Beer glassware guide

Don’t you hate it when you are chugging a beer straight from the can (or bottle, we don’t judge) and you feel all bloated afterwards? To avoid filling yourself up with gas, you might want to learn a thing or two about glassware.

Pouring your beer into a glass will allow for some of the carbonation to escape, which helps to curb the gassy bloated feeling you’d normally get from drinking straight from the can.

Perks of pouring beer into a glass

Who says that drinking beer is not a full sensory experience? Taste may be the star of the show, but sensing and appreciating the other qualities of your beer will definitely enhance your beer-drinking experience.

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By pouring your beer into a glass, you’ll be able to fully appreciate the beer in its full glory. Before you even taste the beer, you can first appreciate its colour, clarity and the foamy head that rests snugly at the top.

As you raise your glass, ready to take that first sip, you will be greeted by the beer’s pleasant aroma before enjoying its taste. This combination of sensory experiences will for sure heighten your beer-drinking affairs!

Types of beer glassware

Just as many different types of beer exist, there are also a variety of beer glasswares out there. The different shapes and sizes of these glasswares will complement the smell, colour, taste, as well as the foam for different types of beer.

1. Pint

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Most people know what a pint is - even non-beer drinkers. However, there’s no shame in not knowing. A pint is a simple and sleek cylindrical-shaped glassware with a slightly wider top. It is used to serve most types of beer styles, including lagers and ales.

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Many bars and restaurants choose to serve their beers in a pint because it is cheap and also easy to drink out of. Additionally, pints are easy to clean and easy to stack, thus making them the most convenient and value-for-money glassware for beer lovers.

2. Mugs

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Beer mugs are a hearty bunch that will allow you to toast with your friends while holding a healthy amount of beer. The mug has a wide cylindrical shape with a handy handle on the side for you to grab with much ease.

Mugs also have thick glass walls that will help to keep your beer cool. Further, the handle on the mug will protect your cold beer from your toasty warm hands.

3. Pilsner glass

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Pilsner glasses are tall, skinny, and have slight curvatures. They are typically used to serve lighter beers, namely pilsners (who would have guessed?)

The slender design of the glass allows drinkers to appreciate the colours and carbonation of the beer. The slightly wider top also helps retain the beautiful foamy head of your beer, which will bring out the flavours and aromas of your beer.

4. Steins

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Beer steins are actually pretty similar to beer mugs, which is why many people think that they are the same. However, this confusion can be easily avoided as long as you pay attention to the appearances of the two.

Unlike mugs, steins have a hinged lid attached to a lever that opens said lid when you push it. Although they have the same cylindrical shape, steins are traditionally made with a wide variety of materials, namely porcelain, stoneware, pewter, silver, and wood.

5. Tulip

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Tulip glasses are specifically designed to trap and maintain the foamy beer head, which helps to enhance the flavour and aroma of your beers. They typically have a stumpy stem and footer, and a unique tulip-like bowl at the top. The rim of tulip glasses tend to curve outward to form a lip that helps retain the foam head.

6. Weizen

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Weizen glasses are often confused with pilsner glasses, as both have similar shapes and curvatures (or lack thereof). One main distinguishing feature of the weizen glass, is that it has a more distinct curve at the top, as compared to a pilsner glass.

Weizen glasses are specially designed to serve wheat beers, as their curved lip at the top helps to trap and maintain a thick foam head. As such, the weizen glass is best suited for showing off a wheat beer’s full aromatic and flavour potential.

7. Snifter

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Snifters are not exactly common in public, so fret not if you’ve never heard of them before. These glasses are usually used for tasting cognac or brandy, but they are actually great at enhancing the aromatics of beer.

Snifters have small, thin stems and footers, with a large bowl on the top that allows you to swirl your beer around. This not only lets you feel fancy, but doing so also helps to bring out the full flavour of the beer. To reach the full potential of this glassware, make sure you don’t fill it up to the brim with beer!

8. Teku

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Teku glasses are one of the most unique beer glasswares, with their sharply angled bowls and remarkably thin lip. Their special design is not only elegant, but also aids the process of sipping. Teku glasses are as versatile as they are graceful, given that you can basically serve any beer style in these stylish glasses.

9. Chalice

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Chalices are the chunkier and more extravagant type of beer glassware that have bold, thick stems with a bowl resting at the top. Its wide mouth allows drinkers to fully absorb and assess the beer’s aromas.

10. Stange

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The stange glass is also commonly known as a strange glass, stick glass, pole glass or rod glass. Far from being strange, this type of glass is actually the most standard and simple one out there. It’s tall, slim, and straight - that’s it.

Stange glasses are typically reserved for delicate beers, such as kolsches, as they will help enrich the flavours of the beer.

11. Thirsty can glass

Last but not least, we have the Thirsty can glass. The Thirsty can glass mimics the shape of a typical beer can, so it replicates that same joy of holding a beer can without the metallic scent interrupting the pleasant beer aromas.

Its adorable shape and convenient size makes for the perfect beer-drinking experience. As you pour your beer into the Thirsty can glass, watch the hand drawn artworks of beautiful sea creatures and adventurous scuba-divers come to life!