The classic Belgian-style glasses--tulips, flutes, and chalices--are more prevalent in beer bars today, but traditional German, British, and Scottish glassware allows for hearty cheersing. Here is a handful of lesser-known classic, proper glassware to add to your collection.
The Berliner Weisse Glass
Fruited, spiced, and super-sour Berliner Weisses may be the trend as of late, but the Berliner Weisse glass has yet to enjoy a similar comeback. It’s an odd glass and could be mistaken for a small cereal bowl: wide and fairly deep. In traditional Berliner Weisse style, you could add syrup (raspberry, woodruff, or create your own) and drink through a straw. It may feel wrong, yet it tastes so right.
The Dimpled Mug
Mugs are a rarity in most beer bars, and the dimpled mug (pictured at top)--a heavy, rounded glass shaped almost like a grenade--is even rarer. But, there’s hope for the dimpled mug yet. General manager Rose Dennen of a bar in London, gives this delightful quote in a BBC article regaling the dimpled mug’s comeback:
"It's not old men with flat caps and whippets drinking out of dimple glasses," says Dennen. "Now you've got hipsters, girls in skinny jeans and fashionable Ts drinking craft beer. There's an appropriation of the traditional by the hipster culture. There are so many beards in Dalston, and they do love a dimple."
The Stange
The kölsch, a German pale ale, is often an overlooked and somewhat obscure style, but it is a fine summer refresher. The appropriately named Stange (German for “stick”) is a tall, lean glass (pictured at top) best-suited for serving the more subtle kölsch and also works well with altbiers and goses.
Das Boot
A traditional German beer glass, the glass boot makes an annual appearance during Oktoberfest season, then fades out during the rest of the year. Admittedly, the boot is tricky to drink from (Pro tip: turn the toe of the boot to the side) and hard to clean but few beer glasses hold the satisfaction of drinking out of a 2-liter boot or come with their own drinking game, The Passing of the Boot.
The Thistle
Shaped like a thistle flower, the national flower of Scotland, the thistle glass is best suited for Scotch Ales. With a rounded base and a flared top, it’s an impressive-looking glass that features similar benefits to the tulip glass: enhancing the aroma and supporting a large, fluffy head.