Beer is one of the most popular alcoholic beverages that never goes out of style. Whether you’re having a casual night in with friends or a night out at the bar, a few cold ones can guarantee you a lot of good memories. Beer is the go-to drink when you’re looking to celebrate without consuming high-alcohol drinks that leave you feeling terrible the next day. In fact, researchers show that beer has a lot of health benefits, especially ones connected to your heart’s health. So, if you have that older relative that’s a massive beer enthusiast, don’t hesitate to surprise them with a gift hamper containing quality craft beer.
That being said, the type of beer glass you’re drinking from is just as important as the beer itself.
What Are the Different Types of Beer Glasses?
I’m sure you’ve already heard about the different types of wine glasses – the flute, the white wine glass, the oversized red wine glass and so on. These different glasses don’t only add to the style, but also improve the beverage’s taste. Similar to wine, the different types of beer glassware provide you with a different drinking experience.
For years, pubs have been using different glasses to meet the specific needs of beer lovers. During the Black Plague, the German beer stein with an added pewter lid served to keep infected flies out. Stoneware steins served to keep the beer cold, while thick glass mugs were used to withstand the abuse in German pubs.
In today’s world, there’s a wide variety of options allowing you to find your ideal beer glass online in just a few clicks. They all have different functions when it comes to improving your beer drinking experience – some preserve the foam head of the beer, others help to enhance its colour etc. If you choose the right kind of glass, it will bring out the unique flavour, colours and aroma of your beer of choice.
The Pint Glass
This is the most common type of beer glass that we can see in pubs, restaurants and households worldwide. Although there are several types of pint glasses, the most popular ones are the English version – which we also know as an Imperial or Nonic glass, and the American pint glass – the Shaker glass.
Pubs love to stack up on these glasses because they’re simple and easy to clean. They have a cylindrical shape that’s getting wider as it goes up. Depending on the type, they hold anywhere between 470 ml to 590 ml of beer. English pints are commonly used to serve light beers such as ales and lagers. On the other hand, American pint glasses are more versatile – pubs use them for ales, lagers, as well as beers like IPAs, stouts and porters.
The Beer Mug
Beer mugs are another popular type of beer glass. They come in a wide cylindrical shape with a sturdy handle on the side. The thick glass construction insulates your beverage and keeps it cool, while the handle helps to prevent your hands from warming it up. This type of glassware is compatible with many types of beer. People prefer it because it’s robust, easy to use and holds a large amount of beer. The beer mugs would sometimes have dimples, which many believe are there simply for decorative purposes.
The Weizen Glass
These are often confused with Pilsener glasses since their shapes and sizes are quite similar. However, the main difference is that the Weizen glass has a strong, narrow base and it curves as it goes up. It’s quite tall and holds around 500 ml of beer. Weizen glasses are used for serving wheat beers (Weizenbier – which is where they get their name from). They have a curved lip at the top, which helps to trap the foam head and lets you appreciate the rich flavour and aroma of wheat beers. However, some pubs usually serve fruit on the rim of wheat beers. This can easily destroy the unique taste of the beer, so make sure to avoid mixing in fruits.
The Tulip and Thistle Glass
These are less popular but stylish beer glasses. The tulip glass traps the foam head and enhances the aroma of hoppy and malty beers. It has a small stem and a tulip-like shape at the top of the glass. The thistle glass is a stretched-out version of the tulip glass. It only has fewer curves and is slightly taller. Beer enthusiasts typically use this glass for Scottish ales (the thistle is the official flower of Scotland). On the other hand, the tulip glass is popular for serving strong brews, such as double IPAs, Belgian ales and barley wines. Beer geeks love these types of glassware as they allow them to generously swerve the beer around to release its rich aromas.
Chalice vs. Pilsner
These are two of the most popular beer glasses that have extreme differences in their appearance as well as the types of beers they commonly hold.Chalices have a long and thick stem and a large bowl sitting on top of it. They’re similar to goblets, only they have thicker walls and are slightly heavier. Some of them have a gold or silver rim which serves as a decoration.
Chalices are the ideal glassware for serving heavy, malty beers (such as Belgian ales and German bocks). Their wide opening allows the beer drinker to analyse the rich flavour profile and aromas of the beer.
On the other hand, the Pilsner glass is tall and skinny and has little or no curvature as it goes up. Contrary to Chalice, Pilsner glasses are used primarily for serving lighter beers (such as pilsners). They come in a variety of different sizes, but they usually hold less beer than a pint glass. The slender construction gives drinkers an insight into the colours and carbonation bubbles within the beer. The wider top of the glass retains the foam head and brings out the beer’s flavour profile and aromas.
If you’re a passionate beer drinker, make sure to enrich your collection with a stylish beer glass online shops offer and take your drinking beer experience to the next level. You can thank us later!
