Beer Glassware

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Conical Glass/Straight – Imperial Pint

This is an old fashioned, yet familiar sight in some British and Irish Pubs. Although has mostly been replaced by the Nonic for ease of use. This is a similar shape as the American Shaker Glass but with a larger capacity. Stouts, bitters, mild ales, porters or pretty much anything you get on draught in a British pub are fine in this and most other pint glasses.

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Shaker Glass – U.S. Pint

This is called a shaker glass because of its original use in combination with a slightly larger metal cup as a cocktail shaker. It was never designed for drinking anything , much less a beer. These were not used for beer until the 1980s, when they started getting filled with craft beers. They were appreciated for their relatively large serving size, but they’re not particularly attractive or flattering to the flavor and aroma of beer. Pale Ales, nut browns and many 3-6% quaffing beers are just fine in a shaker.

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Nonic – Imperial Pint

• English ales since early 1960s

• Low-gravity session beers

• Bump keeps rim from chipping and makes it easier to hold for stand-up drinking

This is the standard pint glass used in Great Britain, and was designed so that the bulge prevents the glasses getting jammed together when stacked, as well as being easier to hold and not drop due to the slippery condensation of an ice cold brew.

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Tulip Pint Glass – Imperial & U.S. Pint

This glass is used in both U.S. and Imperial sizes, and is often found with brewery’s logo on the side. A popular glass used in many British pubs, it has gained favour over the nonic due to the attractive shape. There are two other versions, called the Prague Pint and Tokyo Pint with more flared bases. (below)

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Prague Pint – 500ml & Imperial Pint

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Tokyo Pint- 500ml & Imperial Pint

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Dimple mug/Pint Pot/Jug glass/Handle – Imperial Pint

• Appeared c. 1948

• Used for mild ale and bitter

This is a shortened, wider , handled version of the lens -cut “pillar” pale ale glasses that became popular around 1840 or so in England. They’re quaint and comfortable, even if they’re not antiques. The lens design makes a beautiful play of light on an amber-colored beer.

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Tankard – Imperial Pint/ 500ml & smaller sizes

Sometimes simply called a ‘Mug’, this is a simple handled glass, usually with straight sides, or slightly tapered in at the top. In the UK before the 1960’s a ten sided glass tankard was popular but not seen these days. Obviously there are pewter versions of these too, for the real traditionalist.

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Krug / Seidel (Stein) – 500ml / 1 Litre+

This is the classic German beer tankard, and comes in a few different forms. Often made with a hinged lid (originally to keep out the flies from the 15th Century onwards) it can be made of earthenware, stoneware, porcelain, glass, silver and pewter. The German term is Steinkrug, and this is for a stoneware version, other materials have there own names such as Glaskrug (for glass). The glass versions are usually seen without the pewter lid, and with a brewery name etched on the side, but the one here is shown with the traditional top and a plaque that is ready to be personalised. Drink any of the many German lagers under 6% in this one.

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Maßkrug / Bavarian Seidel – 1 Litre

• Big glass for small beer, such as Pilsner, helles, and Oktoberfest

This seidel is just a glass version of the simple stoneware krugs that were used for centuries as drinking mugs. The optic circles first appeared in the mid-nineteenth century when machines for cutting and polishing glass became available; later, they were molded in.

Pronounced “Masskroog”, this is a tankard which is commonly used at the Oktoberfest celebrations. It is often referred to as a Seidel when made of glass, and a Masskrug when made of stoneware. Although this style of glass used to hold about a liter and a half, this century has seen it standardized as 1 liter to the line, with the remaining room for a nice frothy head. This is the classic glass to drink large amounts of Märzen, Vienna and of course Oktoberfest beer.

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Pilsner Glass/flute

This tall, slender conical glass, sometimes with a short stem (often called a pokal when stemmed -2 versions below, and sometimes a bit squatter than a flute), but always with a round foot, may fit 330ml of beer, but it is in fact a bit larger than that- to fit in the pillowy head that most beer in continental Europe is served with. A nice way to drink your premium Czech Pilsner.

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Pokal

• Classic for bock

• Small size for stronger beer

• Outward taper supports head

• Short stem

The original pokals were often large and decorated in quite showy ways and fitted with removable (not hinged) lids. By the nineteenth century, they were most often associated with bock beers.

