SigMT

SIGMT 2021 Vol 14 Iss 3

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Tiny Bubbles in the Beer TEXT BY MARK BAUNE BEER MAN S MT 20 | SIGNATURE MONTANA GREAT FALLS HELENA HAVRE The Beverage Company e cra beer movement has exploded over the past decade. With cra brewers investing heart and soul into their brews, it's no surprise that glassware has found a more significant role in the overall enjoyment of cra beer. I have to admit, there is nothing more satisfying at the end of a long day than cracking open a cold beer and drinking straight from the bole. e problem with boles and cans is that they hold the beer's best characteristics hostage. So, how do you release these qualities and experience what the brewer worked tirelessly on perfecting? It's simple! But, hear me out first. What if I told you that roughly 80 percent of your perception of flavor comes from your sense of smell. ink of it this way --how enjoyable is your food when you are nursing a head cold? Not too tasty, is it? e same applies to drinking beer from the bole or can; you miss out on most of its fragrant offerings. When you pour beer into a glass, the carbonation activates and manifests into a frothy head of tiny bubbles. Each time one of those bubbles pops, a steady flow of flavor-augmenting aroma is released, which mixes with your taste buds offering a tidal wave of flavor. The Complete Sensory Experience from a Glass Cra beer glasses are designed to provide a perfectly layered aromatic profile, with space for a frothy head and room to stick your nose in and have a good sniff. e right glass will bring out your favorite beer's characteristics, both visually and aromatically. Its color can give you an idea of its maltiness; the thickness and texture of the frothy head can indicate creaminess and mouthfeel. e beer's head acts as a trap and an amplifier for volatiles in the brew. Volatiles are a complex array of chemicals that begin evaporating when you open a bole or can. ey include hop alpha acids, fruity esters, yeast fermentation by-products, and any flavor additions to the brew like spices. Is there any beer sight than a golden hoppy IPA cascading into a crystal clear glass? Imagine raising the glass to your nose and being greeted by herbaceous hop aromas as they leap out before the nectar envelops your palate. Sounds beer than a nearly tasteless swig out of a wet bole or can, right? Temperature influences flavor components differently in beer: malt characteristics become weaker as they cool, but hops are not affected. Here's an interesting fact to impress your friends with: a thinner glass will keep your beer at its original cool temperature for longer. It seems counterintuitive, but it's true! e rate your beer warms is dependent on three things: the air temperature, the glass' temperature, and the beer's temperature. When you pour a cold beer into a room temperature glass, the two elements will work on finding a stable temperature: so the glass will cool down as the beer heats up. icker glass will take longer to cool down, so your beer spends longer warming up. Ever notice how the last part of the beer in a bole is warm and flat? A thin-walled glass ensures a cooler beer from start to finish. Beer out of a glass makes it a complete sensory experience – so if you are serious about beer, start pouring it into a glass and appreciating it for all its glory. Cheers! Beer Man

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