the proper serving vessel for beer and a vital instrument for shaping our sensory perceptions of drinks. Glassware’s role in beer service is complex. Visually, a particular glass will set up a series of expectations. The sight of large chunky glasses on a table will evoke an oncoming period of hearty enjoyment of relatively simple beers withfamily or friends. Elegant stemware may send a different signal, perhaps an expectation of more complex beers, of sipping more than drinking, a sign that some genuine attention should be paid. Most of us know this almost instinctually. In a restaurant, when especially large wine glasses are brought to a nearby table, it is hard not to wonder what wine is to be poured into them; one expects that it will be something special.

Photograph, c. 1933, illustrating various classic beer glass shapes as well as a beer comb, used to flatten the head of a beer. Prohibition caused a lack of public knowledge of how to serve alcoholic beverages, an issue addressed in this nationally syndicated photograph. pike microbrewery museum, seattle, wa

Beyond the visual/emotional effects of glassware, we have the mechanical and practical aspects. From this perspective, the best beer glasses bear a strong resemblance to wine glasses. The rim, preferably thin and often slightly flared, presents the beer directly to the palate without the sensory interference of a large chunk of glass. The bowl of the glass evolves, holds, and concentrates aromatics emerging from the liquid. Because most of our sense of taste is actually a sense of smell, this aspect is critical. As with wine, any beer that is truly to be tasted rather than simply drunk must be swirled or rotated in the glass. The shape of the bowl makes this easy to do, and as the liquid evaporates from the surface of the glass, the full array of the beer aromatics can become apparent. The bowl also holds the beer’s head of foam and a flared rim helps support the foam below.

Below this, the stem supports the bowl and preferably has enough length to accommodate the grip of a few fingers while keeping the bowl clear of the other activities on the table. Beer served in stemmed glassware will maintain its temperature better; the liquid will not be warmed by the heat of the drinker’s hand. The stem also makes swirling easier, although this always works best when the foot of the glass remains firmly planted in the table. The foot itself, of course, gives the glass its stability and a sense of presence.

All the aspects above are well served by Belgian-style “tulip” glasses, and similar glassware styles have been adopted by craft brewers worldwide. When appropriate beer glassware is unavailable, there is no reason for any hesitation to use wine glasses, which are well suited to the appreciation of most complex drinks. White wine glasses tend to be the most versatile, but red wine glasses can be appropriate for very strong, complex, or aged beers. See drinking vessels.

See also serving beer.