Answers.Body: <p>Beer is typically supposed to have a head of about 1/2 inch. This enhances the flavor and gives off an aroma that will add to the experience. A good bartender should give you a nice head on your beer unless you ask for your beer sans head. You should not be getting a glass half full of foam.</p>
  
  <p>Some brewers (I know Guinness specifically, but I'm sure there are others) even have special glasses and pouring procedures to give their beer the perfect head. </p>
  
  <p>If you try a beer with a head, try not to look down into your beer, but instead look straight ahead and bring your glass to your mouth with your elbow out. This will keep you from getting a mouth full of foam, and is how you are supposed to drink most beers.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-01-12T05:37:20.430Z
Answers.Text: +1 for the tip on how to drink it without getting a mouth full of foam
Answers.UserDisplayName: Garrulinae
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Answers.CreationDate: 2014-04-21T15:20:48.617Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2014-05-08T19:49:16.100Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2014-05-08T19:49:16.100Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: CKrug
Answers.Body: <p>I had an opportunity to visit the Heineken Brewery on a trip to Amsterdam. During my tour, our bartender was able to give a succinct and general answer: to protect the beer, it's flavor and aroma. If you like, you can read more about foam physics and the importance of foam in this dated WSJ article: <a href="http://www.rpi.edu/dept/chem-eng/Biotech-Environ/FOAM/bcbeer.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.rpi.edu/dept/chem-eng/Biotech-Environ/FOAM/bcbeer.htm</a></p>
  
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Answers.CreationDate: 2014-05-06T19:31:05.273Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2014-05-06T19:31:05.273Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: The Answer
Answers.Body: <p>It’s a North v South thing.
  I can’t stand a beer with no head. Pubs use  sparklers to give a beer a tight head which gives the beer a creamier, thicker taste and adds to the overall experience. The beer in the South has a watery appearance and taste and seems flat - although it isn’t. Northern and Midlands beer drinkers can’t stand any beer without a head whereas in the South, drinkers think they’ve been given a short measure if their pint has a head. A head is essential for enjoyment of a pint and personally, I don’t like what most Northern/Midland people call ‘flat, Southern beer’ even though it isn’t’flat’. The drinking experience is vastly different between a head and no head on exactly the same pint.</p>
  
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Answers.CreationDate: 2024-12-21T12:05:45.963Z
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Answers.UserDisplayName: David J
Answers.Body: <p>Yes, beer is indeed generally supposed to have a head.  The foam can add to both the flavor and the texture of your beer.  It is preference for sure, and if you don't like it, then you don't like it, but I'd encourage you to try it from time to time with an open mind.  The head of a beer is quite complex, consisting of proteins that are acted on by the hops, the yeast, and the carbonation. Because of the complexity, creating the perfect recipe for foam in a beer is something the brewers spend quite a lot of time and energy on, and it's a fairly integral part of a good beer. </p>
  
  <p>Note that there are exceptions. Truly non-carbonated beer, like Samuel Adams Utopias will not have a head. Hever, from what I've read, that specific example is probably more closely comparable to a fortified wine than a common beer in any case.  </p>
  
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Answers.CreationDate: 2014-04-12T13:12:36.093Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2014-04-12T13:12:36.093Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Xander
Body: <p>I love beer, but when I pour myself one, I try not to make it foam too much, I personally don't like the 'head' of a beer (Don't really know how to say it). My dad drinks beer religiously and demands a head when ever I pour one for him. A few (Most of my friends) aren't keen on having a head, but some love it.</p>
  
  <p>Obviously this is personal preference, but is beer normally supposed to have a head? </p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2014-04-15T14:41:55.850Z
Comments.Text: duplicate - http://beer.stackexchange.com/questions/485/why-is-it-important-to-have-foam-on-a-beer
Comments.UserDisplayName: mdma
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2014-05-16T16:02:03.090Z
Comments.Text: definitely feels like a dupe, yes. Worth merging though, as Xander's answer here is good.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Rory Alsop
Tags: <head><foam>
Title: Giving beer a decent head and why people like it?
UserDisplayName: Aidan Quinn
ThreadText: # Giving beer a decent head and why people like it?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2014-04-12)
  
  I love beer, but when I pour myself one, I try not to make it foam too much, I personally don't like the 'head' of a beer (Don't really know how to say it). My dad drinks beer religiously and demands a head when ever I pour one for him. A few (Most of my friends) aren't keen on having a head, but some love it.
  
  Obviously this is personal preference, but is beer normally supposed to have a head?
  
  **Tags:** head, foam
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: duplicate - http://beer.stackexchange.com/questions/485/why-is-it-important-to-have-foam-on-a-beer  
  > **username_2**: definitely feels like a dupe, yes. Worth merging though, as username_7's answer here is good.  
  
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  ## 4 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_7 on 2014-04-12. Score: 12 | Accepted answer
  
  Yes, beer is indeed generally supposed to have a head. The foam can add to both the flavor and the texture of your beer. It is preference for sure, and if you don't like it, then you don't like it, but I'd encourage you to try it from time to time with an open mind. The head of a beer is quite complex, consisting of proteins that are acted on by the hops, the yeast, and the carbonation. Because of the complexity, creating the perfect recipe for foam in a beer is something the brewers spend quite a lot of time and energy on, and it's a fairly integral part of a good beer.
  
  Note that there are exceptions. Truly non-carbonated beer, like Samuel Adams Utopias will not have a head. Hever, from what I've read, that specific example is probably more closely comparable to a fortified wine than a common beer in any case.
  
  
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  ### Answer by username_3 on 2014-04-21. Score: 4
  
  Beer is typically supposed to have a head of about 1/2 inch. This enhances the flavor and gives off an aroma that will add to the experience. A good bartender should give you a nice head on your beer unless you ask for your beer sans head. You should not be getting a glass half full of foam.
  
  Some brewers (I know Guinness specifically, but I'm sure there are others) even have special glasses and pouring procedures to give their beer the perfect head.
  
  If you try a beer with a head, try not to look down into your beer, but instead look straight ahead and bring your glass to your mouth with your elbow out. This will keep you from getting a mouth full of foam, and is how you are supposed to drink most beers.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_4**: +1 for the tip on how to drink it without getting a mouth full of foam  
  
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  ### Answer by username_5 on 2014-05-06. Score: 2
  
  I had an opportunity to visit the Heineken Brewery on a trip to Amsterdam. During my tour, our bartender was able to give a succinct and general answer: to protect the beer, it's flavor and aroma. If you like, you can read more about foam physics and the importance of foam in this dated WSJ article: <http://www.rpi.edu/dept/chem-eng/Biotech-Environ/FOAM/bcbeer.htm>
  
  
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  ### Answer by username_6 on 2024-12-21. Score: 0
  
  It’s a North v South thing.
  I can’t stand a beer with no head. Pubs use sparklers to give a beer a tight head which gives the beer a creamier, thicker taste and adds to the overall experience. The beer in the South has a watery appearance and taste and seems flat - although it isn’t. Northern and Midlands beer drinkers can’t stand any beer without a head whereas in the South, drinkers think they’ve been given a short measure if their pint has a head. A head is essential for enjoyment of a pint and personally, I don’t like what most Northern/Midland people call ‘flat, Southern beer’ even though it isn’t’flat’. The drinking experience is vastly different between a head and no head on exactly the same pint.
  
  
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