Business of Curling: Serving great beer!

The curling season is underway and curlers are back in our buildings.  Now that we are busy again, it is worthwhile to have a discussion about beer, one of our more important product lines in the business of curling. Courtesy of our friends at Labatt – a proud sponsor of curling for over 30 years – is a bit of a primer about beer and how to maximize profits and keep customers happy. TYPES OF BEER Ale: First beer ever made and refrigeration not critical. It has a more pronounced aroma, a more robust taste and is more complex. It is best consumed cool rather than cold. If you want to pair it with food, compare it to red wine and foods it’s paired with i.e. strong cheeses, pasta, beef. What beers are ales? Anything with ‘ale’ in the name (pale ale, amber ale, etc.) and wheat beers. Good examples are Labatt 50 and Alexander Keith’s. Lager: Is more difficult to produce and requires refrigeration. It is less aromatic than an ale and is best consumed at cooler temperatures than ales. It is comparable to white wines for food pairing and such things as appetizers, pastas and poultry.  Includes pilseners and examples are Labatt Blue, Budweiser, Kokanee. STEPS for the PERFECT POUR Pouring beer is an art and requires the right amount of effort to get the perfect taste. Follow these steps to fully appreciate the appearance, aroma and taste of fine Labatt beers. 1) The GLASS: select a clean glass and rinse with cold water to allow the glass to reach the same temperature as the beer; 2) POUR: hold a glass on a slight angle and pour the beer into the glass, allowing the beer to agitate and release the natural carbonation. 3) FOAM: form the perfect 1.5 inch protective collar of foam. GLASSWARE “Good glassware delivers better profits and profile for your establishment”  They not only package your product, they are the interface between your establishment and the patron. Beer consumers are concerned with presentation, and appreciate high quality, unique glassware. DO’s: Always transport glassware by holding the lower half and handle glassware gently. Remove cracked or chipped glassware from service. DON’Ts: Never stack glasses. Don’t store beer glassware in overhead racks.  Avoid glass contact with beer tap. Never put silverware into glasses. Never use beer glasses for any other beverages. CLEANING GLASSWARE DO’s: Assuming you have 2 sinks; twist the glass on the centre brush several times. Clean the bottom of the glass to avoid calcium buildup. Plunge the glass in cool water several times to rinse. Hold the glass upside down and make sure water sheers off. Use glass-washing detergent (not fat based and low sudsing) and allow glasses to dry on ventilated surface. DON’Ts: Never towel dry glasses. Never leave glasses to dry on flat surfaced areas like countertops. FOAM: Foam allows aromas to be appreciated; it releases carbonation from the beer – no bloating! Protects beer from oxygen/air and is much more appealing ! Here are some great web sites to help you pour the perfect pint! Specialty glasses aren’t just for wine. Jeff Green from the Labatt Institute offers some insights into serving a proper pint. click here Have you ever wondered how beer gets from a keg to your glass? Jeff Green from the Labatt Institute explains just that. click here What differentiates red ale versus amber lager or a German Pilsner from a Bavarian Wheat Ale? The differences are actually as complex or as easy as you want to make them. Jeff Green from the Labatt Institute talks about the difference between Lagers and Ales. click here * Information courtesy of Labatt Breweries of Canada