stella Artois, a 650-year-old sophisticated beer brand from Belgium.
“We believe in local beers. We’re not here to replace them,” said Stella Artois South East Asia Manager Philip Tan. The brand is aware that San Miguel Corp. holds the loyalty of the majority of the Filipino beer drinking community. “But maybe, if you have friends coming over from abroad, you may want to serve a premium brand, especially on an important occasion,” he said.
Belgian beers (Belguim has been brewing beer since as early as 12th century) are traditionally served in special glasses to draw out the flavors and aroma of a beer. For Stella Artois, the secret of a good beer lies in its special stemmed glass called the “chalice.”
There’s a calculated way of pouring a glass of beer, so said Mr. Tan. In fact, there are nine steps to a beer ritual. And this ceremony was carefully demonstrated by the bartender winners on Feb. 25, a holiday, so many people were able to witness, and learn, this art.
A good glass of cold beer starts with a clean slate. Called the “purification” process, the chalice is cleaned and rinsed with cold water to allow the glass to reach the same temperature as the beer. “A good beer should always be served cold,” said Mr. Tan. He said the Belgian beers travel 30 days oversea before reaching the Philippine. The bottles are placed in a special storage to keep them fresh.
After purification comes the “sacrifice,” or the act where the beer tap is opened in a single swift motion to let the first drop flow (the “sacrifice drops”) before finally holding the chalice at 45 degrees under the stream of beer. The angle makes the beer roll around the glass.
Then comes the process called “liquid alchemy” or holding the chalice by the stem without the nozzle tap touching the glass.
The bartenders must always make sure that the logo faces the customer. This seemingly mundane, yet important ritual process is called the “head.”
Now comes the “removal” process, when the bartender fills the chalice with beer. A connoisseur needs to make sure that the beer slightly overflows the chalice.
The “beheading” process that follows next is the art of allowing the excess liquid to overflow. The froth that forms after pouring a glass of beer is called a “head.” A head cutter is used to smoothen the foam.
In the “judgment” process, the bartenders make sure that the foam or head is not too thick or thin. It should be no more than two fingers thick. The head is important because it adds in the flavors (and perhaps texture)of the beer.
After the perfect beer is poured comes the “cleansing” process -- the act of cleaning the bottom of the glass so it is not sticky.
Finally, the last act is the “bestowal,” which, as the term implies, is the signal for you to enjoy and savor the drink. Cheers! -- Nickky Faustine P. de Guzman
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