I just watched a Bud Light commercial in which a martial arts master/crazy old fart, extols the virtues of pouring a beer ‘down the center’, in order to ‘release carbonation and aroma’. The student is admonished when he attempts to pour down the side, like a civilized human being.
WTF? What are you, a college freshman? Who the hell pours down the center (only the ‘top-of-the-bottle-below-the-surface’ method is acceptable for center pours.
Since when are television commercials and reality supposed to have anything in common?
Considering we’re talking about Bud Light here, I rather think the only appropriate method is ‘pour down drain’.
It’s still a bad habit to get into when we are talking about beer.
They’re right. I used to work at a very prestigious consulting company which specialized in flavors and odors. These people couldn’t smoke, wear perfume or scented deodorant. We had a contract with Anheiser Busch; A case of beer from every production lot from every brewery was sent to us to be tested by a panel of specially trained testers who sampled every batch brewed to ensure that they were all equally insipid and flavorless.
Anyway, I distinctly remember having this conversation with one of these panelists. According to him, you want to pour down the middle in order to produce a reasonable head of foam. This allows the volatile compounds to more readily evaporate when you drink it, and provides more flavor. You also want to make sure that there is no residual soap on the glass after washing, since this will kill the head.
Of course, these people were also paid to eat dog and cat food.
You actually do want to get a head on your beer, and you don’t want to run the whole pour along the side of the glass. I don’t think you’re going to see anyone pour the whole beer down the center, though, unless they can wait a long long time.
Accomplished very well by pouring into the center for the last bit of the pour.
But we’re not. We’re talking about Budweiser. Totally different drink.
What was wrong with the old way of releasing carbonation? (eructates loudly)
I always pour my beers (from bottles only- beer in cans is a sacrilege) straight down the center of the glass. I read an article in a brewer’s magazine years ago, I think it was written by Michael Jackson (no, not the pedophile, the beer and wine connoisseur) extolling the benefits of pouring down the center. I found it makes the overall beer drinking experience much more enjoyable because much of the carbonation bubbles off, but you still get a nice head on it, and I don’t feel as bloated from all that gas.
I think the tap-against-inside-surface-of-tilted-glass pouring style was popularized in bars, where it takes too long to let the head dissipate enough to pour the full glass.
I have always started down the side of the glass, then righted the angle about halfway and pour the remaining beer down the centre.
This gives me enough of a head, but not too much that the drinker has to wait 2 hours.
Sorry, but they’re right. Beer should always be poured into the center of the glass, but slowly. It means you’re a civilized person. Pouring down the side of the glass is for people a) drinking mediocre beers where it doesn’t make a difference or b) in such a rush to get their alcohol they don’t care.
I’ll happily submit that you’re not going to get anything extra out of pouring Bud or Bud Light down the side. But if you’re drinking a good beer that you want to actually enjoy to the fullest, then slowly down the center it goes.
Which actually compliments Bud Light perfectly.
Enough of the hate for Bud Light. let’s try to think of something positive to say about it. I’ll start:
It is wet.
Also, it is an anagram for GLIB THUD.
I will fight you till the end of the earth.
Thats what the ‘below-the-surface’ method is for.
Sorry, Gabe, but I must also support the “center pour” - every expert I’ve read/spoken with says it’s the way to go.
Of course, the most civilized person drinks draught anyway. 
If you put it in the fridge, it will get cold.
That should also be poured down the center.
Look, ya filthy savage, you can fight all you want but you’re on the losing side here and shall be trampled by the march of progress and enlightenment.
Center pour forever! Down with the Whigs!
(…or, uh, is it the Tories? What damn side are we on, anyway?)
/draws sword.