Finding a Utility Glass

Over the years, debate has raged on regarding what type of glass beer is best served in. Many beer lovers will tell you that every beer style has its own corresponding glass that it should only be drank out of. Although this is often the case, the logistics of being able to do this are not exactly practical. Obviously, during these rough economic times not everyone is interested in spending hundreds of dollars on their glassware. Dimple mugs, imperial pints, American pints, steins, weizens, yard glasses – on and on the investment in a proper beer bar never seems to end. With this in mind, I have set out to find the ideal ‘utility glass’ one can purchase in order to have the best experience from as many beers as possible. Here is what I have found to be the best all around beer glass and how I found it…

Eliminating Glasses

When trying to figure out what is the best all-around glass for beer, one must first eliminate those with undesirable traits. For example, dimple mugs are made from thick glass. Thick glass, due to thermal mass, has more heat being pushed into the cold beer and thus changes the temperature of said beer quicker than other glasses.  Other things to consider when picking a glass include its ability to retain head, and if the shape holds aromas into the glass or lets them out easily. Many glasses have various tricks in order to counteract all of these problems; however, very few tackle every challenge. Picking the right glass means eliminating as many of these concerns as possible. For this reason, I chose to eliminate any glasses made of thick glass, any glasses that allow aroma to escape easily like the tumbler, and any glasses that overly promote one style of beer like the flute.

The Final Selection

Thanks to the process of elimination, my glass choice narrowed down to the tulip glass and the snifter glass. Both are usually fairly thin, both allow for head to form, and both have a bowl-like shape that has excellent aroma-holding capabilities. In the end I chose the tulip glass for the style. The reason for this is that the flared head on the tulip gives it a slight edge in terms of head and aroma. When it came time to purchase, the Spiegelau Stemmed Pilsner ended up as my selection. Although the name indicates otherwise, this is in fact a tulip glass. The reasons for picking Spiegelau are two fold. The first is the fact the brand is well known for making quality crystal wine glasses and thus I trust their reputation. The second is they are one of the largest glassware producers in the world, resulting in them being readily available. In the end, whatever you choose just make sure that it has the ability to maintain the temperature of the beer longer, that it promotes head formation, and that it allows you to smell as much of the aromas as possible. If you stick to these principals you can’t go wrong.

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