Beer Ed: Glassware

What’s in a glass? When it comes to beer there is a lot in that glass.  Beer is not just a beverage we drink to get drunk, its meant to be enjoyed.

To properly enjoy a beer not only does it need to be served at the proper drinking temperature but also in the proper drinking vessel.  By using a proper drinking vessel you allow the beer to breathe, carbonation to release and for aromas to hit the nose.  Let’s take a look at a few of the more popular varieties.

Imperial Pint Glass:

The classic English Pub glass that allows complex fruit notes in ales to be appreciated at slightly warmer/cellar temperatures while providing a full aroma.  It is best suited for a pale ale or an English Bitter.  However, it also works well with an India Pale Ale (IPA), brown ale, porter or stout.

Tulip

A Tulip glass is a stemmed  glass with a bell-shaped mouth designed to concentrate the rich aromas of desert beers in the same manner as a brandy sniffer. It works well for English Barleywines, strong ales, dobblebocks, fruited lambics, Belgian Golden Ales and Scotch Ales.

Snifter

If you drink Brandy or Whiskey you have probably used a snifter for that.  When it comes to beer, this beer is preferred for high ABV beers. This glass is best used to serve the following styles of beer: Barleywines, Strong Ales, Belgian Doubles, Triples and Quadruples.

Pilsner

A tall conical shaped glass narrow at the bottom wider at the top to show of the sparking golden color, flowing bubbles and floral spicy aroma of the classic Czech Pilsner.  Typically used for a Czech Pilsner.  Also, good to use with Vienna/Munich/Oktoberfest style lagers, and dunkel lagers.

Weizen/Hefeweizen

Its a tall glass that allows for weizen (wheat) beers to be poured with a huge pillowy head.  Best used with Hefewiezens, Dunkelweizen, Kristalweizen, Weizenbock or Belgian Wit style beers.

Flute

Typically a glass reserved for champagne, has a long and narrow body to ensure carbonation doesn’t dissipate too quickly and to allow the aroma to be upfront. Preferred serving glass for Belgian style lambics and fruit beers.

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While it is not a steadfast rule that you use the proper glass for the beer you are drinking, doing so will help enhance your drinking experience as it will help the beers aromas and carbonation to be enjoyed to its fullest.  Remember next time you are drinking a beer, check the label sometimes the brewers will even recommend the proper glassware as they intended it to be, which may not always be the one for that specific style.

Also, a special offer for all of our readers from the folks over at True Beer, a great source for beer glasses and glassware, they have extended a 10% discount upon checking out when using the coupon code “mellin” take advantage of this great offer today, to get that missing glassware in your collection.

And that’s … From My Mellin!