The final test of your homebrew is in the drinking of it. Pouring homebrew from a bottle requires more care than many commercial beers due to the yeast sediment found at the bottom of the bottle. In addition, many home brewers take great care in choosing the appropriate glass for serving their beers.
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Dispensing and Serving for the Beginning Homebrewer
The beginning home brewer will probably have bottled his or her beer and carbonated it by bottle conditioning. This means that the yeast will have carried out a small fermentation in the bottle, resulting in natural carbonation but also leaving a small layer of yeast at the bottom of the bottle.
Because you usually don't want the yeast to end up in your glass, pour carefully and leave the last bit of beer in the bottom of the bottle. Read the page on pouring from a bottle for a more detailed explanation.
Obviously, for the same reason, home brew should not be drunk directly from the bottle. You can read the section below on glassware, but in a pinch a good pint glass works well for all of the beer styles commonly brewed by beginning brewers.
Glassware
There are as many different types of glasses as there are styles of beer. The right glass can bring out different flavor and aroma characteristics of the beer making it an important part of the overall presentation of your creation.
Most English ale styles benefit from being served in an Imperial Pint glass, while American ales are traditionally served in a "tumbler" also called a Pint glass. German lagers are often served in a Pilsner or Stein. Belgian ales are traditionally served in goblets resembling brandy snifters.
Pouring From a Bottle
Pouring home brew from a bottle requires a certain amount of finesse due to the yeast sediment at the bottom. See here for more detailed information.
Dispensing Keg or Cask Beer
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Beer Tasting
There are several factors to take into account when evaluating your beer but ultimately the adage "if it tastes good, it is good" wins out over all the others.
What do I do next?
Enjoy your beer, and then brew another batch!