The truth is, great craft beer will taste great, regardless of glassware. Additionally, no special vessel will elevate the drinkability of a bad beer. But have you ever wondered why there are so many different serving glasses for beer? This variety exists because each type of glassware is made specifically to bring out the flavours, textures, or aroma of a particular style. When you find the right one, it can undoubtedly enhance the drinking experience. Let's dive into several types of glassware and how each one creates a specific effect meant to enhance a different style of beer.

Shaker Pint Glass

The first type of glassware we have to cover is the Shaker Pint. Commonly found in most watering holes from your local dive bar to the club, the pint glass is often the first vessel many folks picture when imagining an ice-cold brew.

But why is that?

Pint glasses are not all that great for beer, and they don't do much for head retention or aroma. Pint glasses are the standard for two main reasons: durability and a stackable shape. But while they may not be the best for beer, pint glasses do have a rich history and are familiar to most drinkers, making them an obvious choice for many bars and restaurants.

Spiegelau IPA Glass

The Spiegelau Glass is a new design that was created specifically for aromatic beers like the IPA. The design was a collaboration with Dogfish Head and Sierra Nevada, two breweries that know how to handle hops.

The ridges toward the bottom of the glass create friction when the beer is drunk, which will help aerate the beer and maintain the aromatics throughout the drinking process. Additionally, the tapered rim supports the head and pushes the aromatics up to your nose so you can savor the hop aroma that is so important to IPAs.

Pilsner Glass

Pilsner Glasses are tall and skinny, primarily to show off the beautiful golden color common to Pilsners and lighter ales.

They often have a slightly lower volume, but the straight sides and wider rim are meant to keep a fluffy head and allow you to savor the wonderful hop aroma that is important to this delicate style.

Weizen Glass

Wheat Beers are best enjoyed out of a Weizen Glass.

This glass is tapered towards the bottom to prevent yeast from rising to the top since wheat beers are typically hazy and have some suspended material, which is part of the style. They are also again tapered at the top to force the unique aroma of banana and clove to your nose, and retain a thick head.

Stemware

There are several different kinds of stemware, including the Goblet, Snifter, Chalice, and Tulip.

Stemmed glassware is excellent for maintaining control of your beer's temperature. Cupping the round bowl found on several of these styles will warm up the beer, which can help blend some of the bolder flavors of darker, maltier beers. Whereas holding the stem can help the beer stay cooler and allow you to swirl the cup to release flavors, particularly on the Snifter and Tulip glasses. The wide rim found on these glassware styles enables the drinker to experience the bold flavors of stronger beers like Imperial Stouts, Barleywines, Scotch ales, and Imperial IPAs.

These are just some of the more common styles of glassware, but there are as many varieties of glass as there are beers, and the variations even among a single style are endless.

Don't be afraid of new glassware and embrace the opportunity to pay attention to what each type of glass does to a style you know well.

Try as many as you can, and you are sure to unlock new depths of flavor to the beers you know and love.

You can always just look at all the barware available on Only Craft Beer - whether you choose one based on the size of the glass, or the shape, or because a friend told you. You will not be dissapointed to enjoy a fantastic craft beer with a very special glassware.