To enjoy ice cold beer only requires popping the cap off and swigging the glorious alcoholic beverage straight from the bottle. But that was before many realized that to truly enjoy beer, it must be drank from a pint.
Pouring beer into a glass allows drinkers to savor its aroma, which significantly changes the way it tastes. Belgian beers are traditionally served in unique glasses designed to draw out the flavor and accentuate the profile of the particular brew. For Belgium-born beer brand Stella Artois, that glass is the chalice.
With over 600 years of brewing expertise, Stella Artois has also perfected its own nine-step pouring ritual that uses the chalice’s curves, stem and signature gold rim to create the perfect drinking experience Stella Artois drinkers deserve.
The first step begins with The Purification, during which the chalice is cleaned and rinsed with cold water which allows the glass to reach the same temperature as the beer. Before placing the chalice under the tap, the latter is opened in a single swift motion to let the first drop flow to ensure that the beer poured into the glass has the freshest taste. This step is aptly called The Sacrifice.
After sacrificing the first drop, the chalice is placed under the tap and held by the stem at a 45-degree angle to create the perfect combination of foam and liquid. tThis step is called The Liquid Alchemy. Next is The Crown, which involves the graceful straightening of the chalice to form a perfect head and seal in the freshness. The smooth and fluid exit is called The Removal, which is quickly followed by The Beheading, where the beer is allowed to overflow slightly and a head cutter is used to remove loose bubbles at 45 degrees.
The Judgement ensures that there is a perfect amount of foam in the chalice, no more than three centimeters; the beer has to be in correct proportion with the foam. Before the chalice is presented to the drinker, it goes through The Cleansing, which is a final dip in cold water for a clean and stunning presentation.
The final step is the moment of giving the perfectly poured Stella Artois, which is called The Bestowal.
This process highlights the skill and craftsmanship of the Draught Master. In fact, since 1997, Stella Artois has been annually looking for the Stella Artois World Draught Master from different parts of the world.
And for the first time this year, the Philippines is sending its top three contenders to the regional finals in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in May. Jordan Pernate, Edward Mayani and Rainiel Dee bested the five other Filipino bartenders who joined the Philippine edition of the Stella Artois Draught Master tilt held on February 25.
“This is our way of searching and honoring the perfect craftsmanship among men and women who are very talented in giving a perfect twist to the traditional way of serving our beers and we are honored to have the opportunity to introduce the importance of this pouring ritual here,” shares Philip Tan, area manager, Anheuser-Busch In Bev, the maker of Stella Artois.-Charmaine Loveria