THE FAMOUS POUR
HOW DO YOU HANDLE A LEGEND?
During its lifetime, the myths and methods which have grown up around pouring William Worthington's White Shield have turned it into an art form.
The trick, painful as it is, is to leave the precious last drops of White Shield with the conditioning yeast sediment in the bottom of the bottle...
First, prepare to pour by bringing bottle and glass almost horizontal, to eye level. Then, without resting the bottle on the rim of the glass, pour the White Shield slowly along the glass, avoiding any violent movement which might disturb the famous yeast, and gradually straighten the glass as it fills. Gently does it.
You should now have a sparkling clear glass of William Worthington's White Shield, and a bottle containing the conditioning sediment. Of course, there is always another way - one practised by those feisty White Shield brewers, who pour in the 'approved manner', savour their beloved White Shield, and then knock back the sediment at the end!
"Being bottle-conditioned, this one of the few brews that will develop with age. I can never resist the temptation to drink it fresh, but it will develop more rose-like flavors over a period of three to six months, perhaps two or three years. If you want to lay down a proportion of your stock, store it somewhere dark and cool, but not refrigerated, as that would stop the yeast from working...." Michael Jackson, Beer Writer