Choose, but choose wisely..
Beer has been brewed and enjoyed for thousands of years. For 99% of that time, it was not consumed from glassware. Glassware was only available to the wealthy until the 19th century. Up until that time beer was consumed in metal, earth-ware (clay), ceramic, and tar sealed leather sacs or cups. Britain’s industrial revolution changed that with the advent of heat resistant and synthetic glass.
Fast-forward to today and you’ll see a wide variety of shapes and sizes designed for all different styles and occasions.
From small snifters meant for high alcohol ales to liter size monstrosities meant for hours of pounding suds, there’s a glass out there to heighten your beer experience.
There are even glasses for drinking games like “the boot” where the final seconds bring a rush of beer as air quickly fills the foot.
Boot shaped vessels have been found in ancient Persian burial sites which may indicate that getting hammered with drinking games may go back for millenia!
English Tulip
Dating back to just over a century ago is the classic English Tulip. The slight flare and curve at the top helps to hold foam in a nice creamy place.
This glass has been made famous by the slow poured Irish stouts like Guinness.
Artwork like 4 leaf clovers traced into the head of these beers predate the cappuccino designs popular today.
Beers For English Tulips
- Guinness Draught
- Boddingtons
- Murphy’s Irish Stout
- Harp
- Black And Tans
Nonick English Pub Glass
The most popular glass today in both English pubs and American craft beer halls is the Nonick glass (sometimes nonic/nonik).
This pub glass was made popular by British and American pale ales. The small bump towards the top helps in the stacking process and prevents “nicks” that shaker glasses would get when put atop one another.
Beers For The Nonick Glass
- Fuller’s ESB
- Bass Pale Ale
- Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
- Anchor Steam Beer
- Samuel Smith Nut Brown Ale
- Alesmith Nut Brown Ale
- Fuller’s London Porter
Stemmed Tulip
Similar to the English Tulip but with a small stem at the bottom and a more dramatic flare inward is the Stemmed tulip.
The stem allows you to hold the beer without warming it with your fingers.
The curve back inward allows for aroma to be trapped so that it hovers where your nose is as you drink. Ales like Saisons or Ipas that have more of a complex bouquet are great in this glass.
Beers For Stemmed Tulips
- Saison Dupont
- Boulevard’s Track 7 Saison
- El Segundo Mayberry IPA
- Bells Two Hearted Ale IPA
The Snifter
Made popular in England for brandy, the snifter has now made it across the pond for beer use.
With room for only a few ounces the snifter found it’s place with high alcohol beers like barleywines and barrel-aged Imperial stouts.
These beers can easily push from 11% to 16% ABV and would be disastrous if consumed in pints.
Beers For Snifters
- Firestone Sucaba Barleywine
- J.W. Lees Harvest Ale Barleywine
- Firestone Parabola Imperial Stout
- Bourbon County Imperial Stout
Tapered Pilsner
The world was changed when the pilsner was born in 1842.
Josef Groll brewed the world’s first pale lager in Plzen Czech Republic at Pilsner Urquell and thus began the most popular style of beer on the planet.
This clear, golden lager was so eye catching that it had it’s own glass designed to catch the light. The taper leads out to allow the head to settle quickly.
The “foot” at the bottom provides stability.
Beers For The Tapered Pilsner
- Pilsners From Around The World
Weissbier Vase
Weissbier is Bavarian “white beer” made with wheat.
It has it’s own tall tapered glass. Bavarian beer tends to be highly carbonated so the vase was designed with a few extra inches for a delicious bready head.
The base has a “foot” to provide stability.
Beers For A Weissbier Vase
- Weihenstephaner Hefeweizen
- Ayinger Brauweisse
- Franziskaner Weissbier
- Paulaner Hefeweizen
- Andechser Weissbier
- Sierra Nevada Kellerweis
Bavarian Siedel
The official glass for Octoberfest, this giant vessel can fit up to a liter of beer.
Marzen or “Festbier” is the most popular beer style for the beer hall celebrations of Munich.
The dimples on the outside help to refract the light of the golden or amber beer while also helping to provide grip as the party rages.
Beers For Bavarian Siedels
- Paulaner Oktoberfest Marzen
- Ayinger Oktober Fest-Marzen
- Bitburger Festbier
- Weihenstephaner Festbier
- Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest
- Founder’s Oktoberfest
Fruited Lambic Glass
Belgium has the most highly carbonated beers in the world. Their glassware is designed to let the head die down quickly.
Fruited Lambic is meant to be sipped slowly and savored. Their glassware is usually small and simple.
Fruit Lambic can be aged for decades and can drink like a tart cross between red burgundy and champagne.
Beer For A Lambic Glass
- Cantillon (All Of Their Beers)
- 3 Fontenein (All Of Their Beers)
- Russian River Brewing Consecration
- Russian River Brewing Supplication
Belgian Proprietary Glass
No country has a beer culture like Belgium. Almost every brewery has it’s own proprietary glassware!
A majority of Belgian glassware is designed to allow the crazy high carbonation to settle.
Created by Trappist monks, the chalice is designed with a very large mouth to allow for the delicious, pillowy head to settle.
Beers For A Belgian Chalice
- Westmalle (All Of Their Beer)
- Chimay (All of Their Beer)
- Orval
These glass styles cover the most popular beer styles available. As the culture of beer grows and is appreciated more like wine around the world, it will become easier to find appropriate vessels for enjoyment. In just 40 years America went from drinking shwill from a bottle to having stemmed tulips at most bars. Quite the evolution.
Enjoy building your glassware collection!
Cheers!
