Yes, glass shape influences how beer tastes and how we perceive it. The shape of a glass affects the aromatic qualities of beer and how the aromas reach the nose, how the beer flows across the tongue, the development of the carbonation, and how the foam head is maintained.
One of my favourite aspects of beer culture is the importance given to appropriate glassware – chalices, goblets, snifters, steins, and the rest. And who could resist the eye-catching Coachman’s Glass, with a slender long neck, bulbous bowl, rested in a wooden frame? Anyone who has visited Belgium and sipped a Kwak will be familiar with that singular vessel.
Shape, dimensions, glass thickness, rim width, weight and factors such as the presence of a nucleation point – a rough patch off which carbonation bubbles bounce – all influence the perception of smell, taste, and flavour in beer.
What factors in glass design modify the way a drink is consumed and perceived?
- The surface area of the bowl impacts the degree of exposure to air and allows the beer to breathe.
- A narrower opening relative to the bowl size traps aromatic compounds so they are funnelled towards the nose when the beer is sipped. Conversely aromas disappear into the atmosphere with wide mouthed glassware.
- The neck width affects how and where the beer travels over the tongue – a narrow neck makes it difficult to glug but encourages sipping.
- Glassware is not just about the taste, it’s also how it feels on the lip, the pleasure of holding it in the hand, how it can improve the drinking occasion. This is psychological but important because humans make judgements within seconds so the visual appeal of beer in a glass is also a factor in enjoyment.
The Importance of Aroma in Beer
The brain registers up to 80 % of flavour via olfactory cells in an area in the nasal passage called the olfactory epithelium. When we take a mouthful of beer, aromatic compounds dissolve into the nasal cavity from within the mouth and six million + receptors send messages to the brain about the flavours. If we cannot smell the beer we will have no flavour – only taste. Taste and flavour are not the same thing. Taste refers to the five sensations registered on the tongue – sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami (savoury). Flavour includes biscuits, nuttiness, coffee, fruit, spice, and hundreds of others. It also includes the sensory experience of drinking – aroma, mouthfeel, texture, body, temperature and more.
Some glass shapes enhance the aromatic qualities of beer, for instance, snifters, tulips, Teku, Bordeaux wine glasses, and any vessel that has a bowl for the aromas to congregate in and a tapered neck that provides a funnel for concentrated aromas to reach the nose.
Glass shapes that do not enhance aromatics are those with a wide mouth such as a stein or straight sided pint glass (often called Nonic). The aromas quickly dissipate before the brain can register them so this means that the same beer served in a snifter versus a pint glass will differ in the overall drinking experience.
The importance of glass shape for carbonated beers
Carbonation (CO2) increases acidity and concentrates bitterness so the higher the carbonation the dryer and more bitter the beer will seem.
CO2 bubbles contain aromatic compounds which are released when the bubbles rise to the beer’s surface and burst. High carbonation also has a physical effect by feeling spiky on the tongue, so it impacts on mouthfeel which is a factor in overall flavour.
Glass design influences carbonation in two ways:
- Nucleation points: tiny rough marks, often deliberately etched into the liquid facing base of a glass, encourage C02 to form streams of bubbles that rise to the surface and release aroma. They also give beer a lively mouthfeel.
- Glass height and width: Tall narrow glasses sustain streams of bubbles and slow the rate at which carbonation escapes from the beer thereby maintaining the fizz. By contrast carbonation in wide shallow glasses such as a coupe dissipates quickly.
Glass shapes for enhanced carbonation are: Footed Pilsner, flute, and stange.
The Importance of Glass Shape in Head Retention
That frothy foam on beer is not only a visual crown, but it also has practical purposes that enhance the drinking experience.
- The head traps bitter hop compounds and softens bitterness, thereby balancing the flavours.
- It gives the beer a smoother mouthfeel.
- It forms a protective lid keeping the beer fresher for longer.
Glasses tapered at the neck tend to maintain a denser, more stable head than a wide-mouthed one however it also depends on the presence of a nucleation point for bubbles; and/or ingredient choices by the brewer, for instance wheat, heavy use of bittering hops, and maltodextrin because they also influence the stability of the head. Combine those factors with a glass shape such as Willi Becher – an inverse conical shape with a tapering neck and the head will be voluminous and long-lasting.
Commonly used glass types and how they positively affect the beer drinking experience
Chalice: Also known as a goblet. A wide necked bowl on a stem. It retains the beer’s head with thick glass and a nucleation point to encourage carbonation bubbles. Chalices are elegant and inspire a reverential attitude towards the beer. Beer styles that suit this design include Belgian dubbel and tripel, dopplebock.
Footed Pilsner: Tall, slender and tapered like an isosceles triangle narrower at the bottom than the top. Pilsner, Kölsch and helles have delicate aromas which the shape captures. It shows off the beer’s colour and carbonation and maintains the head.
Snifter: Sometimes called a balloon. It is on a short stem and foot and has a bulbous bowl that narrows towards the rim. Aromas develop in the bowl, and the inward tapered shape of the neck concentrates them where the nose meets the glass. Any aromatic beer benefits from this shape of glass, and high alcohol malt dominant beers such as barley wine and imperial stout. I am biased with this shape because to me it enhances all beer by elevating the drinking experience into a special occasion.
Tulip: Tulip (flower) shaped bowl on a stem and foot. Aromas gather in the bowl and because the glass narrows at the neck it funnels them to the nose. Any aromatic beer benefits from this shape of glass including Saison and IPAs.
Weizen: Tall and slender, it flares into a bulbous middle, and tapers slightly at the top rim to accentuate the voluptuous head while also releasing the unmistakable banana and clove aromas typical of a wheat beer. Beer styles that suit this glass are hefeweizen, weizenbier and Weissbier.
Is there an optimal beer glass design for general drinking?
No, there’s no single best shape for beer. Choice of vessel depends on the drinker and what they prefer which is easy to do at home but not in most pubs/bars which have a limited selection. I live in the UK and if I’m drinking beer in a pub, it will invariably be served in a straight sided pint glass or a dimpled mug neither of which do much to enhance the beer’s aromatics. It’s different in a Belgian bar which usually matches the right glass to enhance the beer style. And if I’m at home then I use my favourite, a snifter which invariably makes the beer look like the most exquisite piece of art, and taste even better.
+++++
For more beer education subjects check out my book Beer Knowledge Box. Signed copies here.
About Jane Peyton
Jane Peyton is the founder of School of Booze, the UK’s drinks education and events company she established in 2008. She was Britain’s first accredited Beer Sommelier of the Year and the UK’s first accredited Pommelier (cider sommelier), and held a Guinness World Record for hosting the world’s largest beer tasting tutorial. Jane has written fourteen books on drinks history and culture and is a regular broadcaster on BBC and commercial radio. She received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Parliamentary Beer Group for her contribution to the UK drinks industry, and has spent her career creating accessible, engaging education and seminars for the public, the trade, and the media.
