Glassware for Beer
Pouring beer into a glass is like giving it wings. But aren’t there many different kinds of beer glasses? We’ve compiled some quick facts on the friendliest beer vessels you’ll ever lay eyes on.
Many thanks to our friend Chris Weibring for the original beer glass illustrations.
Flute glass
The flute glass is famous for champagne, but moonlights as a fantastic beer glass. These slender, delicate glasses are long and narrow and excellent for maintaining carbonation.
Beer styles to serve in a fluted glass
Bock
Bohemian / Czech Pilsner
Dortmunder / Export Lager
Dunkel Lager
Flanders Oud Bruin
Flanders Red Ale
Fruit Lambic
German Pilsener
Gueuze
Helles Lager
Maibock / Helles Bock
Schwarzbier / Black Lager
Vienna Lager
Weizenbock
Our top 3 flute glasses on Amazon.com
Goblet or chalice
Who doesn’t want to drink from one of these gaudy specimens? Beer goblets are ancient and regal, and designed for both visual aesthetics and liquid capacity.
Beer styles to serve in a goblet or chalice
Belgian IPA
Belgian Strong Dark Ale
Berliner Weissbier
Dubbel
Quadrupel
Tripel
Our top 3 beer goblets on Amazon.com
Mug or stein
No beer glass delivers quantity like the famous beer mug or beer stein. It can accommodate a wide range of beer styles and is designed for volume and ease of handling. If you’re going the distance—or need something to defend yourself—look no further than the beer mug.
Beer styles to serve in a mug or stein
American Amber / Red Ale
American Amber / Red Lager
American Brown Ale
American IPA
American Pale Ale (APA)
American / Robust Porter
American Stout
American Strong Ale
American Wheat Ale
Baltic Porter
Blonde Ale
Bock
California Common / Steam Beer
Cream Ale
Czech Pilsner
Doppelbock
Dry Stout
English Bitter / Pale Ale
English Brown Ale
English IPA
European Dark Lager
Fruit Beers
German Pilsener
Irish Red Ale
Maibock / Helles Bock
Malt Liquor
Märzen / Oktoberfest
Milk / Sweet / Cream Stout
Oatmeal Stout
Rye Beer / Roggenbier
Scottish Ale
Smoked Beer / Rauchbier
Spiced / Herbed / Vegetable Beers
Vienna Lager
Witbier
Our top 3 beer mugs on Amazon.com
Pilsner or pokal glass
A favorite for the lighter beer styles, the pilsner or pokal glass is tall and slender, useful for showcasing a beer’s color, clarity, and carbonation. It’s also designed to maximize aroma and head retention.
Beer styles to serve in a pilsner or pokal glass
Adjunct Lager
American Amber / Red Lager
American Wheat Ale
Bock
California Common / Steam Beer
Czech Pilsner
Doppelbock
Dortmunder / Export Lager
Dunkel Lager
European Dark Lager
European Pale Lager
German Pilsener
Helles Lager
Light Lager
Maibock / Helles Bock
Malt Liquor
Schwarzbier / Black Lager
Vienna Lager
Witbier
Our top 3 pilsner glasses on Amazon.com
Pint glass
The becker, the nonic, the tumbler: chances are if you’ve had a beer in something other than its original packaging, you’re familiar the pint glass. America has a smaller version (16 oz tumbler) than the rest of the world (20 oz pint). They’re easy to handle and drink from, and cheap to make.
Beer styles to serve in a pint glass
Adjunct Lager
American Amber / Red Ale
American Amber / Red Lager
American Barleywine
American Brown Ale
American IPA
American Pale Ale (APA)
American / Robust Porter
American Stout
American Strong Ale
American Wheat Ale
Baltic Porter
Berliner Weissbier
Blonde Ale
California Common / Steam Beer
Cream Ale
Dry Stout
English Barleywine
English Bitter / Pale Ale
English Brown Ale
English IPA
European Dark Lager
Fruit Beers
Irish Red Ale
Malt Liquor
Märzen / Oktoberfest
Milk / Sweet / Cream Stout
Oatmeal Stout
Old Ale
Russian Imperial Stout
Rye Beer / Roggenbier
Saison / Farmhouse Ale
Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy
Scottish Ale
Smoked Beer / Rauchbier
Spiced / Herbed / Vegetable Beers
Winter Ale / Warmer
Witbier
Our top 3 pint glasses on Amazon.com
Snifter glass
Sometimes beer just needs to be swirled. The snifter glass, famous for cognac and brandy, is all about focusing the power of stronger ales. The tapered lip concentrates aroma, and makes it easy to agitate the liquid without spilling.
Beer styles to serve in a snifter glass
American Barleywine
Belgian IPA
Belgian Pale Ale
Belgian Strong Dark Ale
English Barleywine
Flanders Oud Bruin
Flanders Red Ale
Fruit Lambic
Gueuze
Imperial Beers
Imperial / Double IPA
Old Ale
Quadrupel
Russian Imperial Stout
Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy
Tripel
Our top 3 snifter glasses on Amazon.com
Stange glass
The stange glass is basically a tall cylinder. It’s a traditional German glass meant for accentuating the malt and hop aromas of the more delicate styles of beer. It is most often used for kölsch.
Beer styles to serve in a stange glass
Altbier
Bock
Czech Pilsner
Fruit Lambic
Gueuze
Kölsch
Rye Beer / Roggenbier
Smoked Beer / Rauchbier
Our top 3 stange glasses on Amazon.com
Tulip glass
We think the tulip is one of the most beautiful beer glasses on the shelf. It focuses the eye and the nose, capturing flavor and aroma while also maintaining a big foamy head.
Beer styles to serve in a tulip glass
Belgian IPA
Belgian Pale Ale
Belgian Strong Dark Ale
Biere de Garde
Flanders Oud Bruin
Flanders Red Ale
Fruit Lambic
Gueuze
Imperial Beers
Imperial / Double IPA
Quadrupel
Saison / Farmhouse Ale
Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy
Our top 3 tulip glasses on Amazon.com
Weizen glass
Ah yes, the famous weizen glass. Tall and thin, designed to accentuate the wonderful features of wheat beer, especially their huge, foamy, highly aromatic heads.
Beer styles to serve in a weizen glass
American Wheat Ale
Dunkelweizen
Weizen / Weissbier / Hefeweizen
Weizenbock
Our top 3 weizen glasses on Amazon.com
Wine glass
An oversized wine glass is a great choice for the darker Belgian-style ales. Think wide, stemmed, 22oz beer glasses. They are sophisticated and classy.
Beer styles to serve in an oversized wine glass
Belgian IPA
Belgian Pale Ale
Belgian Strong Dark Ale
Biere de Garde
English Barleywine
Imperial Beers
Imperial / Double IPA
Old Ale
Saison / Farmhouse Ale
