Tip of the Week – serving beer the right way

It used to be I barely received pitches about anything. Now everyone is trying to pitch me all kinds of stuff ...

So, as a non-beer drinker you can imagine my surprise when I got an invitation to Brew 2.0 an event hosted by Molson. And what perfect timing, the night before the Canada Day weekend.

I accepted the invite, had good time and even drank a bit of beer, including a sneak preview of Kasteel Cru – a new Champagne-inspired sparkling beer from France. Watch for it’s Canadian release later this summer. I don’t really get the idea of a beer trying to masquerade as Champagne while still tasting like beer and with a bit more sparkle, but what do I know?

Well, I leaned more than I ever thought I wanted to know about beer and the brewing process. I even toured the Rickard’s microbrewery at Lord Stanley’s Mug at the ACC.

Until last night, I didn’t know there was such as thing as food and beer pairings. They’re just like food and wine pairings in that different types of beer are best suited to specific types of food. Ian Douglass really knows his stuff. He’s one of about 15 brew masters in Canada. For example, if you like strawberries and you like beer, keep an eye out for Kasteel Cru. Dessert beer? Who knew? I thought the mini veggie tacos and Corona with lime were great together too. (Okay, even I know everyone drinks Corona with lime) .

The part I enjoyed most was hearing from Draught Prophets’ pro, Steve Reilley. He’s a guy who goes around teaching bartenders how to pour the perfect glass of beer. It’s an art and a science and there’s a whole marketing angle with branded glasses and bottle labels.

If you want to serve beer like a pro, here’s what you need to know:
• Sever it fresh and cold (38°F)
• Have thorough clean lines
• Use a clean glass, at cool or room temperature
• The head should be dime-sized

I had no idea about the importance of a clean glass. Did you know you aren’t supposed to serve beer in the same glasses you use for milk or pop? I didn’t.

Big thank you to Molson for the great event and free 12-pack. Mr. B enjoys Rickard’s. ;-)

Photo courtesy of Tonia Hammer from Molson’s.