Wouldn't it be nice to feel like someone was really spoiling you when you ordered a pint?

Given that a well poured pint served with some apparent ritual is said to encourage customers to purchase more beer, you'd think every pub in the country would be falling over itself to make beer look like something everyone wants to drink.

Heineken believes that the pouring of a perfect pint can be achieved in 5 simple steps. But of course, mastering the art of pouring takes more than just a few tries! Recently, a few beer lovers amongst the press were invited to attend a workshop organised by Heineken at GAB Brewery in Sungei Way, Selangor. The event was part of Heineken's Star Serve initiative, a global draught beer quality programme launched last year that aims to improve and maintain the quality of beer.

Guided by Keith Nair, who holds the title of Heineken Draught Master - title which only 3 people in Malaysia holds. “Heineken works hard to ensure world class quality of draught beer is produced in our breweries worldwide. However, if it is served wrongly, all that love and care can be destroyed at the bar, right before the drinker’s eyes. Essentially, we also want to educate drinkers and the public on what a perfect Heineken is, so they can demand for it. It’s a win-win situation, where our drinkers can enjoy perfectly served beer and bars nationwide maintain their quality serve,” said Keith.

So what are these simple steps to that perfect pint then? Well, start off by committing these key words to mind - Rinse, Pour, Skim, Check and Serve. And now, we're ready to begin:

Step 1 : The Rinse

The glass is dipped into icy cold water and thoroughly rinsed. The coldness of the water lowers the temperature of the glass by a crucial 1 degree and helps hold the shape of the beer head.

Step 2 : The Pour

Open the tap in a single motion and let it flow to achieve a consistent flow. Then angle the glass at a 45 degrees and start pouring. Make sure the nozzle of the tap does not touch the beer or the glass when pouring as this will cause the foam to collapse quickly. Once your glass is almost full tilt the glass back straight as it becomes full of beer, making sure that nothing touches the tap.

Step 3 : The Skim

Use a skimmer to remove excess foam at a 45 degree angle. Remember to do this in one swift motion to create surface tension that protects the beer from oxygen and thus preserving it's taste for a much longer time.

Step 4: The Check

Place the glass on the counter to let it settle down for a brief moment. After the foam has stabilised, it's time to check if you've actually poured in the correct amount of beer.

Step 5 : The Serve

Lay down a Heineken beer mat or coaster with the logo facing your guest. Pick up the glass of beer at the bottom and present the logo facing your guest. 

- T -