Some people will go to extreme, nearly unthinkable lengths in pursuit of a perfectly poured beer. Case in point: The tilted, Bar 45 Andes Beer bar in Argentina.
The name Bar 45 is meant to be taken literally. The entire bar — tables, chairs, taps, dartboard, everything — is at a 45 degree angle. It’s located near Penitentes, Argentina, a ski town close the the Chilean border in the Mendoza province of the Andes Mountains (an area more famous for its Malbec than its tilted bars), and it uses the natural incline of the mountain to its advantage.
The tilt essentially forces the bartenders to pour the beer at a 45 degree angle. Angling the glass just right can keep the foam from bubbling over the top or taking up half the space in the glass, creating the ideal foam head that holds many of the delicious smells that add to the drinking experience. Of course, not all foam is bad foam, but liquid is a much better state of matter for downing beer. Not to mention that a healthy foam head on a creamy stout is different than a topping of bubbles on a Bud Light, and Andes is a pale lager more similar to American macro brew than quality craft beer.
If this seems a little extreme, well, it is. But Andes Beer doesn’t shy away from intense marketing gimmicks. A full on cabin bar at 45 degrees takes marketing gimmicks to a whole different level, though. Sure, the bartender won’t slip up on your pour, but sitting is more difficult, and drinkers will have to slurp their beer a bit before setting it down on the tilted tables. And don’t think for a second that a darts game at Bar 45 will be anything like your average darts game.
If you do make it out to Bar 45, just make sure you stick to Andes beer. You certainly don’t want a Guinness served from a 45 degree angle.
