Proper Glassware

[wobrien]

Not sure where the current beer snob thread is, but I just had to share this:

I'm not one that has to have a specific type of glass for each style of beer, but this was ridiculous. My wife and I went to a chain restaurant called Redstone. They now offer some nice craft beer options and I ordered a bottle of Westmalle Tripel. She asked if I wanted a glass and of course I said yes. She handed me a 16oz frosted glass. My wife immediately muttered, "here we go," but I refrained and accepted the glass. I just had to wait about 15min for it to warm up a bit.

 

[Schemy]

I would have sent it back. If a place is going to serve Westmalle Tripel they should at least be educated enough to serve it properly. Never pass on the opportunity to educate.

 

[DrunkleJon]

I will give you an attaboy for resisting. It is hard to do.

 

[JohnK93]

I cringe every time I get a frosted glass and my wife gives me that look, but it's usually at a pub or bar-type restaraunt. I'm sure they mean well, and a lot of people are probably delighted by it. Oh well.

 

[SixStrings]

What, no crazy straw?

 

[bierandbikes]

At least they offered you a glass.

 

[SimonHucko]

I worked at a restaurant that did frosted glasses. people love their frost brewed coors in a frosted glass - can't ever be cold enough not to taste the beer, amiright?

when the boss wasn't around I would pull room temp glasses for anyone who ordered one of the craft offerings...

 

[wobrien]

At least they offered you a glass.

I was thinking, "it's great that they offered me a..." but as she put a frosted glass in front of me it changed to, "nevermind"

 

[adamj]

I manage a craft focused restaurant and one of the fights we get from some customers is the "why don't you have frosted pints for my beer?" It does present an opportunity to educate people about beer, but it makes me hate the marketing of BMC that much more.

 

[dkwolf]

Was at a bar (I think it was a hotel in Sioux Falls, SD) and ordered a Lienekugel's Snowdrift Vanilla Porter. Waitress looked at me and said "Let me get you a sample of that first, a lot of people don't like that". Figured, sure...free beer, right? The "sampler" she brought me was a 16 oz shaker glass, full. When I finished that, told her to go ahead and pour me another. She brought out the typical 22 oz bar mug, and apologized, saying "Sorry, we're all out of frosted mugs"

Kind of shocked her when I said "That's okay, this beer wasn't meant to be drunk out of a frosted mug. This will do fine." (Yeah, I know... it wasn't meant to be served in a mug, period...but I had already gotten a free beer out of the deal, I wasn't going to complain)

 

[bleme]

I really need to move to South Dakota....

 

[LandoLincoln]

The frosted glasses probably feel better when it smacks them in the side of their head when they mistakenly serve me one.

 

[Randy_Bugger]

I really need to move to South Dakota....

Bonus, if you like Bud Light garnished with a pickle.

 

[celticdevildog]

OK. So, I'm a beer snob "noob". I've read about the proper style of glass to put the different types of beer in and I am learning that slowly but surely. So in my next level of beer snob education...what's the rub of a frosted glass? Granted I don't usually drink beer in a frosted glass but I'm interested in learning.

So, please feel free to educate me.

 

[DrunkleJon]

Cold kills flavor, and the frost waters down the beer.

 

[dkwolf]

OK. So, I'm a beer snob "noob". I've read about the proper style of glass to put the different types of beer in and I am learning that slowly but surely. So in my next level of beer snob education...what's the rub of a frosted glass? Granted I don't usually drink beer in a frosted glass but I'm interested in learning.

So, please feel free to educate me.

You know how wines have certain temperatures they're supposed to be served at?

Beer is the same way. Each style of beer has a certain temperature range it is best served at. Most of them are above 40°F - some even at room temperature. None of the "proper" temperatures are 32°F.

The cold temperature affects the release of CO2 from the beer (which affects head, aroma, etc.), and it also numbs the palate, diminishing taste.

 

[MaxStout]

My CSB:

I was with family, in a Red Lobster. I order Guinness. Waitress brings the bottle, no glass. I ask for a glass, not thinking it might be frosty. It was. Before I could stop her, the girl grabs my bottle of Guinness, turns it upside-down over the glass and dumps it straight in. Foam everywhere. She makes a nervous giggle, and quickly walks away before I could say a thing. Five minutes later she returns to take our order and said nothing about her little "mishap."

Since I was with family, I had to exercise an amazing amount of restraint. The ironic thing about the whole episode was that the drink menu on the table had a page describing Red Lobster's novel beer glass and how it supposedly enhances the beer-drinking experience. Enhance my experience...learn to pour beer.

 

[GarageDweller]

those novel beer glasses being 12oz sized sam adams TM glasses....meh, if you want it done right....

 

[celticdevildog]

Thanks for the lesson.

 

[Xpertskir]

Ugh...I always ask for a non frosted mug.

My other favorite thing is when they pour the beer for you trying to get every last drop of trub out of it.

 

[25518]

I really need to move to South Dakota....

A lot of "real beer drinkers" live there. Bud, Bud light, Old millwakees best, miller, P.B.R. You know. The hardcore beer drinkers. That crap flys off the shelfs in good ol' SoDak.

 

[25518]

My CSB:

I was with family, in a Red Lobster. I order Guinness. Waitress brings the bottle, no glass. I ask for a glass, not thinking it might be frosty. It was. Before I could stop her, the girl grabs my bottle of Guinness, turns it upside-down over the glass and dumps it straight in. Foam everywhere. She makes a nervous giggle, and quickly walks away before I could say a thing. Five minutes later she returns to take our order and said nothing about her little "mishap."

Since I was with family, I had to exercise an amazing amount of restraint. The ironic thing about the whole episode was that the drink menu on the table had a page describing Red Lobster's novel beer glass and how it supposedly enhances the beer-drinking experience. Enhance my experience...learn to pour beer.

That sounds like beating actions to me.

 

[GrogNerd]

type of glass isn't much of an issue to me. but if they bring me one that's frosted, and I've ordered an ale, I will ask for a non-frosted one.

 

[MaxStout]

A lot of "real beer drinkers" live there. Bud, Bud light, Old millwakees best, miller, P.B.R. You know. The hardcore beer drinkers. That crap flys off the shelfs in good ol' SoDak.

I used to live in SD (Sioux Falls) many years ago and with family still there, I make a few road trips that way every year. What amazes me is that a city of almost 200,000 doesn't have its own microbrewery (Granite City doesn't count--it's a chain). There are a few bright spots, e.g., Monks and a few good liquor stores with decent craft brew selections.

 

[25518]

Oh yeah. I do not drink from mug, pint glass, etc. due to the simple fact, I have no dishwasher. I'm beyond done doing dishes. I'll sacrafice a little flavor for not doing another dish.

 

[bierandbikes]

Ugh...I always ask for a non frosted mug.

My other favorite thing is when they pour the beer for you trying to get every last drop of trub out of it.

I was at Capital Ale house (serious craft beer bar/restaurant chain) where the staff is generally knowledgeable about the beers and usually uses proper glassware. However, when I ordered a Belgian Tripel, the girl did everything she could to get every last drop in the glass...including the trub. I guess it is always better to just do it yourself. Even the self-proclaimed beer bar staff is often able to repeat what they have been told but actually knowing how to serve different beers is a bit much.