Instructions

1. Wash the beer mug, and rinse with lots of fresh water. Don't pat it dry. In fact, make sure you leave the outside of the mug nice and wet to ensure a healthy layer of ice on the glass.

2. Place the beer mug in your freezer. Let it sit in there for at least an hour in order to give it time to really frost over. Don't take out the mug until you're ready to pour the beer, since the ice-melting process begins as soon as it leaves the freezer.

3. Pick your beer. Make sure that the beer that's about to be severely chilled is a pilsner or lager-style beer. Why? This style of beer is intended to be served cold, and isn't as adversely affected by frigid serving temperatures as some of the heartier styles like bocks, ales, stouts and porters (see article linked below in References). These beers may lose much of the flavor that you're paying so dearly for, so tread carefully.

4. Gently pour the beer, taking care to angle the glass as you pour, to ensure a nice foamy head without it overflowing.

5. Place the frosty mug on a beer mat or coaster. Since the ice on the mug will thaw fairly rapidly at room temperature, depositing water all over whatever surface your beer glass sits on.

6. Watch with a little disappointment as the beautiful, foamy head on the beer rapidly disappears before your eyes. Unfortunately, this is one of the less pleasant effects of serving beer at extremely low temperatures. Not to worry, it's more of a visual thing than a taste issue; it's still beer, so enjoy.