Craft Master Two
Test lab notes
This hybrid pub glass (far left) feels like a cross between a nonic pint glass and a Pilsner or stange, but the weighted base gives it a solid feel, and the vaguely familiar yet new shape is such that you won’t feel self-conscious when drinking from it. The build quality is solid, and it’s held up fine through weeks of frequent use. It’s great for home or taproom as the angles aren’t so extreme as to make cleaning difficult.
Scorecard
Easy to Use? X
Easy to Sanitize? X
Build Quality? X
Enjoyment? X
High Value?
Manufacturer: Rastal
Available from: egrandstand.com
Craft Master Bowl
Test lab notes
Through several weeks of testing, these glasses (second from the left) have become new favorites in the CB&B office. They offer a similar drinking experience to tulip or balloon glasses with a longer stem, and the sides and stem are sturdy while the lip is thin and refined for a pleasant experience. They’re perfectly weighted and feel good in your hand, and they’ve stood up to repeat washing in our commercial dishwasher.
Scorecard
Easy to Use? X
Easy to Sanitize? X
Build Quality? X
Enjoyment? X
High Value?
Manufacturer: Rastal
Available from: egrandstand.com
Craft Master Taster
Test lab notes
Our staff loves the Rastal Craftmaster One glass, so when this 6.5 oz taster version (third from the left) arrived for testing, we all jockeyed to try it. It was, as expected, awesome to sample from and elevated the experience of drinking the smaller amounts of beer that we typically drink in office tastings. The only drawback is the small diameter waist on the glass that makes the inside harder to clean.
Scorecard
Easy to Use? X
Easy to Sanitize?
Build Quality? X
Enjoyment? X
High Value?
Manufacturer: Rastal
Available from: egrandstand.com
Birrateque Wheat
Test lab notes
We loved the exagerrated bowl on this glass (third from the right) that lets the ester and phenol character of wheat beers breathe, and the weighted base was a great touch that kept the glass nicely balanced. The thinner base fit perfectly in a variety of hands, and the only real drawback was the overall weight of the glass, which, at 11.9 oz, was one of the heaviest we tested. If that weight aids long-term durability, it’ll be worth it.
Scorecard
Easy to Use? X
Easy to Sanitize? X
Build Quality? X
Enjoyment? X
High Value?
Manufacturer: Luigi Bormioli
Available from: luigibormioli.com
Birrateque Tester
Test lab notes
We love to see more glassmakers getting involved in the craft-beer market, and the new line of beer glasses from Luigi Bormioli echoes now familiar shapes within the beer-glass lexicon while adding their own spin to the iterative designs. This taster (second from the right) incorporates features we love—the flared lip, the elegant stem, the shallow bowl—with a more rounded and vertical orientation than others in the category.
Scorecard
Easy to Use? X
Easy to Sanitize? X
Build Quality? X
Enjoyment? X
High Value?
Manufacturer: Luigi Bormioli
Available from: luigibormioli.com
California Pint
Test lab notes
These pint glasses (far right) are more form than pure function, but we enjoyed both the design concept of including a regional mountain profile in the base of the glass as well as the handmade quality and presentation of the glass. Everything from the cylinder packaging to the topo map packing paper to the hand-blown glass itself is top quality, making this a glass we’d be proud to give as a gift to a beer-drinking friend.
Scorecard
Easy to Use? X
Easy to Sanitize?
Build Quality? X
Enjoyment? X
High Value?
Manufacturer: North Drinkware
Available from: northdrinkware.com
