The Perfect Pour...

… and why getting it right could mean a 10% uplift in sales and cut wastage by 11% on every keg. Chemisphere International Draught Master Allan Stevenson shares his six headline tips to reduce loss and maximise profits.

1. Training

Make sure your bar staff understand the provenance of the pint they’re pulling, its tasting notes, ABV and how to pour it. Add info to the bar clip so they can educate customers with authority.

2. Keep it clean

Is your glassware spotless with branding matching the beer? They’re factors that add to the customer experience, the theatre and the wait before their first ‘wow moment’ sip.

3. Make it a ritual

This is as important as flavour and appearance. Customers want a truly golden, dark or black beer with a good level of foam, served on pristine beer mats with a matching logo, along with a smile and friendly chat.

4. Get the temperature right

Different beers are brewed using different processes, so have to be served differently. A pale ale is often best served from the fridge at 6-8C but a more traditional ale retains its characteristic hoppy and malty notes best between 10 and 13C.

5. Foam is good

Too little tilt and you’ll have too much of a head. Too much and you’ll have virtually none. That’s not a good thing because the foam enhances the flavour, softens the palate and insulates the beer from air and oxidation so it stays carbonated with body and temperature.

6. The North South divide

Northern and Midland real ales are dispensed with a sparkler using a long spout. The glass is held upright with the sparkler on the base of the glass for the entire pour to create a creamy head.

Beers brewed south of Burton have a looser foam created by tilting at 45° so the beer hits the middle of the glass on the side. At halfway, slowly tilt the glass vertically and pour the remaining beer into the centre to create a 2-3cm head.