Do I drink this IPA in a Spiegelau, Mass, or a Teku? WTF does that even mean? Is that even English? Who cares?
No matter where you’re at on the beer nerd spectrum, there’s something here for you about glassware, including a freaking enormous discount if you’re shopping for custom printed glasses.
Proper glassware for beer is a mixed bag depending on who you’re asking. Super beer nerds might keep a special glass in their car for “emergencies,” when they might be in an establishment serving out of nothing but pint shakers. They’ll swear by drinking from the proper glassware for beer no matter the style, and their IG feed might boast pics of a cabinet(s) full of glass.
On the other side of the spectrum is somebody that drinks it straight from the can/bottle, and doesn’t even understand all the fuss about glassware. “It’s all marketing,” they’ll grumble.
Somewhere in the middle is someone that’s just getting their wheels in craft beer, and they’re trying to find the proper glassware for beer before they pour. They might not have a strong opinion.
The truth of the matter is that all three groups are on to something.
There’s a lot of truth to the marketing bit about glassware. There are specific types of glasses, some listed below, that were developed by breweries to help them sell their beer. Beer geeks collect beer glasses. It’s business, duh.
But there’s also some really rational science behind just about every one of them. Consider this: 90% of what you taste comes through your nose. Let’s not forget that first impressions are everything. How a beer looks and smells are two huge factors to how you’ll enjoy it, and here’s why.
How it smells: unlike what you were taught at backyard keggers in highschool, having some head on your beer is a good thing. The head – foam at the top of the pour – acts like an amplifier for the aromas in the beer through some pretty cool science that we’re not interested in boring you with. Having the proper glassware for beer can encourage/discourage that head from forming, hence improving your experience.
How it looks: as a beer’s poured, the color, bubbles, head, etc. are either hindered or aided by the glass that houses it. Before you even get a sip, your eyes will help guide the experience. Are the color and bubbles glistening in the light, or does the beer look flat and without character? The proper glassware for beer will sometimes answer that question.
Wouldn’t it make sense that the glassware you’re drinking from should accentuate the nuances of the beer you’re drinking? The answer is a resounding yes, all marketing aside. Sidenote: if you’re mad about all the marketing hubub, craft beer’s going to continue to rub you the wrong way with each flight, pint, and tulip.
American Beer Glasses
Pint Shaker Glass
It’s an American cocktail shaker glass adopted for beer. It can be used for any beer of any alcohol content on any occasion. The popularity of pint shakers developed purely out of practicality. Bars had them on hand for mixing drinks. They’re sturdy, stackable, and cheap. While a pint shaker is seldom (never) the proper glassware for beer, you’ll see it more than anything else in America. Beer travelers can vouch, you won’t see many abroad.
What makes them proper glassware for beer: Nothing, really. But they’re cheap, easy to store, and versatile in a bar setting.
American Ales
American Lagers
American IPAs
American Pilsners
Light Lagers
German Beer Glasses
Footed Pilsner (AKA Pokal)
They’re good for their namesake, German and Czech/Bohemian Pilsners as well as many other styles. A Pilsner glass has an even taper without any curvature, like a big, upside-down, glass trapezoid on a glass foot. They’re made to show off the color, clarity and carbonation of a Pils.
What makes them proper glassware for beer: Highlight color, clarity and carbonation very well. Help promote head retention and releasing of volatiles to boost aroma.
American Adjunct Lager
American Amber / Red Lager
American Double / Imperial Pilsner
American Malt Liquor
American Pale Lager
American Pilsners
Baltic Pilsners
Bock
California Common / Steam Beer
Czech Pilsener
Doppelbock
Dortmunder / Export Lager
Euro Dark Lager
Euro Pale Lager
Euro Strong Lager
German Pilsener
Happoshu
Japanese Rice Lager
Light Lager
Low Alcohol Beer
Maibock / Helles Bock
Munich Dunkel Lager
Munich Helles Lager
Schwarzbier
Vienna Lager
Witbier
Mass
This is a heavy, dimpled, liter-sized glass with a thick handle. They’re associated with beer gardens and Oktoberfest. They can be used for any lager less than 6% ABV, but they’re not necessarily the proper glassware for any one specific style, like some glassware claim to be. They’re more out of practicality with thick walls and handles meant to insulate and keep beer cool for longer, much like pub mugs.
