Beer lacing adds to the appearance of a beer. A pattern of foam that clings to the glass is a beautiful sight to behold.
The ingredients of beer, and their quality, contribute to the lacing.
Watch the video to learn the cause of this phenomenon and then see who comes out on top in a head-to-head beer lacing showdown: A traditional Belgian Ale or a light American Macrobrew.
Do you like beer lacing on your glass?
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{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
Good lacing is also sign of a healthy beer…
Did you pick up a copy of Cosmopolitan with your Michelob Ultra?
Anyways… it would’ve been nice to compare Orval with another Belgian Pale Ale, or at least any other Pale Ale…
So far, the beer with the best lacing I’ve brewed was a Russian Imperial Stout…
Great video!
I always heard people say that lacing was a sign of good beer, but that wasnt always true none the less it does look great and lacing does happen more with better brews.
That comparison was awesome Billy, you can really see how much Michelob is really not beer when put next to a good, healthy colored brew.
Thanks again
Well put together piece. I had no idea what lacing was.. so i learned something today! Can you return the Michelob and say there was a fault with the beer?
Did you wear a disguise when you purchased the Michelob Ultra?
@Jorge Glad you liked it. Other comparisons would be cool, but I don’t want to put too much emphasis on lacing. In my mind it’s a factor, but not a hugely important one in an overall beer review. I have seen pretty good lacing on RIS like you noticed. I wonder if it’s because they are so viscous? And no, no Cosmo. They were fresh out.
@Serge Thanks Serge. Your point about the Michelob overall appearance compared to the Orval actually stood out in my mind over the lacing. I knew I’d see some difference but that was surprising. I was just thinking “This one is beer, and this one isn’t.” But the fact that millions more people drink the Ultra kills me…
@bierfesten. Happy to hear I could teach something new. I should try to return it. “There is no beer in this beer!”
@Dale No but I did go outside of my neighborhood to not be recognized. I wonder if I’m the 1st person to ever buy a bottle of Michelob and Orval at the same time?
Cool post billy…I would think that residual sugar content would add to lacing too but I’ve never done the research. You should do a follow up video of a Belgian brew vs. an American craft Belgian style brew.
@nate Thanks. What you said about the sugar makes sense. I also wonder if since the hop oils are what mind the proteins, if highly hopped beers usually have more lacing. The Belgian vs. American idea is interesting. There’s so many comparisons, I should just line up 10 beers and knock them all out at once. Want to help me drink them lol?
I heard of it referred to as Belgian lace. I thought that was a great video and the beers you chose were perfect for demonstrating the differences. I know lacing isn’t the end-all and be-all of beer, but I’m always impressed with a beer that leaves lacing from the top to the bottom of the glass!
@Scott I’ve heard that term too. Is Belgian lace (the non-beer type) famous? I don’t have a clue, but if they do, then they have the lace market on lockdown. You’re right, a glass coated in lacing is a beautiful sight!
Belgian beers tend to be carbonated at higher pressures than other styles, which probably leads to the bigger head on the Orval. But I don’t imagine that would have much to do with the lacing.
@Kevin Hey Kevin, good point about the carbonation, although the Michelob was carbonated to high heaven too. It wasn’t obvious in the appearance but it was in the taste (curiosity sip before I dumped it lol). I think you’re right that that is not a major component of lacing. It’s more the hops, proteins, quality of ingredients, and that other special sauce they put in there. Thanks for the comment!
Great video. Its really important to me to learn as much about beer as i can. I never had a clue about lacing or rather its purpose, or use. Is there a reason that tripels i have tried seem to have very little in regards to lacing?
@Jason I had no idea what it was for the longest time. I knew about the “wine legs” (which is similar) before I knew about lacing. I’m not sure why the tripel didn’t have much. From my experience, Belgians or Belgian styles tend to have more, but sometimes it’s hit or miss. The other thing I can’t stress enough is having a clean glass. I’ve even noticed my glasses washed in the dishwasher vs. by hand do much better with lacing. Guess I’m not a very thorough cleaner.