I totally agree Ami. It is an art...and a skill. After working 34 out of the past 40 Oktoberfests here in Kitchener-Waterloo, I've pulled more than a few. The skill level rises when you have to add in the factors of speed and quantity - our Festhalle is licensed for 2300 - and they all want their beer yesterday.
Having also worked on the pulling side of the bar in a few English Pubs (back in university). Pouring the right kind of head on a beer is not only desired but expected. Here for some reason, they want as little a head as possible. But then, with some of the North American big commercial beers, you may not want a head to let it "breathe", since it might not improve the taste...
. Their are exceptions, of course, but not many. Then again the North American preference for seriously chilled beers greatly reduces the amount of head that will be on a pulled pint. LOL
And then there are Stouts....and that's a whole different kettle of fish....or beverage. I may have poured literally 100's of thousands of beers over the years, but I don't drink it myself. Can't stand the taste of 95% of them...lol. But a Guiness is a whole different thing of beauty in my book. Unfortunately, being Irish, its not served at Oktoberfest. <<sighhhhhhhhhhhhhhh>>