Beerpedia

Having beer poured from a tap in front of you has a certain kind of magic to it. The sight of foam being slowly formed while the tiny bubbles whirl underneath it creating a magnificent dance in the glass is nothing short of mesmerizing. This must be the best way to experience beer!

For a pub and its tapmaster to be able to serve the draught beer in the best possible way some basic rules have to be followed. First of all once the keg reaches the pub it must be kept at cellar temperature (11-13°C). 24 hours after the delivery, at the moment the keg reaches the right temperature, the beer is ready to get served. The beer poured from a warm keg is foamy so it is really important to let the keg chill (literally). At the bar, the beer lines that connect the tap with the keg should be cleaned at least weekly, if not every day. Otherwise, various unpleasant flavors will occur. Imagine what a mix of stale beer from the line would do to a fresh beer from a keg. The glassware is also not to be overlooked. Obviously, the glass has to be clean, with no soap or grease on it since they can destroy the foam and lacing. Before pouring the beer from the tap it is a good idea to gently flush the glass with cold water and then pour the beer. Generally avoid frosted glass and similar tricks. This is beer and the temperature at which it is served is important. The final act of serving beer is the pour itself. At first the beer is poured at a 45-degree angle and then the glass should gradually be tilted upright with the beer now being poured straight to the middle creating the proper foam. The faucet should never touch the beer or the glass and it should be opened completely during the entire pour. Following these steps ensures that the beer served the way the brewmaster envisioned while brewing. In Czech beer culture, draught beer has a special place. This is a country where the tapmaster is equally important as the brewer. The philosophy with draught beer is that the brewmaster brews the beer, but the tapmaster finishes it. By making sure that the customer is served beer in the best possible way the tapmaster ensures that the customer has the best beer drinking experience. At the same time he also rewards the brewmaster for his hard work.