The Best Types of Glasses to Drink Craft Beer Out Of.
If you're looking for a new beer glass, we have the perfect guide for you. You may not realize it but there are many different types of glasses to choose from and each one is best used differently. We'll go over popular styles including tulip, snifter, lager and pilsner glasses.
Written by CraftJack | Updated | 5 min read
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Now that you are a craft beer aficionado, you have to be aware of the different types of glasses that certain beers should be served in. There is a whole world out there and it's time for you to explore it. You're going to need to be ready with International Beer Day coming up in August.
Also, it's a good idea to rest all of these glasses on a beer mat. Don't ruin a perfectly good bar.
Types of Glasses:
- Beer Mug
- Beer Stein
- Goblets
- Pilsner Glass
- Pint Glass
- Snifter
- Stange Glass
- Tasting Flight Glass
- Teku Glass
- Tulip Glass
- Weizen Glass
Beer Mug
The beer mug is a cylindrical vessel with thick glass walls. They help insulate your brew, keeping it cool even if you’ve been drinking for hours and don't want to risk dropping the precious liquid when you're finally starting to sober up.
The handle also helps prevent transferring heat from your hands onto the glass while holding it or picking one of them off that stack on top of each other in fridges everywhere (although some say they were originally designed as decoration).
Beer Stein
The stein is a type of drinking vessel which has been popular throughout history because it was believed to be safer than other forms. Today, they are mostly used as decoration or souvenirs since most people prefer the convenience of pint glasses instead. Though, we wouldn't be sad if we knew you were tossing back stein after stein at a beer fest.
Ziggy Zaggy Ziggy Zaggy Oi Oi Oi!
Goblets
These magical glasses are perfect for heavy, malty beers. Their wide opening helps beer drinkers examine the overall flavor profile and aromas with ease!
Plus, you get to feel like a king (or queen) holding your chalice of suds and giving orders to anyone within 10 feet.
Pilsner Glass
The slender, tall design of a pilsner glass provides you with the perfect vessel to showcase your favorite lighter beers. The slightly wider top allows for maximum enjoyment and appreciation of its aroma without spilling over or losing any foam while sipping.
Pint Glass
The pint glass is an iconic part of the American drinking culture and not just for beer. The 16-ounce shaker style allows you to drink more while still maintaining some level of sophistication in your beverage consumption during a night out on the town or at home with friends.
The most common type of glasses used for serving drinks are pint glasses, which come up as one gets farther away from its base, leaving room enough to hold about sixteen ounces worth (or 473 ml) liquid comfortably without needing extra space around it.
Libbey makes some pint glasses of decent quality. Check them out if you need a set. Especially if you're looking for a set of Nonic Pint Glasses.
Imperial Pint Glass
Pint glasses in the UK are 20 fluid ounces. We support that. 16oz just doesn't feel quite enough when sitting down for a hot meal. And by hot, we mean a greasy plate of buffalo wings.
Snifter
Snifters aren't just for fancy liquor. In fact, the snifter glass is one of the most elegant and distinctive beer glasses available. With its tapered shape, it's ideal for swirling your brew to release more aromatics so you can fully enjoy every sip!
Snifters should come in a package that smells of tobacco, bay rum, and full-grain leather.
Stange Glass
Kölsch is a beer that has to be served in one of two ways: inside glasses known as Stange. "Stange" is the German word for rod, which suits it well due its tall and straight stature--more like a graduated cylinder than an average bar glass.
It's also pretty small by American standards at just 0.2 liters or 6 ounces total volume per serving; this means patrons must order constantly if they want fresh pours on their table with each drink only lasting about 2 sips apiece!
This particular beverage container inspired what some people call “The Kölsche Klopse Rule” which states "If there's not enough room between tables or chairs then someone will lose their seat."
Ok, we made that up.
But don't Stange Glasses remind you of the type of glass you'd get served at Porchetta Night at the local Elks Lodge? Stange glasses were probably used at the oldest brewery in the world back when Weihenstephaner first opened in 1040.
Tasting Flight Glass
The tasting glass is the preferred way to sample many beers without lighting the inebriation lamp. This type of glass typically holds 4-6 ounces of beer. It's a good choice for trying out beers on a brewery tour.
Just don't steal the wooden serving paddle.
Teku Glass
To be honest, we didn't even know the Teku Glass had a name until recently. Sure, we had a few delicious brews in one before. Pardon our ignorance, but it looks like a more durable wine glass. In fact, we thought that the beertender had just run out of other glasses to use.
Is that wrong of us to say? We don't know. But what we do know is that the Teku allows the aroma to concentrate at the top of the glass - and we're all for improving perceived flavor.
Tulip Glass
At first glance, the tulip glass looks like a very standard drinking vessel. The inward-turning shape and flared rim characterize it as an all around drinker's type of cup. This isn't just any old goblet though: this is one made for high abv Belgian beers!
But don’t be fooled by its narrow waist that holds these aromas in – because tulips are diverse vessels too! They can hold everything from IPAs to stouts with ease thanks to their flare supported headspace, flavorful stem and foot grip. Plus they make swirling enjoyable due to how well you're able, if not encouraged, to swirl them without breaking your wrist or spilling beer everywhere.
Weizen Glass
With their curved lips and narrow shape, weizen glasses are a great drinkware to make your wheat beers more aromatic. The weizen glass is a unique type of beer that's designed specifically to accommodate the flavor and aroma profile.
Bonus: The Solo Cup
Shotgunning beer, chugging or just sipping delicately, the Red Solo Cup is a tour de force in rapid consumption. The first sip always goes down smoothly, but by about halfway through the night you're guaranteed to start feeling that buzz.
You can also get creative by decorating your own solo cup. Some people like writing their names on them with a black sharpie to help them remember which bevvie was theirs at the rager.
Solo cups come in different sizes: 12oz, 16oz, 18oz. etc. They're also great for filling with keg beer. And, they're the darling of college tailgates, frat parties, and all sorts of table-based drinking games like beer pong or flip cup. Plus, they're much easier drink a waterfall with than a can or bottle.
Bonus 2: The Wine Glass
Wine glasses are a stemmed glass that is designed to be used when consuming wine, whether white or red. They hold about 16 ounces and often have an open bowl shape for tasting the aroma of your drink before you take a sip.
They will also hold beer in a pinch. Learn how to open wine without a corkscrew.
Bonus 3: A Pitcher of Beer
Ohhh, you thought we wouldn't go there. A pitcher of beer holds 3.75 pints (16oz) or 5 bar-style 12oz pours, which is also pretty much a half gallon. If you've been to a college party, you've seen someone drinking beer from a pitcher. Hard to leave it off the list.
Wrapping up
Tons of different cups to choose from. Tons of different beers to drink. Now you know how to match the beer style to the glass.
Photography Credit
- Photo by Jonah Brown on Unsplash
- Photo by Fábio Alves on Unsplash