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You would think that pretty much everyone who drinks knows how to pour a beer the right way.  I remember when I worked in a nightclub we had a new bartender who told the owner she had worked in some of the busiest places.  When she got behind the bar she tried to pour a beer from the tap and it was a total disaster.  Based on her attempt to pour a beer, it was apparent that she had no experience.  When you get that first job as a bartender, pouring a beer should be one of the easiest things to do.  Follow these few steps and you’ll be on your way.

1)  Tilt the glass at a 45 degree angle.  When you open the tap make sure the beer hits the glass right in the middle.

2)  If the pour is going bad (tons of foam) then stop the pour immediately.  One of the biggest mistakes I see bartenders make is to continue to pour a beer that is coming out like shit.  If you start the pour and nothing but foam comes out then stop the pour and find out if something is wrong with the tap line.  If a lot of foam comes out, the keg might have been recently tapped or is kicked completely.

3)  As you are about to complete the pour put the glass vertical so you can create a nice head on the beer.  The head on the beer should be two fingers thick.  If you are having trouble getting a head, a great tip is to open the tap handle half way.  This helps agitate the beer and create a head.

Here’s a great video that illustrates all the points above.

Cheers,
Pete