Pouring the Perfect Pint is a serious business that we take pride in. It is said it takes 119.5 seconds to pour the perfect pint of Guinness...

Guinness from the Tap:
The perfect pint of Guinness is served using the "two-part" pour:

  • Start with a clean, dry glass held at 45° under the spout
  • Pull the handle slowly towards you and allow the beer to flow smoothly down the side of the glass (note: do not submerge the spout in the beer)
  • As the glass fills, straighten the glass; fill glass until full
  • Stand the glass on the counter and allow the gas to surge through the beer
  • To create the legendary head, push the handle backward slightly (known as "topping off"); the head should rise just proud of the rim

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Gastro Pub

Preparation of the Perfect Pint:

The first requirement is an imperial pint (20 oz.) glass. It should be clean, dry and at room temperature. Never use a chilled glass or one that has not been thoroughly cleaned. A properly prepared glass will exhibit excellent ring-sustaining features.

Next, the dispensing equipment must be in proper working order. We clean our taps and lines at least once per week. The 50 litre (13.2 gallon) kegs of Guinness are stored between 38° Fahrenheit and served between 42-48°F. Guinness is dispensed by a gas mixture of 75% nitrogen and 25% carbon dioxide at a pressure of 30 pounds per square inch, so as to produce the creamy head.

Now that the Perfect Pint has been pulled, enjoy it! Examine the rich, ruby black colour of the body. Smell the creamy white head. Now take a large mouthful. Do not, under any circumstance, sip, as sipping ruins the majestic nature of the stout. When you have finished, notice the rings left on the inside of the glass. Also notice it is now empty. Enjoy another glass as you ponder the meaning of life.

Beer Guide

Perhaps you're just learning about the wide variety of beers available. Or perhaps you've been a beer drinker all along, but you were never precisely sure what made a porter different from a stout. In any case, you're ready to try something beyond the most commonly known beer brands.

It's much easier to find beers that you like if you understand the differences between beer styles. Even though there will be minor variations on beer styles from brewery to brewery, this guide should help you identify the beers that will suit your taste.

Three terms are generally used to describe the flavor of beers. Take the time to learn how to identify these flavour characteristics and decide what balance of these traits you prefer, and you'll be well on your way to consistently ordering a beer that you'll enjoy!

Maltiness: Malt is derived from grains and is the part of the beer that is fermented. Wheat and barley are generally used to create malt. There are several varieties of malt, with varying flavors. Many people also find a malty flavor to be somewhat sweet.

Hoppiness: Hops is a plant that is also added to beer, giving it a bitter flavour. Pale ales are generally the hoppiest beers available.

Fruitiness: Most ales have some degree of fruity flavor present, even though there is no actual fruit in the beer. The fruity flavor is a by-product of the yeast fermentation in the brewing process.

Now that you know the basic flavours that are present in beer, you can explore the different varieties of beer and find a type that best matches your palate.

BEER VARIETIES

There are two basic categories of beer styles: top-fermenting beer and bottom-fermenting beer. Generally speaking, top-fermenting beers (also called ales) are more complex with fruity characteristics, and bottom-fermenting beers (also called lagers) possess a cleaner finish. Top-fermenting beers include wheat beer, stout, porter and ale; bottom-fermenting beers include bock, Oktoberfest, pilsner, lager, and malt liquor.

Lagers – Bottom-fermenting Beer Styles

Light: Very light in color, this variety of beer will usually have little to no malt or hop characteristics. This type of beer is also very light-bodied.

Bock: A bock is usually full-bodied, with a strong, malty flavor. The color is most often a very dark brown.

Doppelbock: A full-bodied beer, a doppelbock is a stronger variety of a bock. With a very dark brown color, it will usually also possess an intense malt flavor.

Oktoberfest: Medium-bodied and malty, an Oktoberfest will be dark in color and very flavorful.

Pilsner: A pale, light-bodied lager, with a hoppy, dry flavor.

Ales – Top-fermenting Beer Styles

Alt: Derived from the German word for old, an Alt (or Altbier) is medium-bodied and slightly fruity. With a medium copper hue, Alts generally drink lighter than they appear.

Barley Wine: Barley wine is very strong, very full-bodied, and possesses a strong flavor. Generally, barley wine has a distinct hop presence.

Bitter: A British-style ale, a bitter is usually reddish-copper in color, and similar to a pale ale.

Cream Ale: This variety of beer is usually light in color and body, with high carbonation. Cream ales usually have very little hop flavor.

Hefeweizen: An unfiltered wheat beer. Light in color, hefeweizen is fruity and light in body.

India Pale Ale: Often referred to as an IPA, an India pale ale will be very hoppy, medium-bodied, and amber in color.

Lambic: A Belgian-style wheat beer, a lambic is not malted and very fruity in flavor.

Porter: Very dark in color, but medium-bodied, porter is usually dry and fruity with a discernable malt character.

Scottish Ale: Full-bodied, dark, and strong, Scottish ales have a strong malt aroma and flavor.

Stout: A very dark, full-bodied roasted-flavored beer.

Trappist Ale: A very special beer, the only beers that can be called Trappist ales are produced at monasteries. Generally medium in body and in color, these beers and usually strong in fruity, and are often served in a wine glass or goblet.

White: Also known as a witbier, white beers are pale and cloudy in color, with a medium body and apparent fruit, malt and hops flavors.

Serving temperatures have a tremendous impact on the way a beer tastes. In North America, most beer is served as chilled as possible. However, extreme cold temperatures are not always best for serving beer. Knowing the proper temperature at which to experience certain varieties of beer will further assist you in finding a beer that you'll love. Only light beers and light lagers should be served very chilled (46°F or colder). Darker lagers, wheat beers, and alt should be served closer to 50°F for optimum flavor. Most ales, stouts and porters are best presented at 53°F to 57°F for the fullest flavor. Everything else strong and dark should be served at 58°F to 62°F.

When in doubt about purchasing a beer, don't hesitate to ask. The staff at the Penny Farthing Pub are trained to be knowledgeable about the characteristics of the beers we provide. Don't be afraid to ask questions like, "I particularly like Brand X; what you do carry here that is comparable?"

That being said, you'll only find great new beers if you get out there and try a few. Perhaps you've disliked stouts in the past, so you don't ever try dark beers; however, porter is usually lighter-bodied and may be more to your liking. There's a world of beer available and you never know which kind is going to best fit your palate until you try them! Cheers!