You’ve just got home from your local liquor store with a sweet haul of your favourite craft beers and you’re ready to crack a few open. Before you do, did you know that with just a few basic tips you can get the most out of your sampling experience? Vancouver Brewery Tours Lead Tour Guide Rachel Riggs knows a thing or two about the subject and has put together a 3 part series of some VERY helpful tips on the Right Way to Drink Craft Beer.
What Glassware is Best for Craft Beer?
By Rachel K. Riggs – Lead Tour Guide
First of all, craft beer should always be poured into another vessel, whether it’s glass or plastic or even a coffee cup (though glass is ideal). One of the reasons we pour beer is to develop that foamy head, where tons of the aroma lies. If you can’t smell what you’re eating or drinking, you will not experience its flavor to its fullest potential.
Use a room temperature glass (more on temperature in Part 3 of this blog post series).
Now, which glass to choose: Shaker pint? Tulip? Pilsner? Just like in the wine world, there’s a lot of options when it comes to what type of glass to pour your beer into, and it varies with the style of beer.
Tulip Glasses – The tapered shape focuses aroma both produces and maintains a foamy head. Good for Saisons, Belgians, IPAs.
Weizen – Tall and with a wide upper portion to accommodate a large amount of head. Best choice for wheat beers.
Snifter – tapered mouth is ideal for beers with strong flavors and aromas. Good choice for barleywine and imperial stouts.
Pilsner – narrow shape shows off color and clarity. Good for, you guessed it, pilsners, as well as other light styles like lagers, blonde ales, and kolsches.
Flute – long and narrow to maintain carbonation. Good for: Goses / Gueuzes, kettle sours, fruit beers
Shaker Pint or Nonic Pint – versatile & inexpensive. Good for pale ales, brown ales, porters, English bitters
Note that it is NOT necessary to own every possible style of beer glass out there! Some glasses are more versatile than others and work well for a range of different styles.
Next Up:
The Right Way to Drink Beer – Part 2
Timing – When should I drink my craft beer?
