I know this topic has been discussed in depth before, but some of the new blokes to this site may be interested.
Over a period of time a few of my beer glasses get broken, and last week two more hit the deck. Since then I have had flat beer, and was wondering why, the new glasses are clean and the same type as the ones that got broken, the beer is from the same batch as I had been drinking which up until now had always had a perfect head. I suddenly realized, I hadn't modified the last batch of glasses I bought, by modify I mean install a few scratches in the bottom of the glass, I do this with a piece of emery paper taped to the end of a builders pencil, just scratch the base a couple of times and the glass is modified for life. It is not a good idea to put too many scratches in, just enough to take the shine off in a small area does the job, too much will cause the glass to overwork.
I had heard about dropping drill bits, using glass cutters and so forth to put the scratches in but I would strongly advise against those methods, I tried them all and every glass that I did with any other method cracked the first or second time I used it, maybe from refridgerating them, I don't know, but I don't recommend it, especially if it is your favourite glass! The emery paper method has never given me any problem.
Just for interest sake
I broke my fav schooner last night. It was modified with a cordless drill and a 3/8 drill bit and scored the bottom of the glass. I have been using this glass for weeks now with no problem until last night.
After a few schooners the keg I was drinking had run out, so I swaped to the other keg. The first tast of the new keg I spat out everywhere.
I thought it may have been sediment in the bottom of the keg so I washed the glass out in hot water as usual. Thought I better give the new keg another taste so grabbed the glass wich was still slightly warm but becouse I was devistated of the last taste I didnt think to cool the glass down slowly first.
Started pouring and got halfway and crack went the glass.
So not only forked glass but a keg that I couldnt bare to drink. But thats another thread for later.
back to the subject that a standard glass dosnt perform like a modified one at all & I would highly recomend modified ones or the ones you buy.
Matt
After a few schooners the keg I was drinking had run out, so I swaped to the other keg. The first tast of the new keg I spat out everywhere.
I thought it may have been sediment in the bottom of the keg so I washed the glass out in hot water as usual. Thought I better give the new keg another taste so grabbed the glass wich was still slightly warm but becouse I was devistated of the last taste I didnt think to cool the glass down slowly first.
Started pouring and got halfway and crack went the glass.
So not only forked glass but a keg that I couldnt bare to drink. But thats another thread for later.
back to the subject that a standard glass dosnt perform like a modified one at all & I would highly recomend modified ones or the ones you buy.
Matt
my local HBS sells Headmaster schooner glasses for $3.50 each.. they're already roughened up on the bottom, and work a treat.
just don't wash them with dishwashing liquid, and keep grease away from them. i rinse mine with hot water, and every few uses they get a dash of bleach and get left overnight topped up with water.
just don't wash them with dishwashing liquid, and keep grease away from them. i rinse mine with hot water, and every few uses they get a dash of bleach and get left overnight topped up with water.
whats the deal with scoring the glass? if you have the correct carbonation shouldnt you have a decent head without the need for performance enhancing emery paper?
I always seem to get a good pour from my beers... usually its a little excessive if anything...
I find if you want to increase the head on your beer, use a glass that has a narrow base.. that tends to liven the froth up a touch... like a pilsner glass or weisse glass...
I always seem to get a good pour from my beers... usually its a little excessive if anything...
I find if you want to increase the head on your beer, use a glass that has a narrow base.. that tends to liven the froth up a touch... like a pilsner glass or weisse glass...
I freely admit that I was Very Very Drunk....
"They speak of my drinking, but never consider my thirst."
I have been drinking beer for 40 years, even the best beer will be flat in the wrong glass! Sometimes it wouldn't matter what you put your beer in it will be fine, other times no matter what you do it will be shit. You don't drink a good beer out of a rubber boot and there has been mention of different styles of glasses for different beers, is that just for the aesthetic value?
If your brews are faultless and you never have a head problem ignore what I said.......though I suspect you are not being 100% truthful, for the rest of us....the tip is there if you choose to utilise it go ahead, if not, go without!....Ahead that is.
