A lot of people will just pour their beer into a standard pint glass, or even drink it out of the bottle. But, did you know that craft beer brewers actually count on you pouring their beer into a specific glass? Unless, of course, you're drinking a Heady Topper. Then be sure you DRINK FROM THE CAN!
Different types of glasses can bring out the aromas of the beer you’re drinking. If you're new to tasting beer and aren't quite sure how the aroma can affect the taste, check out this blog about tasting beers.
There are so many different styles of glasses and beer, so how do you know which glass to use? Not to fear, in this blog I go over some of the more popular beer glassware and why they’re best for certain styles of beer.
Flute
A champagne glass, tall and narrow. This glass really enhances and helps maintain carbonation. The tall narrow shape showcases the color and carbonation.
Beers
- Fruit beer
- Lambic
- Pilsner
- Red Ale
- Bock
- Wild Ale
Goblet
These are large, stemmed bowl shaped glasses. Usually delicate with thin glass. If they have thick walled then they are known as Chalices. The wide mouth releases the beer’s aroma and the shape maintains the head.
Beers
- Belgian IPA
- Dubbel
- Tripel
Mug
These are very thick-glassed and have a handle. They are one of the sturdier beer glasses out there. They come in all different sizes, so can hold a lot of beer.
Beers
- Red Ale
- Black Ale
- Blonde Ale
- Brown Ale
- IPA
- Porter
- Stout
- Strong Ale
- Scottish Ale
Pilsner
A tall, skinny and tapered glass. Typically smaller than a pint, holding about 10oz of beer. Because they’re so tall, they really shows off the beer’s color and carbonation. The shape also promotes head retention.
Beers
- Light Lager
- Pale Lager
- Bock
- All Pilsners (obviously)
- Witbier
Pint
This is your standard glass that most bars use to serve all beers in. It’s a thick glass with a cylindrical shape that widens as it goes up. The wide opening at the rim allows for great aromas to be released. The thick glass will keep your beer colder longer.
Beers
- Brown Ale
- IPA
- Pale Ale
- Porter
- Stout
- Strong Ale
- Oatmeal Stout
- Pumpkin Ale
- Farmhouse Ale
- Smoked Beer
- Many, many more
Snifter
These are you typical brandy and cognac glasses. They are stemmed with a wide body and tapered mouth. They’re great for capturing the complexities of aromatic beers.
Beers
- Barleywine
- Triple
- Quad
- Bock
- Imperial Stout
- Strong Ale
Tulip
Tulips are stemmed glasses that are shaped like a… wait for it… tulip! The widened mouth helps enhance the flavor and aromas of the beer.
Beers
- IPA
- Pale Ale
- Dark Ale
And there you have it. Now you know exactly what beer glass to use next time you're trying out a new craft beer. And if you're looking for even more types of beer glasses and maybe a place to buy them, check out what True Beer has to offer.
Obviously, the brewers would like you to use a certain glass, but it's not completely necessary. If you only have a pint glass readily available, that will do just fine. And, don't forget to score the beers your tasting! Download the free beer tasting scorecard below for an easy way to keep track.
Cheers!