What makes them proper glassware for beer: High volume, keep beer at serving temp for longer.
Helles
Helles Bock
Maibock
Marzen
Oktoberfestbier
Rauchbier
Pils or Pilsener
Weizen Vase
A very tall wheat beer glass that’s used to serve Weizenbier or Weissbier. It can accommodate half liter of beer plus sizeable head. There are a variety of versions that exist with varying level of curvature.
What makes them proper glassware for beer: They’re made to take on lots of beer and head, while holding in the banana-like and phenol aromas that the style’s known for.
Dunkelweizen
Hefeweizen
Kristalweizen
Weizenbock
White Ales
Belgian Wit (substitution for tumbler)
Gose
Pilsner (substitution for pilsner glass)
Stange
Stanges are straight up glass cylinders with a chunky bottom. They’re used mainly to serve Kölsch and Altbiers, and often come in smaller sizes (less ounces) because the beer is meant to be drank quickly. Think the proper glassware version of tiny Corona bottles, AKA Coronitas.
What makes them proper glassware for beer: More concentrated volatiles.
Alts
German Kolsch
Gose
Gueuze
Willi Becher (Or Willybecher)
This glassware is the German version of the pint shaker glass. The classic tapered shape is suitable for all European lagers and is a standard in Germany. They usually have a very sturdy, thick bottom.
What makes them proper glassware for beer: Good head retention for increased aroma of beer styles that typically have less aroma.
German black beer or Schwarzbier
Helles
Helles Bock
Maibock
Marzen
Oktoberfestbier
Rauchbier
Pils or Pilsener
British and Irish
Pub Mug (AKA Seidel or Stein)
Pub mugs come in tons of shapes and sizes. Much like pint shaker glasses, they’re prevalent more for practicality than because they’re the proper glassware for beer. They’re one of the most common styles worldwide, and they evolved from the German beer stein. When commercial glassware production started in Europe, old stone mugs were replaced by glassware. The super thick walls and handle are two fold: to keep the beer cold, and to keep your hand from warming it up. Used for any classic British or Irish ale.
What makes them proper glassware for beer: High volume, keep beer at serving temp for longer.
American Amber / Red Ale
American Amber / Red Lager
American Black Ale
American Blonde Ale
American Brown Ale
American Dark Wheat Ale
American IPA
American Malt Liquor
American Pale Ale (APA)
American Pale Wheat Ale
American Porter
American Stout
American Strong Ale
Baltic Porter
Black & Tan
Bock
California Common / Steam Beer
Chile Beer
Cream Ale
Czech Pilsener
Doppelbock
English Bitter
English Brown Ale
English Dark Mild Ale
English India Pale Ale (IPA)
English Porter
English Stout
English Strong Ale
Euro Dark Lager
Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB)
Fruit / Vegetable Beer
German Pilsener
Herbed / Spiced Beer
Irish Dry Stout
Irish Red Ale
Kellerbier / Zwickelbier
Maibock / Helles Bock
Märzen / Oktoberfest
Milk / Sweet Stout
Oatmeal Stout
Rauchbier
Roggenbier
Sahti
Scottish Ale
Scottish Gruit / Ancient Herbed Ale
Smoked Beer
Vienna Lager
Witbier
Nonic Pint (AKA Becker, Tumbler)
The Nonic pint was developed by the glassware industry in the 1980’s to be easily stacked and have a durable rim because other common glassware didn’t fit the bill. Dimpled mugs were sturdy but not stackable, and conical pints were stackable and sturdy, but they didn’t do anything for the beer. A Nonic Pint is an every day pub glass suited to any British or Irish ale, but it wasn’t always the staple it is today. The name Nonic actually comes from bartenders referring to them as no-nick pint glasses because the dimpled rim kept glasses from nicking one another when stacked.
What makes them proper glassware for beer: Nothing in paricular. But they’re cheap, easy to store, and versatile in a bar setting.
