choosing the right Beer glass
Believe it or not, choosing the right beer glass is an important aspect of drinking beer. The right glass can impact head retention and head development. Now, who doesn't like good head? The key is that choosing the right glass will bring out the unique flavors, colors and aroma of your favorite beer. Don't underestimate it! Many beer manufacturers spend a lot of money developing the right glass that brings out the best in their beer. These are the main style of glassware.
pint glass |
Slightly tapered, cylindrical glass with a wide mouth. The straight glass is more common while the glass with a ridge or lip near the top (nonic glass) is preferred for beers with large crowning heads. Nonic glasses are typically 20 oz..
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pilsner glass |
Slightly tapered, tall and slender, with no curvatures up the side. Designed for lighter beers. Usually less than a pint. The slender shape captures the color and bubbling texture of the beer while retaining head.
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weizen |
Close in style to the Pilsner glass except with rounded sides toward the top of the glass and a wider opening at the top. The benefits of this glass for your favorite wheat beer are that the great color of the beer is evident but more importantly, the curvature at the top of the glass traps the head and allows you to enjoy the full aroma and flavor of the beer.
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beer snifter |
Best known for sipping cognac or brandy, this style of glass is also great for enriching the aromatics of strong ales. The beer snifter is a stemmed, wide-bowled glass with a tapered mouth. This shape allows you to swirl the ale in the glass which stirs up the volatiles and brings out the fullest aroma from your beer.
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Tulip |
A stemmed glass in the shape of a tulip. Larger, bulb-like at the bottom curving inward and then out at the top to form a lip. the lip captures the head to help retain flavor and beer aromatics. A thistle glass is very similar, except with an elongated body. Thistle glass is used most commonly for Scotch Ales.
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Beer Mug |
The beer mug is most common in England and German, and to a less extent, the United States. There are many different sizes and shapes of the beer mug but one good thing about them is they can hold a lot of beer. The beer mug's shape is cylindrical with a large handle and thick glass which helps insulate the beer and keep it cold. This glass is great for toasting because you can give them a nice "clink" and not break it. Very popular at Oktoberfest. Prosit!
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