The rules of beer drinking etiquette.

Here are the rules of beer drinking etiquette, follow these rules at all times in all places to become a true connoisseur of beer.

1. Never drink directly from the bottle, even at house parties or picknicks always use the appropriate, clean glassware.

2. Always use the correct glass for the beer your drinking. For example always use a champagne flute or pilsner glass for pilsners, a wheat beer glass for wheat beers and the standard nonic for most English style ales, find out more on http://beeradvocate.com/beer/101/glassware.php.

3. In restaurants always order a beer that will complement the food you choose to eat… Correction, always choose a dish that will complement the beer you will be drinking, this applies at home, picnics, barbecues, dinner parties or anywhere else.

4. As continuation to rule 3, if a restaurant or any establishment licensed to serve alcohol does not sell any interesting beers do not give service to these establishments.

5. Avoid all beers served by nitrokeg or any beer promoted as ‘light’ or ‘extra cold’.

6. During session drinking, always start with the beer of the lightest palate.

7. In a session always choose at least one beer you have not tried before.

8. Have shame on those who think all beer is classified as ether lager, beer or Guinness, but also be open minded that these people can better themselves.

9. Always try to control the speed of which you drink in accordance with how many new beers are available, how much time you have and how many beers you are planning to drink. I usually make a mental time plan of the session before I start so I know which beer im starting on, finishing on, matching with the first course etch. Remember getting to plastered to fast spoils the enjoyment of each individual beer. Stay in the comfort zone, be at one with your beer, focus on it, and ignore anyone urging you to down it so we can move to the next bar.

10. Don’t drink and drive. This can cause spillages leading to sticky beer damaging the electrics. Its also Illegal.

Final note: although I do not always live by these rules I do consider them as strict guidelines. For example sometimes in restaurants I accidentally missmatch the wrong food with the wrong beer, and sometimes rule 6 must be broken in times when only a limited choice of beers is available.