Why does beer in Europe have huge foam head? (Honest Beer Guide)

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Honza Mikulka & Janek Rubeš, Prague based journalists
#HonestGuide

[tonyconnolly]

As an Irish man if we got pints like that there would be a riot.

[angchenen]

The fact that he pulled out a coaster from his back pocket and threw it on the table instinctively as he talks to the customer/presenter.
Class

[Sycokay]

In Germany, the glasses have a line. Up to that line there has to be beer, above that line foam. Order must be preserved.

[deltaray]

I'm still dreaming about the beers that I had when I was in Czech Republic. They were amazing.

[AlexandreBFK]

I’ve been drinking beer here in Europe for almost 2 decades and I’ve never seen so much foam unless the person on the tap didn’t know what they were doing. In Austria, we have foam, but it needs to rise above the glass mostly. We call that a crown.

[tyrgoossens]

As a Belgian this is so odd to me. We're taught that a pils beer should have "2 fingers" of foam. Of course we use a different kind of glass as well which is more narrow. If you served a "mliko" here, you would get in a fight :)

[ArsinoMeteor]

As a german, here the beer also ALWAYS has foam, if I think about beer not having foam I think of it as if it was tapped hours ago and forgotten. Most of the time, you have around 25 %-30 % foam in the glass here

[Chatterscompany]

People talking about not getting the amount of beer they ordered because of the foam. You have to realise that good beer over here costs 1-3 euros depending on the city and the establishment you are in. With a price like that, we can afford to have slightly less beer in any given glass (also the glasses are ofter bigger than 0, 5 so you get the amount ordered plus the foam)

[bobiboulon]

Quick answer to the title: They don't. Or more exactly, the foam head size depends on the type of beer _and_ the local custom and habits (Because you know, Europe is not a country... there's a lot cultural differences between countries).

[HajoBenzin]

"hey hans, bet I can make this youtuber drink a glass full of foam?"
"no way!"
"hold my beer"

[fryloc]

If you notice, he has side pull faucets. This style faucet allows one to pour as much or as little foam as they want. Regular faucets (front sealing or rear sealing) are made differently.

[williamwilson]

The Czech Republic has changed so much from when I first visited in 1991.

I’ve lived in Germany and the UK…never saw a beer that was nearly all foam. I think blood would be spilled if a beer like that was served at Oktoberfest.

[richbulena]

Funny about the “dirty” beer. My dad grew up in a Czech neighborhood in Chicago in the 1900s (didn’t hear any English until he went to school when he was five). He would be sent down to the local pub with a wooden pail to get beer. He said his dad would rub butter along the rim in order to cut down on the foam and increase the beer, which would piss off the bartender.

[grannystuna]

In the Czech version, they added that the "šnyt" type (4/5 is foam, the rest being beer fluid) was due to breweries treating their pubs (to which they distributed) well, and so they gave every 11th barrel for free. Since those pubs treated their customers the same way, tapsters gave those for free as the last beer when the customers were already done and heading home.

[WoWBaxter]

Went here today and ordered two of each of the beers featured in this video. Also, asked for one of their pint glasses and they offered it for just 100czk; the best souvenir I could ask for!

In all, 8 pints, a mug and a rounded-up tip came to 600chz (£22). Thoroughly happy given I come from England where beer in far less fancy pubs costs four-times more. You must visit!

[vikmoj]

For those shaming the foam head (Irish etc): The glasses are made bigger on purpose. You always get your pint and the foam is there to protect it, you are not robbed

[doposud]

As a person from Czech i would like to point out that so called ''MILK'' is not typical way we consume beer, beer needs a foam head around 1 inch or 3 cm
we would not be beer world largest consumers per capita if we would drink foam.

You need to drink the beer before the (1 inch ) of foam goes away, beer without a foam head = stale beer = crime

[kuuhgle]

In germany, you would get killed for serving pure foam

[MichaelsPwner]

I don’t drink beer, but this is incredibly informative. Now I know the importance of the foam.

[wachyification]

Im living 46 years in Prague and I haven't seen anyone ordering a milk, foam only. On the other way a beer has to have foam as without it it looks like urine. Two fingers at least