Choosing the right beer glass

I was reading an article on the different styles of beer glasses and how you should choose a certain type for the stye of beer you are drinking. I have a few of my trusty basic pint glasses and a couple mugs I like to use. I have never used some of the styles that I read about and was wondering if anybody actually takes thier drinking so seriously that they use a specific type of glass for a particular type of beer? Is there really any advantage or enhancement of taste?

Yes, I do. A lot of brews perform (taste) best in the style of glass designed for it.

It's all part of the overall experience.

Sort of--I use mostly standard pint glasses, but I have a few other styles, too. I have some wider-mouthed goblet type glasses.

I choose mostly based on carbonation level--if I have belgians or other beers that have just turned out highly carbonated, I'll often pour them in the wider-mouthed goblet glasses.

Personally, I used to think it was a bunch of horse-hockey. Until one day I got some new glasses and was drinking my APA in it and man the hop nose just popped right out! After quickly studying the glass, I realized that the design of glass actually focused that aroma to the nose. Since then I was sold on it. I was just talking about this issue with a friend! The presentation of the beer is a HUGE part of not only the visual appeal, but the sensory perspective as well. It is not a myth.

There are other pages out there but this one gives a little brief on the design specific aspects of a few:

glasses

Glasses make all the difference...more than most people realize. Just ask George Riedel. Try and drink a big ol' Bordeaux with a puny little chardonnay glass. It's like listening to great music through terrible speakers.

As for beer, I almost exclusively use goblet-style glasses. My favorite are the club-footed Lucifer glasses. Goblets really concentrate the aromas and allow you to swirl the beer around to encourage bubbles and evaporation, which further accentuates the aroma. Every time I go to a pub and I try to "swirl" beer in a pint glass, it's absurdly foolish. When I am robbed of the aromatic experience, it's like I only get to see 1/3 of the beer. Un-good. Unless I have to, I almost always use goblet glasses. Even with pilsners, I like to accentuate the nose.

I thought it was phooey too...like if you start serving from different glasses I would officially turn in to the biggest snob ever. So I mainly stick to pint glasses.

One thing that always sticks in the back of my mind that I have to mention though--Vinnie Cilurzo at Russian River, serves all of his beers from goblet style glasses, even the Pliny beers. I respect the hell out of him as a brewer--so if he does it, it is good enough for me.

I do drink belgians out of my goblets though, just because it does help quell the bubbles.

I am definately going to do some research and buy a couple different styles to try this for myself. But this poses a different question...

chilled or room temp glassware?

AleHole said:

I am definately going to do some research and buy a couple different styles to try this for myself. But this poses a different question...

chilled or room temp glassware?

Click to expand...

Lol, it all depends. I just use mine room temp and have my beer at the right temperature to begin with. So no change in temp. Now if you have your beer cooler than you like definitely not. If the beer is too warm then putting it into a chilled glass can help.

I always drink my hefe or wit in a weizen glass. But for most other beers I use this. I love the feel of it, and you can hold the stem and not warm your beer. Kind of like a wine glass.

I have two different styles of pint glass that I stick to. If I'm drinking an American style ale, IPA, or an English session beer I drink from a standard 16oz tumbler/pint glass. If I'm drinking a porter, stout, scotch, or irish, I drink from a standard 20oz UK pint glass.

AleHole said:

I am definately going to do some research and buy a couple different styles to try this for myself. But this poses a different question...

chilled or room temp glassware?

Click to expand...

Room temp, but rinsed in cold water (not dried) before filling.

I don't like chilled glasses or ice cold beer. I keep a couple in there for guests, but I like mine in the 45-55F range if not at room temp.