Types of Beer Glasses to Complement Your Beer: The Shape Does Matter

A glass of cold beer in the heat of the summer can save the day, improve your mood and refresh you. No matter the type of beer, having it served in a suitable glass can make the whole experience feel twice as better, I’m sure you’d agree with me?

There are so many different beer glasses that it’s easy to get confused. Pints, mugs, tulips – these are all designed for various types of beers. Of course, you can’t have them all in your home, but based on your favourite beer, you should get suitable glasses.

Do glasses change the taste? There is no scientific proof of this, but they surely add much to the experience. Glass beer mugs are certainly a better choice for your beer instead of a wine glass or a coffee cup. Of course, some glasses work well with almost all beer types, but you will agree that certain beers like dark ales or Belgian ales simply can’t be served in a simple pint. Whether you’re purchasing them as bar accessories for your home or as a gift, here are some of the most popular types of beer glasses.

Standard Beer Mugs

The beer mugs are quite popular and you’ll see them in almost any pub, but also private homes. Glass beer mugs come in different shapes and sizes; you may even find dimpled models among these glasses. But what’s common for all of them is that all beer mugs have a handle on one side. This design will help your beer remain cold, without your hand transferring heat onto the drink. This beer glass has quite a thick glass which makes it durable and gives it insulation. This classic goes well with American, Irish, German and English beers of all sorts.

Imperial Pint Glasses

The imperial pint glass is an all-purpose glass. It holds around 600ml, which is ideal for pouring a large amount of beer and enjoy in a cold, bubbly taste. These glasses have a small lip at the mouth. Ideally, you should serve British ales and lagers such as pale ale, amber or red ale, brown ale, milk stout, oatmeal stout or Scotch ale in the imperial pint glass.

American Pint Glasses

The American pint glass is a simple, utilitarian glass of 470ml; it’s a bit wider at the mouth than at the base. These glasses are especially popular in bars and restaurants, due to their low price and the fact that they are very easy to clean and store.
This beer glass is ideal for any type of beer; its design doesn’t particularly require any special beer or taste – it goes well with them all, which is why many people buy it both for home and for their bars.

Pilsener Glasses

Pilsner glasses are tall and slim and have a wider mouth. This glass makes the clarity, sparkle and bubbles of pilsener and light beers visible. The beer’s head retains, which keeps the volatile aromatics right under the drinker’s nose. This type of glass holds less beer than a pint glass (350-400ml). It’s ideal for serving American adjunct lagers, Vienna lagers, blonde ale, Japanese rice lager, Pilsener and Helles bock.

Tulip (Belgian) Glasses

The shape of the glass looks like a tulip, which is why this glass got its name. Its bulbous body and flare lip give this glass the ideal shape for Belgian ales that have a strong aroma and flavour. You can also serve other malty and hoppy beers. The short stem allows you to swirl the beer so you can enjoy the aroma. Serve Belgian strong ales, Belgian dark ales, double IPA, Belgian IPA, Flanders red ale, fruit lambic, American wild ales, Scotch ales bière de Garde.

Thistle Glasses

This is a modified version of the tulip glass; its shape resembles Scotland’s national flower – the thistle, hence its name. It has a short stem, bulbous bottom, and elongated top part that is sharper and angular than that of the tulip. This glass is excellent for serving Scotch ale and wee heavy.

Weizen Glasses

This type of glass has thin walls and is long to showcase the colours of wheat beers better. The design is elegant and allows aromas to emerge on top, while there is space for the thick and fluffy foam in the wider head. Sometimes people confuse Weizen glasses with pilsener glasses, but there are important differences.  A Weizen glass holds a ⅕ litre of beer (compared to a pilsner’s 350-400ml), and it has that attractive curvature. This glass is ideal for Dunkel Weizen, hefeweizen, Weizenbock, wheat ale and kristalweizen.

Goblet Glasses

Last but not least, the goblet glass. This type of glass has a big head-retaining round bowl and a thick stem. You might confuse it with a chalice, although goblets have thicker walls. This is a decorative glass and can be also made of metal. The wide mouth will allow you to take large sips. Goblets are ideal for heavy, dark beers like Belgian strong dark ale, double, triple or quad.