How To Choose the Right Beer Glass

Grab a beer stein, a mug, or a German mug made of glass called a seidel, when you’re pouring American and English ales, stouts, or bock beer. Mugs and steins are good for gatherings that involve lots of toasting, thanks to the handle.

Have pale ales, bitter, porters, and stouts in a pint glass. It comes in two sizes: In the U.S., the 16 oz. tumbler, and in Britain, the 20 oz. nonic. Just drink them fast if you don’t like you beer warm; the wide mouth can’t keep them cool for long.

Use the slender, tapered glass known as a pilsner when you drink its namesake. It also complements lagers.

Drink Belgian beer from a tulip-shaped glass. It helps maintain the head, which in turn helps the drinker appreciate the beer’s esters, or fragrant compounds.

Drink wheat beer, also known as Weizenbier, in the glass named for it ¬– the Bavarian weizen glass. It’s shaped like an hourglass to accommodate a big head of foam.

Try a large wine glass that leaves enough room for a decent head to form. You may feel silly, but the shape enhances the taste of beer the same way it elevates the flavor of wine – by bringing out the aroma.