Step One. Hold dry glass and the bottle at an 30 degree angle.
Glasses for gourmet Belgian beers usually have a stem and must be completely dry before you pour the beer into them. Take the appropriate glass. Every Belgian beer has its own glass. Open the bottle and hold it in one hand, while you hold the glass at the stem at an angle in the other hand. Make sure that the bottle and glass never come into contact with one another.
Step two. Gradually raise the glass to an upright position and pour from a gradually greater distance.
Pour slowly. Don’t let the bottle gulp for air. You may move the bottle further and further from the glass, so that a fine head appears on the beer. Take in account the strength of the formation of the head. The more beers you pour, the more experienced you become. The record was set by the Governor of Limburg, Mr. Roppe, who was able to put the glass on the ground while he was pouring standing straight on a chair without wasting a drop of beer. (See our May 99 Newsletter)
Step three. Leave about 2 fingers of beer in the bottle.
Do not pour the glass full. Leave the remaining beer in the bottle. Your guest can at his or her convenience replenish the glass. The remainder of the beer contains most of the yeast, which is a complex of vitamin B. The second pour will create a more cloudy beer.
Step four. Serve the beer.
Carry the beer glass by the stem to avoid influencing the temperature of the beer. Present the bottle and the glass with the label towards the guest. Place the glass on a coaster. Cheers.
(Newsletter January 2001)
