When Drinking Ale, The Glass You Use Matters

Different types of beers are served up in specific glasses – why? A tall pint glass tends to be the most common vessel, but there are also short steins, large and petite tulips, and oval-shaped goblets. Is there a reason behind it, or is it simply based off of what glassware the bar has on hand? This might be the case in some places — but glass styles serve various purposes. Ales, one of the largest categories of beer, shouldn't only be showcased in the standard pint glass.

For starters, what exactly is an ale? These beers are defined by the type of yeast used, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and this beer category includes both light and dark beers, encompassing pale ales, American ales, IPAs, wheat beers, goses — which are sour wheat beers — and even stouts. Because there are so many types of ale, it doesn't make sense to buy a glass for each style, but rather select a glassware that can work for many different types.  

A more elevated style of glassware that works universally for many styles of ales and other beers is a tulip shape with a stem and curved lip. One of the most popular choices is the Nucleated Teku 3.0 Stemmed Beer Glass, which is commonly spotted at craft beer bars. Similar is a thistle-shaped glass, which is essentially an elongated tulip glass, popular for Scottish ales. With these curved lips and smaller openings, the aroma is more concentrated, allowing the drinker to fully experience what the beer has to offer.

Are you going to ruin a super hoppy, craft IPA by pouring it in the wrong glass? Probably not. How you pour the ale may be more of a consideration, but think of choosing the proper glass as a way of enhancing the beer-drinking experience. For starters, a different style of glass outside of the standard pint glass provides a new visual and tactile element. Nicer ales can be served in nicer glassware to signify the quality and enhance the drinking experience.

Interestingly, the perception of how a beer tastes can be influenced by the glass shape; a 2017 study in the journal Food Quality and Preference discovered that participants drinking a beer in a curved glass found the beer to be fruitier. A curved glass, like the tulip-shaped glass mentioned above, would therefore be perfect for enhancing the fruitiness already present in certain types of ales (even if it is all in our heads!).

Beer served in a glass with a stem allows the beer to stay cold for longer, as gripping the center of the glass and heating the liquid can be avoided. Lighter beers are often drunk more quickly, so a wide mouth and easy grip are often more appropriate for beer like a pale ale. Beers stronger in flavor and alcohol content are meant to be sipped on longer, so a more delicate glass works well here — preferably with a stem so it doesn't heat up while you take your time to appreciate it.