Rinsed glass > frosted/chilled glass???

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by fadein34, Aug 19, 2012.

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  1. fadein34

    fadein34 Initiate (0) Feb 23, 2011 Indiana

    So, I thought it was cool to have a frosted/chilled mug before I started drinking good beer. I bought what everyone was selling and I'm not going back.

    As I understand it the two biggest issues, in no particular order, are 1) temperature and 2) getting watered down.

    My problem now is trying to understand why these glass rinses are acceptable? No, they don't mess with the temp and are probably beneficial with making sure they are nice and clean. Got it. I'm a fan.

    But wait... Because the rinse water remains at the bottom of the glass. Arguably much more so than what you'd get from a frosted glass. I was at a bar recently that provided me a glass for a bottle I ordered. Truth be told I ordered a bottle and they asked if I wanted a glass... DUH! Anyway, after the rinse I received a glass with a solid 1/4" of water at the bottom, that's my best guess. Put it this way, it was enough that when I dumped it on my coaster the coaster was overwhelmed and if it had a heartbeat it would have drowned.

    Now why are these glass rinsers okay and a frosted mug is not? Does it really just boil down to temp?

    Or am I just completely missing the boat here?

    Thanks.
     
  2. jesskidden

    jesskidden Grand Pooh-Bah (3,071) Aug 10, 2005 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    A wet glass is generally considered preferable to a dry glass when pouring beer - some bars even have rinsers built into the draft drip tray. If a glass is too wet shake out the excess (or request the same from your bartender).

    The amount of water that can cling to the sides of a glass is usually negligible as far as being able to "water down" 12-16 oz. of beer.

    A bar near me opened up, but uses the old "3 sink" method to wash glasses, and then immediately puts them into the freezer. When I ask for a "room temp" glass, they'll often go to just dip a frozen one into the final blue "sanitizer" sink :grimacing:. I have to tell 'em I'm sensitive to that stuff and can they just run some cool water over the glass...

    Sometimes I'll stop in and the bartender will say, "Oh, yeah, you're the guy who wants a hot glass...". Well, it's not like I want it hot, exactly- no need to microwave it - I don't need a asbestos glove or anything to pick it up.
     
  3. VncentLIFE

    VncentLIFE Initiate (0) Feb 16, 2011 North Carolina

    They rinse the glass because they dont, bubbles can cling to the side of the glass giving it an awful look. If they rinse it, you still get head and no clingy patches of bubbles of the side of the glass. If youre taking a picture of your beer for untappd or twitter bragging or whatever, the rinse is a necessity.
     
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  4. MichPaul

    MichPaul Initiate (0) Jan 28, 2012 Michigan

    Generally, BA's do not like their beer ice cold. That's for BMC's to kill the flavor. We like our flavor!
     
  5. brewbetter

    brewbetter Initiate (0) Jun 2, 2012 Nauru

    I like rinsing because it cleans the glass, I leave as little residual water in the glass as possible. If you rinse a glass and then put it in the freezer, all the water will freeze, so there will still be water, which is not good. Further, the frosting distorts the perception of the beer as it reduces clarity and good beer doesn't need to be ice-cold to be enjoyed like BMC does.

    Room-temp clean dry tulip glass is what I use for 95% of my brews
     
  6. lsummers

    lsummers Maven (1,251) Jun 21, 2010 California

    I always rinse out my glasses then kinda shake the water out. My local craft pub does the same thing, they have a nice jet that rinses the glass out.
     
  7. gustogasmic

    gustogasmic Initiate (0) Jan 13, 2012 Michigan

    Smell the glass. If you smell anything, rinse it out. Shake as much of the water out as possible, but not as vigorously as I was last night, when I smashed my 22 oz. brandy snifter on the kitchen sink.
     
  8. JuicesFlowing

    JuicesFlowing Initiate (0) Jul 5, 2009 Kansas

    It only takes 2 seconds to realize how bad chilled glasses are. Unless you like your beer with 2 ounces of liquid and 14 ounces of foam ....
     
  9. raffels

    raffels Initiate (0) Dec 12, 2009 West Virginia

    So true or false-some residual water on the inside of the glass adds to head retention? Back on the old site the glass cleaning question came up like mushrooms after a rain shower, and I seem to remember someone making mention of this. My usual routine is rinse with hot water, shake out the glass, dry the outside with a linen towel and pour after the glass is cool to the touch.
     
    muchloveforhops3 likes this.
  10. Shadyf0o

    Shadyf0o Initiate (0) Jul 28, 2012

    I always try to make sure my glass is clean and relatively dry, unless I am pouring the same type of beer into the same glass again. I usually just shake all the water out of it with a flick of my arm. I don't like the smell paper towels leave in my glass. Don't even get me started on rags...yuck. There is always SOME water in my glass, but I try to leave as little as possible. I've found that chilled glasses mess with the head, which isn't preferable for me.
     
  11. Hanzo

    Hanzo Initiate (0) Feb 27, 2012 Virginia

    I shake my glass like a Polaroid picture to ensure most all the water is gone after I rinse. As for frosted glasses....I ask for room temp, sometimes it's not a big deal, other times I get very strange looks.
     
  12. acevenom

    acevenom Initiate (0) Oct 7, 2011 Louisiana

    I only do a frosted glass at home if I'm drinking malt liquor. Why not just use the bottle? Good question. When I'm out and I get a frosted glass, I don't really complain about it.
     
  13. Nutwood

    Nutwood Initiate (0) Jun 30, 2012 Kentucky

    At home I rinse my glass and give it a good centrifugal whip downward. I'm kind of compulsive about potential dust in my beer, or the occasional gnat. The bar manager where I drink always rinses stemware, shakes out the water, and holds the glass to the light to inspect it for lipstick or a chipped rim. He keeps a clean towel just for drying the outside and rim. I certainly appreciate that, especially when paying for a Chimay or a Triple Karmeleit.
     
  14. dcgunman

    dcgunman Pooh-Bah (2,608) Jul 1, 2009 California
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Always rinse before next new beer. Sometimes wash before new pour. Never frost.
     
  15. FosterJM

    FosterJM Initiate (0) Nov 16, 2009 California

    I asked for a room temp glass and he put it under the steam from the espresso machine. n00b

    Cheers!
     
  16. evilc

    evilc Initiate (0) Jan 27, 2012 California

    Room temp, washed, crystal clear.
     
  17. founder26

    founder26 Initiate (0) Sep 9, 2009 Michigan

    I don't know about you guys but when I rinse my glass with our tap water it always leaves a funky smell to it, so I have to rinse with our filtered water, kinda weird?
     
  18. MaineMike

    MaineMike Initiate (0) Jan 22, 2011 Maine

    If your unfiltered water tastes bad then that makes perfect sense.
     
  19. founder26

    founder26 Initiate (0) Sep 9, 2009 Michigan

    no our tap water taste fine unfiltered, obviously its better filtered but still...
     
  20. Longstaff

    Longstaff Initiate (0) May 23, 2002 Massachusetts

    Once had a guy get all pissy at me when I was serving beer at a fest when I tried to rinse his glass of the sour beer he just got from his last trip to the table. Said he didn't want to drink watered down beer as it would ruin it. Whatever dude, here's your sour tainted beer....

    Don't mind a frosted glass all that much in the summertime, but not necessary when its not all that hot out and I will ask for a non-chilled glass. And I would rather have a rinsed glass than one that has dishwasher or cleaning fluid residue.
     
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