Chapter 4 - Beer, Here!
There’s more to it than you may think. A FreeBartendingSchool.com
guide
Steeped in a 7,000+ year tradition,
Beer is by far the oldest and most popular alcoholic beverage in the
world. As a bartender, serving beer is an easy task, but depending upon
where you are employed your knowledge of beer may need to be quite extensive.
We’ve taken the most important knowledge and condensed it into
this chapter.
How’s it made?
Beer is made from barley grains,
malt, hops, yeast and water. The flavor of the beer depends upon the
types of barley grains, quantity of hops, type of water and the aging
process, all which will dramatically affect the final outcome of the
beer.
There are two major beer clusters:
Lager and Ale. From these two clusters there are several offshoots,
but they will all share similar characteristics and it is important
to understand how they differ and why.
One of the main differentiating
characteristics between lager and ale lies in the fermentation process.
Lagers are characterized by bottom fermentation at colder temperatures
whereas Ales are characterized by warmer, top fermentation processes
where the yeast rises to the top of the tanks when the temperature rises
to 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ales are typically considered to be more
flavorful with a full bodied character.
The Lager Cluster
Light Lagers - Light Lagers are
lighter in overall flavor and in what are considered to be “true”
beer characteristics. These beers are popular with many as a result
of their lack of bitter after taste. Examples of a light lager beer
would be: Bud Light, Coors Light or Corona Light.
Dark Lagers – Brewed from
the German tradition, these lagers contain more hops and carbonation
and as a result, less sweetness. Examples of a dark lager beer would
be: Berghoff Genuine Dark Beer or Negra Modelo.
Pilsners – This is the most
widely produced style of lager and is known for having a malt character,
flowery aroma and dry finish. Beers referred to as “Golden Lagers”
fall under the Pilsner category. Examples of Pilsners would be: Samuel
Adams Golden Pilsner and Steam Whistle Pilsner.
Bock Beers – Still falling
under the Lager cluster, Bock beers also originated in Germany and are
characterized by their strong malt taste with little bitterness. Examples
of Bock beer would be: Harpoon Spring Maibock or Pete’s Springfest.
The Ale Cluster
Lambic Beers – Beers of this
variety originate from Belgium and incorporate fruit into the malt in
the brewing process which adds to their unique flavor. Examples of Lambic
beers would be: Belle-Vue-Kriek or Lindemans Kriek.
Porter Beers – These beers
are almost black as a result of the amount of barley used, but yet contain
a surprisingly light taste as a result of low hop counts. Examples of
Porter beers would be: Anchor Porter or Black Jack Porter.
Stout Beers – Stout Beers
are characterized by the use of heavily roasted malts to produce extra
dark to extremely black beers. Examples of Stout beers would be: Red
Hook Double Black Stout or Full Sail Stout.
Wheat (Weiss or Weizen) Beers –
The wheat offshoot of the Ale cluster is a popular summer beer, known
for the fresh feeling they deliver. This is the one beer group that
is traditionally served with a garnish; a lemon wedge or wheel. Examples
of wheat beers would be: Hefeweizen or Samuel Adams Summer Ale.
Basic Beer Facts
As it relates to beers, pasteurization
is the process of heating bottled and canned beer, then cooling it long
enough to stop any additional fermentation inside the package. This
process is done to increase the shelf life of beer, with the negative
side effect being that it can also alter the fresh tasting quality found
in draft beer.
Cold Filtered beer is a recently
developed process that avoids the pasteurization process and in turn
the taste degradation this brings along with it. Cold filtering allows
a beer to still maintain a long shelf life, while not loosing out in
loss of taste.
Time Saving Tip
When you are approached by a customer who wants to know what types of
beer you serve, always try to narrow down their choices by asking if
they’d like a domestic, imported or microbrew and if they like
a darker or lighter beer. This will dramatically
decrease the time spent listing through all the various beers you carry,
will allow you to serve your customer better, and get to other customers
quicker!
How to Serve Beer
In order to keep a fast moving
bar exactly that, you’ll want to make sure that you serve it in
a way that is to the liking of your customer. In that there’s
not too many ways you can improperly serve a beer, this doesn’t
take long to commit to memory, but know that the goal in serving beer
is to not have the head of the beer billow over the mug or glass. Following
a few simple tips will ensure that this doesn’t happen.
While it’s important not
to make a mess of the bar and your beer glass with excess head, know
that all beer should be served with an approximate 2 inches of head.
Beer from a keg
When pouring beer from a keg, always
hold the glass at a 45 degree angle, approximately 1 inch below the
tap until you’ve filled your glass or pint halfway, after which
you’ll need straighten the glass and turn off the tap when the
head of the beer rises
just above the rim of the glass.
Beer from a can or a bottle
Here, you’ll start out pouring
the beer into the glass almost vertically to initiate the foaming process
(the head). When this begins, bring the bottle or can almost perpendicular
to the glass and allow the beer to fill the glass slowly until the foam
rises just above the rim. Know that in serving beer from a bottle or
can, you’ll likely be using a pint glass or similar that will
be perfectly suited to containing a full 12 ounces of beer. Should you
be serving from a larger beer bottle or can, leave it with your customer
directly in front of the glass.
Free Bartending School Test Questions
& Hands on Homework
Please find your test questions
relating to Chapter 4. Beer. Yes, there’s more too it than you
may have thought, but enjoying a beer is as easy as it was before your
new knowledge. With the recommended choices below, be sure to apply
the pouring methods discussed above and practice your ability to pour
the perfect head of beer with no spillage.
We suggest purchasing and enjoying
one of the following beers as you begin your test:
• Guinness (extremely dark,
only for people of that liking)
• Pete’s Pale Ale
• Hefeweizen (don’t forget the garnish!)
4-35 What are the five universal
ingredients of beer?
4-36 What are the two major beer clusters?
4-37 Which beer type is created by warmer fermentation?
4-38 Why do so many enjoy light lagers?
4-39 Of the lager cluster, which is the most widely produced variety?
4-40 Which Ale beer often includes fruit in the brewing process?
4-41 What is the one type of beer that needs be served with a garnish?
4-42 What type of garnish?
4-43 Why is beer pasteurized?
4-44 Do you want to serve beer with a head on it?
4-45 What's a brand example of a light lager?
4-46 What's a brand example of a pilsner?
4-47 What's country do Lambic Ales originate?
4-48 What is the typical color of a Stout Ale?