Beer glassware

Beer glasses come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, to match the different characteristics of varying beer styles.

Types of Glasses

Two straight-sided pint glasses.

Pint Glass

Pint glasses, although a relatively recent development, are now widely considered to be the standard draft serving glass, although this is more because they are versatile and easy to clean and store in large quantities than because they are ideal for any type of beer. Most American, European, and British ales and lagers can be served in these glasses without a problem.

Pint glasses can be straight-sided or tulip-shaped; some also have a "bulge" near the rim to keep them from chipping when they are stacked; these are called "Nonick" glasses. English or "Imperial" pints, and therefore English pint glasses, are 20 ounces, while American pints and pint glasses are 16 ounces. The American pint glass was originally designed to serve as a shaker glass in the making of cocktails. They became popular for serving beer with the rise in popularity of craft beer in the U.S.

Mugs

Until the 1960s, when the pint glass started to gain in popularity, the standard vessel for most English beers was the pint mug, made of ceramic or dimpled glass.

Glasses from the six Trappist breweries.

Belgian Goblet

Belgian ales are generally extremely aromatic, with lots of dark fruit and malt aromas. A wide-mouthed goblet allows the aromas to be released and enjoyed.

Four standard pilsner glasses.

Pilsner Glass

Pilsner glasses are tall and slender, and normally come in a 12oz size, although larger sizes exist as well. As the name suggests, they are usually used for very light beers.

Stange

Matching Glassware to Beer