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Weissbier Glass – 500ml (Germany) 330ml (Belgium)

• Large size holds foam

• Inward taper concentrates foam

The Weissbier vase seems to have evolved from the late medieval footed-beaker forms, but it probably didn’t develop its modern curvaceous style until the twentieth century.

A specific curvy version of a pilsner glass that holds the aromatics and expansive head of the many German and Belgian wheat beers. American and Canadian craft brewers who make their version of wheat beers, also serve it in these ergonomically curvaceous glasses.

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Tulip Glass (stemmed) or Poco Grande (Libbey)

• Inward taper holds aroma

• Outward flare supports the head and fits the lips

In many ways, this is the best of all worlds. Tulips like this are rare in history, but start to show up in the late nineteenth century.

This is popular with some Belgian strong Golden Ales, and is perfect for sipping and savoring these powerful yet refreshing beers. This is also great for Imperial or double IPAs, strong spiced Christmas ales or any strong aromatic beer.

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“Bolleke” Goblet / Kindl

• Inward taper concentrates head and aroma

• Smaller size is great for strong beers

• Famous in Antwerp, Belgium

Bolleke translates from the Dutch as “little ball,” the meaning of which I will leave to you to derive.

This is one of the classic Belgian styles of glass. There are many styles made as each brewery has either a Goblet or Chalice designed and branded for its own beer. It is a pleasure to drink these distinctive and some times strong beers from a glass that has been specially made for the brew. Goblets have a round bowl sat upon a medium sized stem, and are designed for sipping rather than slurping. These are designed for strong Belgian ales any colour. Some more delicate goblets can be found with a narrower stem and and tapering mouth, and are used for some premium lagers in Europe. In Germany Berliner Weiss is served in a goblet and this is called a Berliner Kindl.

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Chalice

Chalices are similar in every way to the Goblet but tend to be chunkier and always with a thick, sometimes patterned stem. The design harks back to medieval pewter or earthenware chalices that were heavily engraved and sometimes decorated with precious stones or glass beads.

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Snifter

• Popularized in the twentieth century for brandy

• Good for barley wines and Imperial Stouts

Another not particularly ancient form, but with its deep, incurved rim and small stature, it is ideal for serving strong ales.

This is a similar to a brandy glass, and is an excellent all round option for any strong beer. Traditionally used in Britain to serve Barley Wines, Imperial Stouts and Scotch Ales, it focuses the aroma and can be used to swirl the beer to release the flavor!

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Stange / Cylinder – 200ml – 500ml / U.S. & Imperial Pint

This is a tall , straight sided glass, traditionally used to serve Kolsch, but is now used all over the world to serve chilled lagers and golden ales

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Willibecher – 200ml – 500ml

This is a slightly shorter, squatter version of the Stange, with a slight bulge and tapering at the mouth of the glass. It is often used to drink Altbier in Germany, but many beers are served in this style of glass.

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Beer Boot / Bierstiefeln

This is a fun way to drink a beer, and comes in a variety of sizes from the shot glass to 2 litres. Traditionally made in Germany, it is often used in drinking competitions to ‘down’ a large amount of beer in one go. Legend has it that a German General promised to drink a beer from his boot if his troops were victorious, as they won the battle, the General appeared with a specially made boot shaped glass to fulfill his promise without using his real leather boot. This may or may not be true, but it explains the military styling to this glassware , and also makes for a good tale!

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Yard Glass – 3 Imperial Pints or 1.5 Litres

Drinking a yard of ale is no easy feat, but it must be done from Yard long glass, usually found hanging on the pub wall. This glass is a Yard in length (91.5cm) and dates back to the 17th Century in Britain when the art of glass making was taking off. It would have been a great accomplishment for a blower to make this glass, and no known examples survive from before 1674 when a tougher glass called flintglass was being produced. The art of drinking it is something of a skill too, as there is a danger of being covered in beer! The technique is to raise the glass past horizontal and keep rotating it as you drink, – not easy! The world record is 5 seconds for drinking a yard of ale, and is unlikely to be beaten. Half Yards are also available and are good to practice at home with!

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Updated Pokal

• Inward taper concentrates head

• Good general-purpose glass for high-class beers such as Belgian-style Tripel, Maibock, and Imperial IPA.

• Stem keeps hand from warming beer