Enjoying an ice cold beer sometimes goes beyond the act of merely drinking it straight from the bottle. Let's get real here. Most of the time, we simply want our beer ice cold and straight from the bottle. But beer enthusiasts are beginning to realize that there are some things worth waiting for—and in the case of Stella Artois, it means understanding the importance of a properly and perfectly poured beer.
Belgian beers are traditionally served in unique glasses designed to draw out the flavor and accentuate the profile of a particular brew. For Stella Artois, that glass is the Chalice. The classic 9-Step pouring ritual uses the Chalice's curves, stem and signature gold rim to create the perfect drinking experience that of our Stella Artois fans palettes long for.
Last week, I was able to witness Stella Artois' launch of the Draught Masters here in the Philippines. To tell you the truth, I haven't heard of the term Draught Masters before so I was thrilled to know what exactly it is. And I was definitely not disappointed. All throughout the competition, I was able to witness great showmanship and remarkable skills of the bartenders who participated in the event which was held at Draft Gastropub in Greenbelt 2.
Participants of the first Stella Artois Draught Masters here in the Philippines with Stella Artois executives |
The 9-step ritual begins with The Purification, where the Chalice is cleaned and rinsed with cold water which allows the glass to reach the same temperature as the beer and ensures the lacing when the beer is drunk, followed by The Sacrifice, the act where the tap is opened in a single swift motion to let the first drop flow away before placing the Chalice with the logo facing forward under the tap at 45 degrees. The Liquid Alchemy is holding the Chalice by the stem at 45 degree angle without the nozzle tap touching the Chalice. Next is The Head, where the Chalice with the logo facing forward to the top whilst straightening the chalice gradually without touching the Chalice with the tap nozzle, followed by The Removal, when the Chalice is almost filled with beer, connoisseur needs to ensure that the beer is overflowing slightly over the Chalice and in the same movement smoothly remove the Chalice from under the tap without touching the Chalice. The Beheading follows next, where the beer is allowed to overflow slightly and a head cutter is used to smooth the foamy brim at 45 degrees and close the tap in one smooth movement. The Judgement ensures that there is a perfect amount of foam in the Chalice, no more than two fingers, the beer has to be in correct proportion of beer and foam. The Cleansing sees that the bottom and sides of the Chalice are cleaned by moving the Chalice in water using a circular motion and getting of the excess water using a white towel, before it is finally presented to the drinker, with the Stella Artois drip catcher on the stem of the Chalice with the logo, place a clean coaster with the logo facing outward in The Bestowal.
Here's how the 9-step ritual was done by one of the participants of the Stella Artois Draught Masters Philippines 2016.
Here's how the 9-step ritual was done by one of the participants of the Stella Artois Draught Masters Philippines 2016.
There were initially eight participants who exhibited their skills during the competition, but only three of them will represent the country at the regional finals in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia happening in May 2016. The winners for this competition are Raniel Dy of Draft the Fort, Eduardo Mayani II of Draft Alabang, and Jordan Bernarde of Draft Greenbelt.
“This is our way of searching and honoring the perfect craftsmanship among men and women who are very talented in giving a perfect twist to the traditional way of serving our beers and we are honored to have the opportunity to introduce the importance of this pouring ritual here,” shares Philip Tan, Area Manager - Anheuser-Busch InBev, the company behind the global beer brand Stella Artois.
It’s a lot more than just pomp and pageantry. The process highlights the skill and craftmanship of the competitors, and reinforces the brand’s belief that their beer should always be served in a way that demonstrates the skill and passion that goes into creating a pint of Stella Arois.
XO, Mish
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