American Adjunct Lager
American Amber / Red Ale
American Amber / Red Lager
American Barleywine
American Black Ale
American Blonde Ale
American Brown Ale
American Dark Wheat Ale
American Double / Imperial Stout
American IPA
American Malt Liquor
American Pale Ale (APA)
American Pale Wheat Ale
American Porter
American Stout
American Strong Ale
Baltic Porter
Berliner Weissbier
Black & Tan
California Common / Steam Beer
Chile Beer
Cream Ale
English Barleywine
English Bitter
English Brown Ale
English Dark Mild Ale
English India Pale Ale (IPA)
English Pale Ale
English Pale Mild Ale
English Porter
English Stout
English Strong Ale
Euro Dark Lager
Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB)
Foreign / Export Stout
Fruit / Vegetable Beer
Happoshu
Herbed / Spiced Beer
Irish Dry Stout
Irish Red Ale
Low Alcohol Beer
Märzen / Oktoberfest
Milk / Sweet Stout
Oatmeal Stout
Old Ale
Pumpkin Ale
Russian Imperial Stout
Rye Beer
Sahti
Saison / Farmhouse Ale
Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy
Scottish Ale
Scottish Gruit / Ancient Herbed Ale
Smoked Beer
Winter Warmer
Witbier
Tulip Pint
The shape is much like a pint shaker, but the walls flare in then out, like an upside down pear. They’re often associated with Irish Stout but may be used for any British or Irish ale.
What makes them proper glassware for beer: Good head retention for increased aroma of beer styles that typically have less aroma.
Irish Stouts
Irish Ales
Porters
Red Ales
Cream Ales
English Ales
Belgian
Goblet (Also Chalices)
Goblets are heavy Chalices, and they’re used for some Trappist & Abbey ales and some Belgian pale ales. Goblets and chalices have big bowl shapes set atop a stem. They’re also good for serving Belgian ales, German doppelbocks and eisbocks and other big beers (high ABV). The difference between a goblet and a chalice is typically in the glass thickness but the term is kind of interchangeable. Goblet beer glasses tend to be more thin and delicate, while the chalice is heavier and thick walled. Some chalices are even etched (nucleated) on the bottom of the bowl of the glass to attract carbon dioxide and provide a stream of bubbles for maintaining a nice head.
What makes them proper glassware for beer: Aside from being pretty, they’re designed to maintain head, and they’re wide-mouthed for large sips.
Belgian Ales
Belgian IPAs
Belgian Dubbels
Belgian Tripels
Belgian Quadrupels
Belgian Trappist Ales
Berliner Weissbier (substitution for traditional tub glass)
Imperial IPAs
Imperial Stouts
German Bocks
German Maibocks
Tulip
Good utility glass suited to many Belgian styles from saison to blond ales. They’re shaped kind of like a… Tulip! The fat squatty bottom allows for lots of lively carbonation to rise up, maintaining the head and pushing aroma up to the narrow head. While they’re not proper glassware for beer of all types, they’re commonly used for many because they satisfy many needs for many beers. IPAs and other beers that rely heavily on aroma are commonly served from tulips. Tekus are a modified tulip shape, and Thistle glasses are too.
What makes them proper glassware for beer: They capture and enhance volatiles, while supporting large foamy heads.
American Double / Imperial IPA
American Wild Ale
Belgian Dark Ale
Belgian IPA
Belgian Pale Ale
Belgian Strong Dark Ale
Belgian Strong Pale Ale
Bière de Garde
Flanders Oud Bruin
Flanders Red Ale
Gueuze
Lambic – Fruit
Quadrupel (Quad)
Saison / Farmhouse Ale
Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy
French Jelly Glass
Originally used in France and Belgium for, you guessed it, jelly. French Jelly Glasses were historically used by farmers.
What makes them proper glassware for beer: Nothing really. More about historical significance than anything, as there are other styles of glasses that are better suited for the styles below.
Belgian IPA
Belgian Pale Ale
Bière de Champagne / Bière Brut
Bière de Garde
Dubbel
Faro
Flanders Oud Bruin
Flanders Red Ale
Gueuze
Lambic – Fruit
Lambic – Unblended
Saison / Farmhouse Ale
Witbier
Snifter
Varying in size and volume, these glasses are for higher alcohol beers across all cultures: barleywines, eisbocks, imperial stouts, barrel-aged beers, etc. Originally used for swirling brandy and cognac, these wide-bowled and stemmed glasses with their tapered mouths are perfect for capturing the aromas of stronger beers.
