How Does the Type of Glass Change the Taste of Beer?

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HomelessWook

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Ok so maybe this is a dumb question and it has probably been addressed thousands of times but i am a younger guy and only been legally allowed to drink for a little more than a year now which means i have a lot to learn (seeings how before i became of age i was accustom to cheap watery gas station beer).

Anyhow, i enjoy trying new beers and i realize that different styles should be poured into certain glasses and i was wondering what exactly happens to the beer that changes the taste/smell/feel (characteristics).

Today i bought Bells Best Brown Ale and it says on ratebeer "serve in dimpled mug" and it got my actually thinking about this. i have heard people talk about pilsner glasses, etc.

anyway, wasn't necessarily wondering what the different types of glasses were but the science behind why you are supposed to use different glasses.

thanks :mug:


edit: i just cracked one of these and poured it into my pint glass.... BORING - i had Hopslam recommended to me (still have a 6er) and i figured i would try something else Bells.... This is just not that interesting.
 
It's mostly a matter of what kind of glass was used in the originating area for a style, but for some beers having extra space above the beer for aromas to accumulate is good.

I am reminded of an American company that was entering the toilet paper market in Europe. The received wisdom was every country had exacting requirements, size, thickness, etc. Their survey showed: 1. Soft 2. Strong. 3. don't care about anything else.
 
Different shapes of glasses, present the aroma differently, have different effects on the bubbles rising, and present the beer to your mouth differently. Different beers are going to want to highlight different aspects. IE, an IPA is going to want to bring out as much of the aroma out as possible into your nose when you take a drink. I prefer a Tulip if available. At home I'll use this glass for my IPAs and can notice a lot more aroma than when pouring into a wide mouth straight pint glass. It's more concentrated to the nose. But also it's just fun to collect different glasses.
image_ipa.jpg
 
I'm opening a bottle of Vintage Ale this weekend and am looking for tulip glasses which "helps trap the aroma, but also aids in maintaining large heads, creating a visual and olfactory sensation."

Beer Advocate has a good . . .thing.

Flute Glass
Benefits: Enhances and showcases carbonation. Releases volatiles quickly for a more intense upfront aroma.

Goblet (or Chalice)
Benefits: Eye candy. Designed to maintain head. Wide-mouthed for deep sips.

Mug (or Seidel, Stein)
Benefits: Easy to drink out of. Holds plenty of volume.

Pilsner Glass (or Pokal)
Benefits: Showcases color, clarity and carbonation. Promotes head retention. Enhances volatiles.

Pint Glass (or Becker, Nonic, Tumbler)
Benefits: Cheap to make. Easy to store. Easy to drink out of.

Snifter
Benefits: Captures and enhances volatiles.

Stange (Slender Cylinder)
Benefits: Tighter concentration of volatiles.

Tulip
Benefits: Captures and enhances volatiles, while it induces and supports large foamy heads.

Weizen Glass
Benefits: Specifically produced to take on volume and head, while locking in the banana-like and phenol aromas associated with the style.

Oversized Wine Glass
Benefits: Replacement for a Tulip or Goblet. Conversational.


http://beeradvocate.com/beer/101/glassware

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beer_glassware
 
anyone know of anywhere to get a nice set of different style beer glasses (1 of each preferably)?
 
Don't have it in front of me, but Philly Beer Scene's Winter 09/10 Edition lists a quality set of various glasses under "perfect gifts for homebrewers." You could send them an e-mail, grab an article (if local) or someone else here might have it handy and post up the website.
 
I always use a tulip or wine glass for hoppy beers, and they are good for any beer but hoppy beers are where I want to make damn sure I am getting maximum aroma.

The thing wine people have figured out and most beer people have not is that a stemmed glass allows you to choose whether or not to warm the beer with your hand.

I never use shaker glasses, other than to drink water and, well, shake cocktails.

I do own a number of willibecker, stang, weizen, small sample type, and proprietary belgian glasses and use them. You can never go wrong with a tulip or wine glass though, every beer is good in those.
 
I like the Sam Adams glasses but they are too small for keg-pours imo, I almost never pour less than pint from a keg. Perfect for bottle pours. For kegged beers my favorite is the tall .5L Tucher Weizen glasses with the etched bottoms (way more etched than the SA glasses). Just the other night I drank an Oatmeal Stout from the weizen glass and I even liked the stout in it. I guess I just like glasses with the etching and a 'bulb' at the top, enhanced aroma all the way to the bottom and big, fluffy head all the way too.
 
I paid 6 bucks for 4 pilsner glasses at Walmart and was shocked at how much different beer tastes in them. Your nose has to be in the "trap" part of the glass when you drink. Aroma blends with flavor much better...
 
You really want something that tapers in at the top that helps to trap the aromas. Shaker pints are terrible for beer. I got rid of all of mine.

I've said this on numerous forums before, but you really should try the same IPA in a side by side test. One in a shaker pint, one in a willibecker. The aroma difference is astounding.

For my drinking, I like willibeckers and tulip pints (think Guinness). For willibeckers, I have the .4L and .5L sizes from Gordon Biersch. I also have a couple of the Northern Brewer willibecker glasses.

I also keep the British style tulip pints on hand, primarily for English ales, as well as two fairly unusual Boddington's pint glasses. I've never seen another glass like them.

The Dogfish Head "shaped pint" is also a nice beer glass, though I think the opening is just a touch too small.
 
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