The Whole Story on Beer Glasses: 8 Types to Complement Your Favourite Beer

Is there a better feeling than sipping yourself a cold one while waiting for the burgers to cook? Freshly-made barbecue paired with good beer is all you need to step up your outdoor entertainment during springtime. For centuries, beer has been a staple drink for social gatherings around the world. People of all ages enjoy its taste, but they rarely question the role of the glassware from which they’re drinking it.

But, what are the different kinds of beer glasses? Nowadays, beer glassware comes in many shapes and sizes. Some glasses are more popular than others, and all of them are meant for different types of beers. Check out these eight popular beer mugs and glasses and select the one that complements your favourite beer!

Pint Glass

The pint glass is one of the most widely used beer glasses in the world. Bars and restaurants often serve their beer in this type of glass. Also called the “Shaker glass”, the pint glass has a straightforward cylindrical design with a narrow base that widens up at the top.

It goes with most types of beers, including lagers, ales, and other styles such as IPAs, stouts, and porters, and it serves around 450-600 ml of beer. This kind of glassware is inexpensive and simple to use. Bars love it as it’s simple to stack and clean. This is also why the majority of beer fans use it as their preferred glassware.

Beer Stein/Mug

Another favourite among beer fans, and my personal favourite, is the beer stein Australia beer stores offer. It’s used interchangeably with “mug”. This type of glassware is sturdy, simple to use, and it holds a lot of beer. The broad cylindrical form with a handle on the side is its defining feature. While the handle helps prevent your hands from accidentally warming up your beer (or dropping it after too many), the thick glass sides help insulate your brew to keep it cold.

Some beer mugs online have dimples all over the surface. While most people think this is only for aesthetics, some say that the dimples allow beer drinkers to better enjoy the hue and purity of their beer. Whatever your viewpoint, there’s no doubt on this beer glass’s widespread use. It can contain a lot of beer, and happens to be sturdy enough to toast your pals heartily! The stein mug is compatible with all sorts of beers from pale ales to stouts.

German Beer Stein

Mugs and steins have almost identical designs. The only difference is that steins have a hinged top and a lever you can simply open with your thumb. Nowadays, steins for sale are crafted from a larger range of materials, including as porcelain, stoneware, pewter, silver, and wood.

The term “Stein” comes from the German word “Steinzeugkrug”. In the past, people used to drink from steins because they thought lids were more hygienic and would eventually stop the bubonic plague. At that time, many communities in Europe implemented laws requiring lids on food and drink containers in the 16th century.

Nowadays, many people drink from a beer stein Australia wide and worldwide, however, most of them view these glasses as decorative or memento items.

Goblets and Chalices

The bigger, fancier styles of beer glasses on the market are goblets. They come in a range of sizes as opposed to pint glasses which have a fixed capacity. Goblets look like bowls perched on top of long, thick stems. They’re also referred to as chalices because of their similar form.

Chalices often have heavier walls made of thicker glass. Some chalices and goblets even have a gold or silver rim. This is only ornamental and does nothing to raise the beer quality. Heavy, malty beers like Belgian ales and German Bocks pair well with goblets and chalices. The wide opening on these glasses helps a beer consumer assess the whole flavour and aroma profile.

Pilsner Glass

This kind of beer glass is tall and lean with minimal to no upward curves. It works best with lighter beers such as pilsners (hence the name). Pilsner glasses come in a range of sizes, although they all generally carry less beer than a pint glass. The slim design lets you enjoy the hues and carbonation bubbles in the beverage.

The glass’s slightly broader top also helps in preserving your beer’s foam head and bringing out the full range of aromas and tastes in it. Pilsner glasses are fun to drink out of and help you recognize the genuine flavour of your beer. They usually hold less alcohol than other beer glasses, which is one drawback, however, there are certain pilsner glasses that vary in size.

Tulip and Thistle Glass

The tulip glass, which holds and preserves the foam head, improves the flavour of malty and hoppy beers. These beer glasses, like goblets and snifters, have a short stem and footer with a distinctive, tulip-shaped bowl on top. The outward curvature of the top rim helps trap the foam head.

The thistle glass looks like a stretched-out flower. It’s significantly higher and has fewer bends around the lip, but it still has the same stumpy stem and bulb-shaped bowl. As the “thistle” is Scotland’s national flower, this glass is usually reserved and made for Scottish ales. The tulip glass is often used for stronger beers like Double IPAs, Belgian ales, and barley wines.

Bottom Line

Beyond the pint, there are many other styles of beer glasses. All of them have special qualities that make them stand out from the crowd. In fact, some glasses are made particularly to retain your beer’s foam head, while others are made to bring out the hues in your brew. Whether you brew your own beer or buy it from the supermarket, your glass serves as more than simply a vessel for it; it also serves as a vehicle for delivering the distinctive flavours of your preferred brew.