Is there a certain technique involved in pouring draught beer?

As a former bartender I have literally spent hours contemplating (and arguing with patrons!) about the proper way to pour a Guinness. Since leaving my post behind the bar, I did a little research in that matter. And to my chagrin, I was pouring the delicious stout almost correctly!

According to Guinness's website, it should take you a full 119 seconds to pour a pint. That's almost two whole minutes!

You want to start by using a glass made by Guinness or a standard tulip shaped pint/half liter glass.

Place the glass under the tap at a 45 degree angle.

You do not need to let the tap run for a second before placing the glass beneath it (unless it is the first pour of the day in which case you need to clear out the tap for about 20 seconds.)

Since a double pour is required for the perfect pint, you want to stop when the glass is about 3/4 full. Place it on the bar so that the nitrogen gas has time to settle.

Once the beer becomes a solid, rich brown color you are ready for the second pour.

Place the glass directly under the tap. If the tap has a backwards lever, use this. The back lever will let the beer pour more slowly and you will have time to draw a clover or a heart in the foam. This is a great way to impress your customers. If you do not have a backwards lever option on your tap, simply pull the lever forward and fill the beer up. This does not need to be done at an angle.

Here is a video demonstrating the way to pour the perfect pint of Guinness: