Tasting

What does a Glasgow lager taste like? Tennent's Lager is golden, lean, and fresh, with a light malt sweetness, little hop aroma, and a clean, short finish. The brewery also offers a variant called Tennent's 1885, meant to honour the lager's founding year.

WEST's St Mungo, by contrast, shows more bread and grain character. The first sip is soft, the carbonation fine, the bitterness staying understated. Tasted side by side, it's clear both beers are pale lagers, yet they come from different schools.

In Glasgow, beer is served by the pint, an imperial pint of 568 millilitres, in a straight or gently curved glass that flares slightly at the top. A half-pint holds 284 millilitres. A clean glass matters, since any trace of grease will cause the head to collapse.

Lager tastes best well chilled, colder than most ales. This tones down the sweetness and highlights the freshness. Too cold, and the subtle aromas vanish; too warm, and it falls flat.

It's usually served from the tap with added carbon dioxide. A good pint carries a firm, two-finger head and can be drunk in a few swallows without the foam collapsing. There's no fixed pour time the way there is with Pils in Germany. First time ordering a pint? Just let it settle before diving in, and take your time enjoying it.