AHA NHC pouring methods

When registering for the AHA National Homebrew Competition, there’s a selection that needs to be made regarding the preferred pouring method for your submission: Quiet pouring do not rouse, Rouse yeast intentionally and Nitro beer pour hard. I assume a “Quiet pour” is holding the glass at a 45 degree angle and slowly pouring where “Rousing yeast” is more aggressive? What’s a hard pour? I usually pour with vigor and thought I was releasing carbonation, not rousing yeast. Can one of the judges here clarify?

Hey there-

I relayed your question to the NHC team and received the following info:

  • Quiet pour = standard pour where the bottle is not intentionally agitated so to rouse the yeast
  • Rouse = the bottle is agitated/rolled prior to pouring so that yeast is intentionally included/incorporated in the sample given to the judge
  • Pour Hard (Nitro) = for nitro beers (more common for commercial competitions) – bottle is poured completely inverted over the glass, so as to display the nitro carbonation

-Duncan
BA/AHA

Excellent. Thanks for the follow up.