Lehmann Craft Beer Glass 44 Cl - 6 Pieces
Spiegelau Lifestyle Beer Glass 44 cl - 2 Pieces
Duvel Beer Glass 33 Cl - Gift Box
Hoegaarden Beer Glass / Longdrink Glass 25 Cl - Gift Box
What grease does to beer
Foam consists of carbon dioxide bubbles surrounded by a thin film of protein from the beer. Grease, which can also come from a trace of rinse aid, lipstick, or a fingerprint on the inside, breaks down that film. The bubbles burst and the head collapses. The same grease keeps the carbon dioxide from rising smoothly through the beer, so it goes flat and lukewarm faster.
You can see the result right away: a thin head, bubbles clinging to the inside of the glass, and beer that doesn't fizz upward in even streams.
How to tell if a glass is clean
Hold a wet glass up to the light. If the water runs down in an even film, the glass is grease-free. If droplets remain or the water beads up, there's grease on the glass. The second test is the beer itself: bubbles clinging to the sides are clinging to dirt. In a clean glass, they rise freely.
A third check is the foam: run a wet finger around the inside of the empty glass. If neat rings of foam, known as lacing, remain after drinking, the glass was clean.
Making beer glasses grease-free
In bars and restaurants, beer glasses go through a glass washer with glass detergent but no rinse aid, then under the cold tap. Rinse aid leaves a film that breaks down the foam, so don't use it for beer glasses. Don't dry them with a tea towel either, because lint and detergent residue can end up in the glass. Instead, leave them to drain in a rack.
At home: wash with hot water and a little dish soap, rinse thoroughly with hot water, and leave to dry. Using a separate sponge for glasses helps, because the dishcloth you used on the pan is full of grease. A cloudy film that won't go away is limescale or corrosion. Read more about it in our article on cloudy glasses.
The right glass
The Mammoet flute is a budget glass that can go through the dishwasher every day. Use the Bar Professional polishing rod and cloth to polish a glass without leaving fingerprints on the inside. Find all sizes in the beer glasses collection.
Mammoet Budgetline Flute 19 cl (12 pieces)
Bar Professional Glass Polishing Rod with Polishing Cloth
Good to know
Should you rinse a beer glass with cold water before pouring?
Yes. Cold water cools the glass, rinses away dust and helps the beer flow more smoothly into the glass. Read more on our page about pouring beer.
Can beer glasses go in the dishwasher?
Tempered glass can. Run the beer-glass cycle without rinse aid if your dishwasher has one, or rinse with cold water afterward. Read more in our article about glasses in the dishwasher.
Why doesn't my head stick to the glass?
Lacing, the foam rings on the sides of the glass, only remains on a grease-free glass. No rings almost always means there is grease or rinse aid residue.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the head on my beer collapsing?
Usually because of grease or rinse aid in the glass. Grease breaks down the protein films around the bubbles, and the head collapses. A grease-free glass keeps the head for minutes.
How do you degrease a beer glass?
Wash with hot water and dish soap, rinse thoroughly, leave to dry on a rack and do not dry with a tea towel. In hospitality settings, do not use rinse aid. Browse our beer glasses.
How can you tell if a beer glass is clean?
Hold a wet glass up to the light: if the water runs off like a film, it is clean. Bubbles clinging to the inside are a sign of dirt.
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