Beer Glasses

Types of Beer Glasses

Choosing the right beer glasses can greatly enhance your drinking experience by highlighting the specific characteristics of each beer style. For example, a Nonic pint’s bulged rim is perfect for hearty English ales, while the slender shape of a Pilsner glass showcases light, effervescent beers.

A Tulip glass, with its bulbous body and flared lip, captures and enhances the aroma of hoppy brews. Each glass design serves both visual and sensory purposes. Explore to see which glass is best for your favourite beers.

As you venture into the beer world, you’ll find different glasses are designed to improve specific beer styles.

The Pint (Nonic Glass) is a classic for many English ales. Meanwhile, the Pilsner glass is for lighter beers. The tulip glass, with its unique shape, is for more complex ales.

Pint (Nonic Glass)

If you like English ales, stouts or porters, you might already be familiar with the Nonic glass, a staple in British pubs. This pint glassware isn’t just for show; the bulge near the rim improves grip and prevents the glasses from sticking when stacked.

Convenient for busy pubs where space and durability matter. The curved design also protects the rim from chipping.
Invented in the US, it became famous in the UK post-WWII, perfect for your favourite brews in a quintessentially British way.

Pilsner Glass

With its tall, slender shape, the Pilsner Glass is designed to enhance the experience of drinking light beers like pilsners and lagers. The conical shape preserves the foam head and highlights the beer’s visual appeal. These glasses are usually straightforward, spotlighting the pilsner’s clarity and golden colour.

The tapering helps with carbonation, giving you that satisfying fizz with each sip. It is not designed to enhance aroma, but the glass gently releases subtle scents. This glass is perfect for a refreshing pilsner and will give you a crisp taste throughout.

Tulip Glass

While the Pilsner Glass is for lighter beers, the Tulip Glass is for those who want to fully experience hoppy and complex brews. The tulip glass, with its bulbous body, isn’t just for show; it traps the essential oils of your beer. The flared lip releases as you sip, making each mouthful a sensory delight.

This glass usually holds 10-14 oz, balancing a generous pour with sensory improvement. It’s perfect for showing off the beer’s colour and clarity while keeping a robust head, improving aroma and flavour.

Weizen Glass

Explicitly designed for wheat beers, Weizen Glasses enhance your drinking experience by highlighting the beer’s visual appeal and aromatic profile.

Their curved shape, narrower at the bottom and wider at the top, shows off the beer’s colour and clarity and supports a thick, creamy head, taste and scent. Made of clear glass, these glasses range from 16 oz to 23 oz, perfect for the generous foam of wheat beers.

Whether you choose craft beer glasses or branded beer glasses, a Weizen glass is a must for enjoying the whole sensory experience of wheat beers.

Snifter Glass

Snifter Glasses, often associated with sipping brandy or cognac, have also found a place among beer enthusiasts for robust, complex beers. Shaped with a wide bowl and a narrow top, snifters improve the drinking experience. Not just for brandy but perfect as cider glasses, too, amplifying aromas and flavours through design.

Holding 6 oz to 12 oz, they encourage a small, focused pour, prioritising quality over quantity. The clear glass shows off the drink’s colour, making each sip a visual and aromatic indulgence in your beer journey.

Stange Glass

The Stange glass is a unique way to enjoy beer. This German gem, popular in Cologne, is perfect for showing Kölsch’s tall, slender, cylindrical shape. Holding 6 oz to 7 oz, the Stange’s clear glass highlights the beer’s golden colour and clarity, your visual experience.

The narrow shape preserves carbonation, giving you a crisp taste, and a small head is perfect for delicate flavours.

Goblet or Chalice

Savour the luxury of the Goblet or Chalice, the classic choice for beer lovers who appreciate the complexity of a full-bodied brew.

These glasses hold 10-16 oz and are often used for Belgian ales and other strong beers that love their shape. The goblet’s wide bowl and narrow top show the beer’s colour and clarity and amplify its aromas and flavours.

The long stem keeps your beer cool; your hand warmth won’t alter the temperature. Each sip is more intense, making the goblet or chalice perfect for tasting every nuance.

Steins and Mugs

Steins, glasses, and mugs have a long history and are part of European beer culture. Steins are made from ceramic or stoneware and have decorative lids that add to the fun. They’re bigger, up to a litre of beer, and their thick walls keep your beer cooler longer.

Mugs might be more straightforward in design and made from glass, ceramic or metal, but they’re just as durable. Both have handles for ease of lifting, a nod to centuries of beer drinking.

Choose Ascot Wholesale for premium commercial glassware, bar equipment, and restaurant tableware.