Lesson 2 : The Perfect Beer

Step-by-Step: How to Pour the Perfect Beer

Before you even touch the tap, make sure you have a clean glass always check for lipstick marks or dish residue. A dirty glass can ruin the pour. There is nothing worse than a customer sending it back for this reason. 

The Pouring Process

1. Grab the right glass size requested by the customer.

2. Hold the glass at a 45° angle, placing it just under the tap as close as possible without touching it.

(Touching the tap to the glass is a big no-no: it’s unhygienic and looks unprofessional.)

3. Use your free hand to pull the tap handle fully and smoothly, not slowly, not halfway.

• Pulling too slowly causes too much foam (aka “head”) and wastes beer.

4. Let the glass fill while slowly straightening it upright as the beer rises past the halfway point.

5. Stop pouring when there’s about 2mm of space left at the top this leaves just enough room for the head to settle without overflowing.

6. Assess your pour: It should have a nice foam head (around 1–2cm) and no huge bubbles or flat spots.

🎥 Watch the demo video to compare your pour.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Touching the glass to the tap

• Pulling the lever halfway (causes froth overload)

• Overfilling the glass or pouring with no foam

• Using a warm or dirty glass

Pro Tip

If the keg is running low or the tap is spluttering, pause service and tell your manager. Don’t try to pour through it  you’ll end up serving foam, wasting beer, and losing time fixing bad pours.