Sam Adams Ultimate Beer Glass

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Any thoughts/opinions on the Sam Adams "Ultimate Beer Glass".... anyone try a set?
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I have one. It doesn't make the beer taste better. It is more a souvenir from the brewery. Definitely a quality glass though.
 
I was skeptical when I first saw a picture of the glass. It reminded me of the old phrase that "a camel is a horse designed by a committee". After I had a beer at a bar served in one I was impressed overall. The glass is comfortable to hold and seemed to do a good job of both showcasing the aroma and keeping those little bubbles of carbonation going. It's a little pricey but I had a half-price coupon from SA so I bought a couple of sets. Maybe not the best but a very good glass that seems to do what it was designed to do. :mug:
 
"According to the company, the new Samuel Adams Boston Lager Pint Glass is the first glass specifically designed to showcase beer as brewers intended"

Wow that's a tall order, do they actually have a Sam Adams logo on the front?
 
I dont buy into all the marketing. I do really like using it though. The shape is cool and it has plenty of room for a nice head. I broke mine though, so I mainly use my Chimay goblet now. If I found a few more for cheap I'd definitely pick the up though.
 
I have one that was compliments of a bartender. I like the glass and use it quite a bit. Not sure if I'd pay the asking price for a set , but that's just me.
It does have the logo on the front , but I like the back better. In small print it says ... Take pride in your beer.
 
BigEd said:
I was skeptical when I first saw a picture of the glass. It reminded me of the old phrase that "a camel is a horse designed by a committee".
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:D Totally agreed. I think they are inexcusably ugly, so despite the neato laser-etchings, I will never buy one. Kinda like Perlick taps - they may work better, but damned if I can look at the things without throwing up a little in my mouth.

These are my go-to beer glasses, Riedel Ouverture Magnum:
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I have one i bought at the brewery. It's a nice glass, a go to for certain styles. That being said, all the "science" is bs, laser etchings, thinning and thickening of glass, its just a nice glass, nothing magical.
 
Pfffftttt, anything worth doing is worth overdoing.

A tour in Germany has resulted in a plethora of .5 and 1 liter fest mugs of dubious origin. Although at age 40..........the 1 liter mugs are somewhat more daunting than they once were.

My favorites are the Bavarian Hefeweizen style glasses. They are perfect for homebrew IMHO.
 
Haven't delved into tulips yet. I'm still good with a thick-ass tapered pint from my favorite brewery. If you throw in enough hops the aroma never stops! :D
 
Those Duvel tulip glasses are the best. It is my go to tulip glass, followed closely by my New Belgium tulip. Chimay for when I want a goblet. I have a few others as well. Tons of different pints.
 
Yeah, I have two of these now (one from SA, the other from the AWOG banquet this year). I like them, but I don't know if I'd want to have bought more than the one I did at $8 a piece. It's more of a souvenir than a 'best glass evar.'
 
944play said:
:D Totally agreed. I think they are inexcusably ugly, so despite the neato laser-etchings, I will never buy one.
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I also agree they are ugly and there is something about the shape that really annoys me. So much so, that if I order a Sams and it comes in that type of glass I'll order something different on my next round so I don't have to use that glass again.
 
I have a set of four of the New Belgium tulip glasses. The liquor / LHBS I work part time at got a deal on about 40 sets when he purchased "X" number of cases of New Belgium beers. Since I work there I got to buy them at the stores cost ... $2.75 for a set of four. Wish I had bought more.
 
I really like the SA glass. I hate the logo on it and plan to remove it once I get rid of my laziness toward that project.

The duvel glass is too large and cumbersome to use on all beers, and a wine glass is to fragile. For 80% of beers we drink the pint is the best container.
 
Beer is all about enjoyment. Taste, texture, aesthetics.......I just go with the glass that gives me the visual effect I'm looking for. Any small difference in taste, head etc: is minimal. Looking longingly into a beautiful pint in it's finest evening gown is all a part of the sex appeal that makes me want to get to know it carnally.



Hold on, that was maybe too much info.....The SA glasses are very pretty, but I still like my regular English pint glasses because they make my beer look nice, yet still an affordable lay. DRINK! I mean drink!!
 
Boerderij_Kabouter said:
I really like the SA glass. I hate the logo on it and plan to remove it once I get rid of my laziness toward that project.

The duvel glass is too large and cumbersome to use on all beers, and a wine glass is to fragile. For 80% of beers we drink the pint is the best container.
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Shakers or imperials? Shaker pints aren't supposed to be beer glasses. They were originally intended for bartenders as, well, shakers to mix spirit cocktails. The continued taper on the glasses do nothing but quickly kill head and whisp away any fragile aromas. Sure, a beer with more than average hop presence will be ok, but we all discuss ad naseaum the reason for having a lasting head on a beer. Ugh, nothing I hate more than the shaker pint. </glass snob>
 
I too am a glass snob, so I here where you are coming from. I prefer a nonic just because they look cooler and feel better in the hand.

I think most American beers tyles are best out of a standard pint, nonic or shaker. The simplicity, straight-forwardness, and proper heft of the glass is the best imo.

If it is something special, or has a particular quality that should be showcased, then I agree the proper glassware should be employed. But 80% of beers aren't that, they are Am. ambers, browns, pales, etc. Those go straight to a pint in my house.

I have also taken lately to using ceramic and pewter mugs more often. I like the feel, and for a beer I have drank a few times, I don't need to ogle it for its inner beauty, I just want to drink it.
 
