I once met the Pope of Foam.
It was early in my beer journey, and, like many people, I hadn’t really given much thought to the suds on top of my beer. They just… were.
My conversion wasn’t instantaneous, but I was impressed by how much went into it. Charlie Bamforth (the Pope) was so passionate and made the science accessible—but still pretty “sciencey,” and, at the time, it seemed more like a niche interest compared to the other beer essentials that fascinated me: aroma, flavor, ingredients, styles, and the rich cultural and historical tapestry of beer.
Brits, in particular, have a peculiar relationship with the head on their beer. Just like my 15-years-ago-self, many people don’t think about it at all. Some actively oppose it. For years, I (and, unfortunately, my wife) were taught the proper way to pour beer from a can or bottle: carefully, with the glass held at an angle so extreme it looked like we were auditioning for a role in a safe-cracker heist film. The goal? To minimise foam as much as possible. Which is about as wrong as you can get.
When asked, “What are the ingredients of beer?” the usual answer is hops. Which is kind of funny, because hops are actually the one ingredient you don’t even need to make beer (the others being water, malt, and yeast). It’s similarly strange when people pour beer without a head of foam—because that foam is actually what separates beer from other fermented drinks. Those drinks may be fizzy, but their bubbles evaporate faster than you can say “cheers.”
Now, let’s talk about how the drink is presented. We taste first with our eyes—and something that looks good has the best chance of tasting good. Beer is jolly. It’s fun to drink and nice to look at. Why wouldn’t you want a beer crowned with a beautiful, creamy head? You see people posting pictures of headless beers online, and every time I see a £9 beer poured with a 20p head, a small part of my soul dies. (Seriously, do it for the gram, folks!)
But the head on your beer isn’t just about looking good. The suds created during pouring and how they behave are crucial to the flavor and overall beer experience. Foam plays a valuable role in preserving your beer throughout your drinking journey. It’s made from a mixture of beer and carbonic acid that’s just escaped its liquid prison and transformed into CO2. This creates a fizzy plug on top of your beer, which—counterintuitively—slows the beer from going flat. That’s right: it’s the OPPOSITE of what your dad told you!
Not only does the foam trap CO2 in your glass, but it also keeps oxygen out. It isolates your beer from the oxygen around it, trapping those delicate, volatile aromas within, and preventing them from oxidizing. Properly poured beer is basically protecting itself while you drink it. I mean, how much cooler can your beer get?
But wait, there’s more!
Aroma is crucial to flavor. Aroma teases you, giving hints of the delights that are about to unfold. And the foam? That’s the most aromatic part of the beer! After capturing the aromas, the foam then transmits them to your palate with each sip.
At a wine (or coffee, or tea) tasting, slurping is totally normal. Why? Because it helps oxygenate the drink and intensifies the flavor for a moment. But with beer? We don’t need to slurp—thankfully—because the foam’s already done that for us. Each mouthful of a properly poured beer has a burst of aroma as the foam breaks on your lips (conveniently located just below your nose) and on the roof of your mouth (again, right there—inside the nose!).
So next time you pour a beer, treat yourself: give it a nice, thick head. And every time you sip, take a moment to sample the suds before the liquid hits your tongue. That foam is your beer’s "amuse bouche," preparing you for the sip ahead!
Drinking beer is a wonderful activity, a celebration of life that’s evolved alongside humans and our capacity to enjoy it. So, go ahead, stick a flake in that.