Comments on: You don’t have to drink that beer ice cold

By: SteveH

SteveH — Wed, 02 May 2007 12:38:42 +0000

Rick – you were handed a glass with ice for your beer? First I’ve ever heard that one. Yikes.

My biggest gripe is a local brew-pub that serves its beers in chilled pints. I asked why and was told, “That’s the way everyone likes our beer.” I asked if the brewmaster knew they were serving the beer that way, “Oh, he doesn’t care.” Yah.

By: Henry Halff

Henry Halff — Wed, 02 May 2007 02:38:03 +0000

When I was a mere slip of a lad (say, 22), it was the custom here in Texas restaurants for the waitress to bring an unchilled and undersized water tumbler with your beer. She would then pour the iced water from the glass already at your table into the unchilled glass and then pour about 3″ of beer into the original, and thoroughly chilled water glass. The beers, for the most part were Lone Star, Pearl, and the like, so there wasn’t much taste to kill.

Also worth mention is Brazilian Chopp beer which is, and should be, served at near 0Â°C or perhaps at tad below. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, it’s only available in Brazil on draft, so you’ll have to go there to check out this assertion.

By: Rick

Rick — Tue, 01 May 2007 20:58:16 +0000

ugh… the longstanding lament of beer enthusiasts around the country. I have a story you’ll appreciate though – the king of cold beer stories.

At a local Tex-Mex restaurant a couple weeks back, a place with a very impressive bottled beer selection. I had ordered a Bigfoot to go with my dinner and the server promptly handed me the bottle. I ask for a glass for my beer and she proceeds to grab a glass and put ice in it. I corrected her kindly, saying the glass was for my beer. Her puzzled look told me I was in trouble. I don’t get it. I didn’t get it and I had NO idea where to begin. So, I took the glass with a word of thanks and dumped the ice in the nearest bush (luckily it was outdoor seating).

What I don’t understand: Why do craft breweries perpetuate this? So many chill their glasses and serve their beers too cold. I know there is a built in expectation with beer in America, but really… serving beer that is too cold with too much carbonation is not a way to proudly display the beer you make.

Luckily, I have found that most places will serve me a beer in an unfrosted mug without too much fuss.

By: SteveH

SteveH — Tue, 01 May 2007 20:09:07 +0000

The last mistake beer I received wasn’t served in a chilled glass, just a Blue Moon (with orange slice) instead of a Sam Adam’s Spring Ale. Yeah, I sent it back (the others at my table confirmed I hadn’t stuttered, had not ordered the Coors’ product).

And yes, the correct beer also arrived in a room temp glass. I think there’s less chilled glass offense out there than there used to be. Then again, I don’t get out of the Midwest as much as I used to.

By: Stephen Beaumont

Stephen Beaumont — Tue, 01 May 2007 18:07:12 +0000

Actually, a chilled glass might be a worthy solution for some of the brutally warm, almost hot red wines I’ve been served in restaurants. Maybe you just hit on something, Stan: Frost the wine glasses and leave the sleeves alone.