Heineken's 'five steps' to serve best beer

Franck Evers, Heineken global draft master, holds glass Heineken beer he poured in a way that creates the best balance of foam and beer at Heineken Korea’s headquarters in southern Seoul, June 16. / Courtesy of Heineken Korea

By Park Si-soo

In the face of intensifying competition, beer makers normally try to find an edge by diversifying tastes or adjusting prices.

Yet, Heineken is doing it in a somewhat extraordinary way: exploring the best way of serving beer.

The Dutch beer brand recently pledged to double the number of barkeepers in Korea who have passed “Star Serve,” a draft-training program accredited by the company. There are five Star Serve masters in Korea.

“Do you know what three enemies for beer are?” Franck Evers, Heineken global draft master, asked during a recent interview with The Korea Times at the Heineken Korea office in southern Seoul. “Light, oxygen and the last one is barkeepers.”

The globe-trotting draft trainer said barkeepers are the “weakest” link between the brand and consumers.

“We have great beer and great brand. No matter how good they are, however, they can be ruined instantly if barkeepers don’t work well. Consumers may blame the brand,” he said.

Evers assumed the position in 2006 and has since travelled to some 60 countries, spreading the gospel of how to pour the perfect glass of draft beer.

He said there are five steps to serve the best lager beer to customers. And this rule equally works regardless of brands, he explained.

The first step is making a cup clean and cold ― the best drinking temperature is 3 to 5 degrees Celsius, he said. The next step is the actual pouring, making sure to hold the glass at a 45 degree angle to the nozzle and opening the tap fast. As the glass fills, straighten it.

The skimming of the top of the foam with a spatula is crucial, he said, because it contains oxygen and the bitter part of hops.

The two final steps are checking the glass of beer for the perfect foam ― 25 millimeters above from beer ― and serving it with a smile.

“The way of pouring should be done in a way that keeps freshmen in the beer,” Evers said.

He said there are nearly 290 beer brands under the umbrella of Heineken, adding his role is developing ways of serving that fit for each brand.

“Different types of beer should be served in different ways to enhance the drinking experience,” he noted. “We have a team of people committed to developing pouring skill and glasses ideal for each brand.”