What makes them proper glassware for beer: They hold and enhance volatiles and allow for aggressive swirling for further enhancement of volatiles.
American Barleywine
American Double / Imperial IPA
American Double / Imperial Stout
American Strong Ale
Belgian Dark Ale
Belgian Pale Ale
Belgian Strong Dark Ale
Belgian Strong Pale Ale
Braggot
Eisbock
English Barleywine
Flanders Oud Bruin
Flanders Red Ale
Foreign / Export Stout
Gueuze
Lambic – Fruit
Old Ale
Quadrupel (Quad)
Russian Imperial Stout
Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy
Tripel
Wheatwine
Flute Beer Glass
The thin vessel and tall shape helps keep carbonation while providing a strong concentration for aromatics. They also put the lively carbonation on display, sparkling as the bubbles rise.
What makes them proper glassware for beer: Enhances and highlights carbonation. Releases volatiles rapidly for a more intense aroma upfront.
American Wild Ale
Bière de Champagne / Bière Brut
Bock
Czech Pilsener
Dortmunder / Export Lager
Eisbock
Euro Strong Lager
Faro
Flanders Oud Bruin
Flanders Red Ale
German Pilsener
Gueuze
Lambic – Fruit
Lambic – Unblended
Maibock / Helles Bock
Munich Dunkel Lager
Munich Helles Lager
Schwarzbier
Vienna Lager
Weizenbock
Modern Beer Glassware Without Historical/Geographical Origin
Spiegelau Beer Glass
The Spiegelau beer glasses were designed specifically for IPAs. Pioneered by Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head and Ken Grossman of Sierra Nevada, arguably two of the nations biggest hopheads. After considering hundreds of designs, eight custom-made prototypes made the cut. This funky looking glass was the unanimous winner of blind taste tests. It’s meant to showcase the distinct and varying aromas of American “hop-forward” IPA beers, while maintaining a frothy head. Dogfish Head and Sierra Nevada champion U.S. hop farming. The breweries are donating their portion of the proceeds from this collaboration to benefit advances in hop research.
Revival Beer Glass
Squatty, stackable glasses designed to combine the best that proper glassware for beer has to offer, visually appealing, designed to maximize aromatics and head retention. Proper glassware for beer of pretty much all types.
Teku Beer Glass
A sleek, modern looking take on a stemmed wine glass. Functionality is inspired by the ISO glass used to conduct the sensory evaluation of wine. The shape enhances the aromas and tastes, allowing a great experience with all beer types.
Stemless Beer and Whiskey Taster Glass
Contemporary, streamlined design that’s more for style than substance, but growing in popularity. This might not actually be proper glassware for beer, depending on who you ask.
Novelty Beer Glasses
Beer Can Glass
Another one that doesn’t really fit the proper glassware for beer title, but popular nonetheless. It’s a glass beer can.
Boot Beer Glass
Another one that doesn’t really fit the proper glassware for beer title, but popular nonetheless. It didn’t feel right not to list it. It’s a glass boot.
Conclusion
There are dozens of novelty beer glasses that we won’t explore because they’re clearly not proper glassware for beer. They’re cute, and they may fit the theme of an event, but they’re not really in the same conversation as the rest of the glassware listed above.
Some have etched or nucleated bottoms on the inside of the glasses. That etching inside the glass that causes the carbonation to be more lively and bubble up continuously as you drink. Pros, it enhances the aromatics. Cons, it’ll take out carbonation as you’re sipping. In other words, if you take an hour to drink a beer, and some folks might with a big beer, you’re better of choosing glassware without it.
The only thing more important than having the proper glassware is having it beer clean, but more on that another day.
Finally, if you’re shopping glassware for your brewery or event, visit our friends ARTon Products and use the promo code “beerchronicle” to receive a tier shift in pricing on your order. (When ordering 72 glasses, you pay the 144 glasses price. When ordering 144 glasses, you pay the 288 glass price, etc. That’s as much as 84% off depending on QTY!) They’re great folks, and they actually helped make the F U Harvey Tekus possible. Show them some love back. They deserve it.
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