Master brewers agree: “Beer foam is like Captain America’s shield”
The craftsmen at Moritz argue on their website for its importance in protecting the drink’s flavor.
You can’t please everyone, especially when it comes to food and drink. Think about your own family and you’ll probably find someone who hates cheese, someone who won’t eat fish, a vegan, a chocolate ice cream fan, someone who prefers unusual flavors, and someone who doesn’t drink alcohol. Among those who do drink, some favor spirits, while others are perfectly happy with a good beer.
Why does beer have foam?
Even among beer drinkers, opinions differ. Some see the head as nothing more than an inconvenience that leaves a foamy mustache, while others insist it is an essential part of the experience. The head isn’t just decorative. During fermentation, yeast converts malt sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide, and it is that carbon dioxide that creates the layer of foam on top of the beer.
Master brewers agree that the head plays a crucial role in allowing a beer to express all the flavors and aromas they work so hard to create. The brewers at Moritz explain it with a simple comparison on their website: “The foam is like Captain America’s shield.”
How does beer head protect the beer?
The beer head protects flavor by creating a barrier between the liquid and the air, reducing oxidation. In addition, “most of the beer’s aromatic compounds are trapped inside the bubbles, meaning a large part of the sensory experience of drinking beer comes from the foam.”
Some styles of beer are almost unthinkable without a generous head because it is one of their defining characteristics. To borrow Moritz’s comparison, it would be like taking Spider-Man’s webs away. Belgian beers, in particular, are known for their thick, long-lasting foam.
That doesn’t mean there aren’t times, especially with draft beer or smaller glasses, when people prefer less foam to make room for more beer. Even so, Moritz does not recommend eliminating it completely, arguing that doing so means missing out on the beer’s full flavor.
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