Boerderij_Kabouter said:
I too am a glass snob, so I here where you are coming from. I prefer a nonic just because they look cooler and feel better in the hand.

I think most American beers tyles are best out of a standard pint, nonic or shaker. The simplicity, straight-forwardness, and proper heft of the glass is the best imo.

If it is something special, or has a particular quality that should be showcased, then I agree the proper glassware should be employed. But 80% of beers aren't that, they are Am. ambers, browns, pales, etc. Those go straight to a pint in my house.

I have also taken lately to using ceramic and pewter mugs more often. I like the feel, and for a beer I have drank a few times, I don't need to ogle it for its inner beauty, I just want to drink it.
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I'm with you, I use the nonic pint glass for almost everything. I love the feel, and lots of room for the head. I do like my hefs in a nice, big weizen glass - one that will hold a full size bottle of Franks.
 
I have many different style glasses.For very clear homebrews(because I like to see the fruits of my labor)I use pils glasses,but my favorite for almost any beer is this one. Glass : Specialty Glasses - Stone Company Store sorry I cant post picks.I have both of these glasses.I love the nonic but the tulip is by far my favorite.
 
Boerderij_Kabouter said:
I really like the SA glass. I hate the logo on it and plan to remove it once I get rid of my laziness toward that project.
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I've got a couple that followed me home from a bar that was using them... They're nice, but I wouldn't pay for them.

I find that I can pick the paint, at least the row of dots, off with my fingernail very easily...
 
My wife got me a set for Christmas, full price. Which to me is overpriced but what they heck. My biggest issue is keeping the kids from snatching them for other things besides beer. My wife even tried to use one for ice water and the ice maker dropped cubes on it and it shattered. So now i have 3, and then of course my oldest daughter shoved one she found on my desk in the dishwasher (another no no) and it took the logo and striping off it. So I have 2 fully non ruined ones. However I still like them, have no noticed anything different. I for some reason had hopes it would take Budweiser and make it enjoyable. LOL I really need some good drink ware.
 
I'm a 'form follows function' type of person...and the Sam Adams glasses DO function extremely well imo. They do look kind of weird...they do have a big honkin' Sam Adams logo on them...but I don't care. They function as a beer glass better than just about any other I've ever tried.

I have one. It doesn't make the beer taste better.
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I beg to differ. Glassware influences the perception of the aroma and flavor of beer and these glasses are no exception.

What can I say...I love 'em. I don't think I've used another glass since I got mine. They really do enhance the beer to me but this is a taste thing and everybody's tastes are different.

EDIT: And they are extremely comfortable to hold.

Pacman3.jpg


Even Stout!

ostoutsaglass.jpg
 
I got a few of the SA glasses thru beeradvocate as some giveaway. I never use them.

I like THICK glass and a 20oz capacity personally.
 
SpanishCastleAle said:
What can I say...I love 'em. I don't think I've used another glass since I got mine. They really do enhance the beer to me but this is a taste thing and everybody's tastes are different.
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But.....If you are using those glasses exclusively, then you are probably tweaking your recipes to suit your tastes while using that particular glass. If you are using, say, a nonic all the time, maybe your recipes would be very slightly different to be in tune with that glass? If that were the case, then it would be the beer that makes the real difference, and not the glass.
 
I'm a simple beer drinker ... nothing fru fru for me. I have two pewter tankards that I bought with me from the UK. One courtesy of Wadworths brewery in Wiltshire and the other a present .... these work fine for my drinking habit. And if they are in the wash ... well I've got a few pub mugs to go on with. :)
 
Icewalker said:
I'm a simple beer drinker ... nothing fru fru for me. I have two pewter tankards that I bought with me from the UK. One courtesy of Wadworths brewery in Wiltshire and the other a present .... these work fine for my drinking habit. And if they are in the wash ... well I've got a few pub mugs to go on with. :)
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Dead on!!! Beer drinking is all about a good experience. A tiny difference in taste/head/aroma should not over ride the satisfaction of drinking from whatever vessel makes you feel like a king. :)
 
But.....If you are using those glasses exclusively, then you are probably tweaking your recipes to suit your tastes while using that particular glass. If you using, say, a nonic all the time, maybe your recipes would be very slightly different to be in tune with that glass? If that were the case, then it would be the beer that makes the real difference, and not the glass.
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I've only had them a couple of weeks.:)

I have a ton of nonics but rarely use them. For me, nonics are better than most glassware but I still usually prefer something else. But as I said...this is a taste issue and everybody's tastes are different.

I'm a simple beer drinker ... nothing fru fru for me.
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Simple beer drinkers run down to the store to buy cheap beer. If you make your own beer you are anything BUT a simple beer drinker imo.:) Making your own beer is about as fru fru as it gets.
 
I find nonics really ugly. I usually just go with regular pint glasses (American and Imperial sizes), except for the obvious exceptions (weizens, and some Belgians and other big beers in goblets or tulips). I do like skinny straight-sided pilsener glasses, I'll probably pick some up eventually.
 
Yuri_Rage said:
Detailed opinion/tasting thread from almost two years ago:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/beauty-bunk-lets-put-new-sam-adams-glass-task-34559/
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Good info. For those that haven't tried them...the bubbles from the etching on the bottom of the SA glasses I have are nowhere near the size of the bubbles from a typical weizen glass. And even typ weizen glasses don't noticeably make a beer go flat...not even .5 L ones that I may not kill that fast. The etching in these SA glasses I have is very light and the bubbles are very tiny.
 

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