Glassware Education

Variation in beer glassware has become more prevalent within the craft beer industry in recent years. The generic shaker pint is becoming less prevalent and there are more snifters, tulip, and Weizen glasses being utilized in return... and there is a purpose for that!  

When assessing glassware for beer, an important function of glassware is how well it retains beer’s foamy head. Head is important for two reasons, one of which is presentation of the beer.  The second significance of head retention is that it traps in the compounds in beer that contribute to a beer’s aroma, referred to as volatiles. Volatiles dissipate quicker when a beer has no head.

The Pint glass is a slightly tapered cylinder. Although common, the 16 oz tumbler pint glass was not originally intended for beer, as it was designed for shaking cocktails (Shaker pint). The 20 oz Imperial Pint glass, also known as a Shoulder Pint, is preferred and has a bulge towards the top that aids in head retention, helps in stacking glasses, and keeping a tight grip of the glass.

Ideal for: Pale ales, Amber ales, IPAs, Brown ales, Porters, and Stouts.
        

The Mug, also known as a Stein. These glasses are large, heavy and sturdy, with handle. Mugs come in many different shapes and sizes. Designed for reckless cheersing and heavy drinking, because it holds a lot of beer.
Ideal for: German lagers or anything you want to drink a lot of.

    

Pilsner Glasses are 12 oz. tall, slender and tapered glass. The narrow body of the glass helps showcase the color, carbonation and helps with head retention. Great for enhancing volatiles (aromas).
Ideal for: Pilsners and other Lagers.
   

A  Stange (Slender cylinder) is a traditional German glass. Stange means “stick”, representing it’s long, narrow body. Stanges are used to serve more delicate beers, amplifying malt and hop nuances. The shape contributes to slower dissipation of the carbonation and a more narrow concentration of volatiles.
Ideal for: Czech pilsner, altbier, gose, gueuze, kolsch, lambic, rauchbier.

  

The Flute glass is a long, narrow body, usually with a stem base. Similar to a stange, the long narrow body slows the dissipation of the carbonation allowing better head retention. Additionally, the shape helps showcase the color of the beer with a thinner body.
Ideal for: Czech Pilsner, Bock, Dunkels, and Sours.
           

A Tulip glass is a stemmed, bulbous glass with the top of the glass pushes out a bit to form a lip in order to capture the head, in the shape of a tulip. The benefits of a tulip glass is that it catches and amplifies volatiles, while it retains foamy heads.
Ideal for: Belgian-styles beers and Sours. 

   

Goblets, also known as a Chalice, are common for Belgian-styles. They come in different designs, usually dependent on the brewery. Typically have heavy, thick walls. They are designed to maintain head through scoring the inside of the bottom of the glass, creating CO2 nucleation point contributing to head retention.
Ideal for: Belgian-style Tripels, Dubbels, Quadruple ales.
     

 Snifter glasses, also used for brandy and cognac, are great for beer. Their wide-bowled or stemmed glasses with their tapered mouths are perfect for capturing the aromas. The provide room to swirl and agitate 

volatiles.
Ideal for: higher ABV beers. Imperial IPAs, Imperial stouts, Barley Wines.
             
A Weizen glass is an authentic Bavarian Weizen glass designed for wheat beers. Tall with thin walls to showcase the color and allow room for head. Designed to hold more beer and more head.
Ideal for: wheat beers.