Add your Article
Five Basic Beer Glasses
By By Peter LaFrance Published: 11/10/2009
The Pilsener Glass
The most popular beer in the world today is lager. This is a golden straw colored beer, effervescent and capped with a rich white head of foam. In the United States the most popular brand is Budweiser. The perfect glass for serving this beer is called a pilsener glass. It holds 12 ounces, is a relatively tall, un-stemmed, flute shaped glass that shows off both the color and the effervescence of this beer. Note that the top of the pilsener glass is not very wide. This is because the aroma the pilsener gives off is not as intense as ale, so the visual treat of watching the bubbles travel up the glass as well as a thick head on this beer is what makes it most attractive.
The Pint Glass
The traditional pint glass is the alternative to the dimpled mug found in most British pubs. It has gradually sloping sides with a much larger base and mouth than the pilsener glass. Ale, unlike pilsner style beers, is much more aromatic. It is also slightly darker and possibly a bit more opaque than pilsener beer. The pint glass fits the mood of this beer. The larger shape of the glass allows you to enjoy the color of the beer and the wider mouth allows you to enjoy the aromatics from the hops that are traditionally used in these types of beers. Most American ales and all British ales can be served in this style of glass.
The Beer Stein
The traditional German beer stein is made of pottery and has a hinged lid. They’re not often seen in bars, taverns or restaurants, however they do add atmosphere and nuance to restaurants that have extensive German beer lists. The reason for the construction of this vessel is quite simple — it keeps the beer colder. German lager is best served at around 40°F temperature. In a thin glass the beer warms up too quickly. The hefty stoneware allows the beer to remain cool through the drinking session. As noted before, this type of drinking vessel is mainly decorative and can be considered such.
The Wheat Beer Glass
The wheat beer glass is similar to the pilsener glass in that it is tall and flute-like. However there is a major difference. It has a slightly wider mouth, there is a bit of a “waist” to it about a third of the way up the glass and it usually holds half a liter of beer. The primary reason for this is that wheat beer is usually packaged in a half liter bottle. Wheat beer is a visually interesting beer to serve. There are two styles, one is with yeast (heffe weiss) and is very cloudy and the other is without yeast (crystal) and is clear. In either case, the wheat beer glass is designed to show off the unique aroma, as well as the color of the beer. Pouring a wheat beer from a tap can be slightly tricky, but the style does demand a head of at least two inches thick. When pouring it from a bottle there is a little bit more of a theatrical effect. The bartender should take the glass and lower it down over the bottle, then slowly lift and tilt both the bottle and glass together. As the beer pours out the bartender holds the mouth of the bottle just above the developing head. By the time the tilted glass is resting on the bar, the beer from the bottle should just fill the glass, leaving a thick rich head and an impressed customer. I suggest the bartender practice this a few times before trying it on a customer.
The Goblet
Last but not least there is the “goblet”. This is the familiar stemmed glass that is the traditional glassware for Belgian brews such as Chimay and other Abbey brews. The reason for the construction of this vessel is that the beers served in this style of glass are usually very aromatic and should be served at “cellar temperature.” Since most beer coolers are much colder than 50°F, beers poured in this glass allow the drinker to slowly warm the beer by wrapping their hands around the goblet. As the beer warms up the aromatics are released and the drinker can enjoy the beer to its best advantage.
Finally, every bar manager, beverage director, and bartender knows that glassware is expensive. It is my humble opinion that the brewery should provide the best glassware for their beer. There are more expensive alternatives, of course, but these are usually unbranded. Since this would allow you to use the correct glassware for the correct beer it makes sense that it be branded as well. At the very least, this will remind the drinker and the server what was in the glass.
Peter LaFrance is a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, won the silver Quill & Tankard award at the 1999 Great American Beer Festival, and publishes a monthly newsletter BeerBasics.com — available at www.beerbasics.com he can be reached at peter.lafrance@beerbasics.com.
Powered by eDirectory™