If your brews are faultless and you never have a head problem ignore what I said.......though I suspect you are not being 100% truthful, for the rest of us....the tip is there if you choose to utilise it go ahead, if not, go without!....Ahead that is.
Ross
We got the Headmaster glasses for $2.00 each at our local kitchen supply shop in the Valley in Brisbane. Although it's a fantastic idea, you wouldn't bother with the emery at that price.KEG wrote:my local HBS sells Headmaster schooner glasses for $3.50 each.. they're already roughened up on the bottom, and work a treat.
just don't wash them with dishwashing liquid, and keep grease away from them. i rinse mine with hot water, and every few uses they get a dash of bleach and get left overnight topped up with water.
BTW I've noticed that only NSW pubs use Headmaster glasses.
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Longwood-65
- Posts: 160
- Joined: Sunday Nov 11, 2007 10:32 am
- Location: Victoria's Nth East.
Yep alot of pubs around melbourne now are using them, probably cos there beer is flat horrible shit but using them none the less 
My local Hbs has them for $2.50 and i have a few and swear by them but i also have some old pots ( clean but old) that work almost as good with no scores in the bottom so i think this is one for the myth busters
My local Hbs has them for $2.50 and i have a few and swear by them but i also have some old pots ( clean but old) that work almost as good with no scores in the bottom so i think this is one for the myth busters
Cheers
Leigh
Leigh
Hey lethaldog,
When I used to take homebrew out bush..........(Before the intervention), I had a large stainless steel panikan that I kept in my car fridge, along with the beer in pet bottles, some of that beer was the best I have ever tasted, maybe because I was thirsty from a long days work but whatever. I could never work out why the beers in that cup always had a better head than normal, when I first heard about scoring glasses and later on the commercial version I worked out why, the cup was old and had been cleaned with abrasive cleaners, including sand! Although the scratches in the cup are very minute they must do the job, you can't see it working of course but it always held a great head to the last drop. Maybe the same applies to your older glasses, the ones I do with the emery paper only just have the shine off in a small section, but that is enough to make the difference. As far as the commercial ones, I have had the situation where the glass will work too fast, and if it is later in the session the beer will actually start to go flat if you don't drink it quick enough. Let me add though, that hasn't happened very often!!
When I used to take homebrew out bush..........(Before the intervention), I had a large stainless steel panikan that I kept in my car fridge, along with the beer in pet bottles, some of that beer was the best I have ever tasted, maybe because I was thirsty from a long days work but whatever. I could never work out why the beers in that cup always had a better head than normal, when I first heard about scoring glasses and later on the commercial version I worked out why, the cup was old and had been cleaned with abrasive cleaners, including sand! Although the scratches in the cup are very minute they must do the job, you can't see it working of course but it always held a great head to the last drop. Maybe the same applies to your older glasses, the ones I do with the emery paper only just have the shine off in a small section, but that is enough to make the difference. As far as the commercial ones, I have had the situation where the glass will work too fast, and if it is later in the session the beer will actually start to go flat if you don't drink it quick enough. Let me add though, that hasn't happened very often!!
Ross
Nah i cant say i have ever had it go flat, it takes a little longer than 4.5 seconds and as far as the headmasters or similar go, like i said i swear by them and i have one as my main beer glass and they deffinately work but like i said i also have some pots that work just as well ( maybe not quite but close enough) so you may have come up with the answer on that one but get this, a short time ago i was given 2 logo pots ( brand new) for a bday present and one holds fantastic head and one doesnt, identical glasses that have been treated the same from day dot and one just wont work 
and as far as the headmasters or similar go, like i said i swear by them and i have one as my main beer glass and they deffinately work but like i said i also have some pots that work just as well ( maybe not quite but close enough) so you may have come up with the answer on that one but get this, a short time ago i was given 2 logo pots ( brand new) for a bday present and one holds fantastic head and one doesnt, identical glasses that have been treated the same from day dot and one just wont work Cheers
Leigh
Leigh