Tasting

How big is a pot? In Victoria, it's the smallest standard glass, holding 285 milliliters. The schooner holds 425 milliliters, the pint 570, and a jug 1,140 milliliters. Some bars also serve a 200-milliliter glass. Anyone ordering just "a beer" in Victoria will usually get a pot.

The small size serves a purpose. The beer is served chilled, and in the warm climate a large glass quickly turns lukewarm. A pot is empty before it warms up, and the next one follows. In Australia, lager is usually drunk very cold, while a pale ale can be served a few degrees warmer so the hops can unfold. Drink quickly and you taste less; drink slowly and you notice how the beer changes in the glass.

Four breweries serve as examples here. Victoria Bitter represents the classic pale lager. Mountain Goat in Richmond stands for the craft original from 1997, with Hightail Ale and Steam Ale. Stomping Ground in Collingwood and Moon Dog in Abbotsford are two of the better-known craft operations; Moon Dog is considered more experimental and stronger in alcohol than Mountain Goat.

When it comes to pouring, a thin head of foam matters. A pot or schooner is filled from the tap at a slight angle and should carry only about a finger's width of foam on top. Frosted glasses are common, and they enhance the sense of coldness, but weaken the aroma. A pot served at a warmer temperature, by contrast, lets malt and hops come through more clearly, which connoisseurs appreciate with craft beer.