Normally drinking beer right out of the can or bottle gets the job done, but if you want to experience beer, and become the snobbiest beer snob Colorado has ever seen, you need to learn your glassware. We think it's important to have more tricks up your sleeve than just cracking a beer with your teeth, so here's Rooster's quick guide to beer glasses.  

Normally drinking beer right out of the can or bottle gets the job done, but if you want to experience beer, and become the snobbiest beer snob Colorado has ever seen, you need to learn your glassware. We think it's important to have more tricks up your sleeve than just cracking a beer with your teeth, so here's Rooster's quick guide to beer glasses.

The Goblet 

This glass is thick with a wide mouth, kinda like our ex. But, unlike our ex, the goblet is designed to give really good head and keep it there for the duration of your beer. Often they’re scored at the bottom so the bubbles keep on coming, and feature a stem that keeps your grubby mitts from warming up the brew. They’re perfect for serving traditional German beers because the wide mouth releases the complex aromas of the malt to your face all at once. And, aside from amping up the aroma of the beer, the wide mouth lets you gulp it down faster than most Germans would recommend, but hey who ever listened to them anyway.

Best beer for the glass:  Oktoberfest, Dubble, Tripple, Belgian IPA

The Stein

The stein is the beer glass of all beer glasses. It’s normally huge, and made of unimaginably thick glass so that you can clank them together with a hearty, “Prost!” whenever the feeling strikes you. Any beer (except extremely strong ones)  consumed from a stein will be fantastic because it’s designed for a good time, a.k.a. enormous.  Once you get halfway through one of these, you don’t care how the wide mouth bathes your nose with aroma, or that the traditional divots on the sides showcase the color of the beer you're drinking, all you'll care about is finishing it without blacking out.  Also, fun fact: steins traditionally have lids on them  to prevent flies and other debris from falling into your beer. 

Best beer for the glass: Ale, Lager, ANYTHING

The Pint

The pint glass the most commonly used glass in the beer world.  It’s great for holding everything. The tapered bottom and wide mouth allow for optimal beer viewing and head retention if you pour it right. The shape also balances out all the flavors equally because there are no grooves or bumps for them to get around.  And, there’s the added bonus of being able to chug it at last call. Sometimes they flare out and back in at the top, it’s called a Nonic glass. This variation of the pint cradles the foam so every time you sip, it traps the aromas in the bubble giving you a full aromatic experience whether you like it or not.

Best beer for the glass:  ANYTHING 

The Weizen

This glass was created specifically for weizen beers, or wheat beers since we’re speaking English here. The cinch at the bottom prevents leftover yeast (most wheat beers are unfiltered) from escaping into a sip without your consent. Also, it looks really good in your hand, freeing up the top for a thick layer of fluffy head, and if you feel so inclined, a slice of orange or lemon to bounce around in the golden goodness. The wide mouth of this glass captures the essence of the wheat beer releasing yeasty sweet aromas straight to your nose before you guzzle it down.

Best beer for the glass:  Wheat Beer, Belgian Wit

The Pilsner

The pilsner glass was crafted to showcase the clarity and color of light beers, specifically pilsners, but any light will do. It’s super skinny at the bottom so the carbonation flows consistently throughout your beer-drinking session, and widens at the top so a nice, thick head can form. That thick head opens up the beer and allows you to inhale the malty, hoppy aromas without being overwhelmed by them. Sure you're drinking Coors Light, but damn you make it look good.

Best beer for the glass: Pilsner, Light Beer, Ale, Lager

The Snifter

You’ll get a snifter when you order a beer that is over 10 percent ABV. This is for two reasons: one, you don’t need more than 10 oz of any beer over 10 percent ABV, seriously.  And two, the glass cinches at the top to funnel all the dark, heavy aromas right into your sniffer, letting you fully appreciate the malts, hops and alcohol present in your beverage. This design also allows you to swirl and twirl your beer, constantly mixing and agitating the flavors to release more aromas. If you like big beers, drink them out of these glasses and the flavor, aroma, alcohol experience will blow ya mind.

Best beer for the glass: Barleywine, Imperial IPA, Stout, Porter

The Tulip

Anything with an exceptionally bold body or complex flavor profile should be served in a tulip glass.  The bulb at the bottom is meant to showcase the beer’s color and the turned out top is a pedestal for aromas and a thick head  This feature also gives bold beers the chance they need to breath so all the flavors are released delicately on your tongue. But it doesn't stop there, once you drink past the top, the glass becomes a large snifter, enticing you to smell and taste it all in dainty, contemplative sips.

Best beer for the glass:  Pale Ale, IPA, Ale, Lager

Das Boot

If you’re somewhere where they serve beer in a boot, you should order one. Beer tastes better out of a boot. The exact reason for this will remain a question for the ages. Maybe it’s because you’re drinking a whole liter at once, maybe it's because the glass is so damn cute, or maybe it’s because you can never resist chugging, so you end up super drunk every time you grab one. Whatever your reason, if you can drink das boot, you need to.

Best beer for the glass:  ANYTHING