I’ve assessed the descriptions of hundreds of different beer styles and tasted and evaluated tens of thousands of beers in my life. I remind those I teach that there is no end to learning about beer and brewing.  The biggest stumbling block to success and achieving consistent quality is an ego that believes one knows it all.  It is impossible to know all in the world of successful brewing and contented beer drinking.  

I learned something a couple of weeks ago during a simple, yet dramatic demonstration during a World Beer Cup Awards dinner held in Germany.   During the course of the meal we were guided through each course with an accompanying beer.  The focus was not on the beer and how it perfectly matched each course.  No.  It was about glass design and how dramatically it can influence the perception of the beer you are drinking.

World Champion Sommelier Markus Del Monego, presented each course and beer, discussing the concepts of designing taste through beer glass design.  His first statement was about the response most buyers of beer glassware have when asked, “What flavor/character profile do you wish to achieve with your beer?”  The answer he said is usually a blank look.  Most beer glass buyers are simply examining marketing and cost considerations, with no consideration regarding what the glass design will do to the flavor, aroma and overall impression of the beer – which is by the way is the ultimate reason why people choose  the beer they drink.  Markus reiterates that the shape and character of a glass are of fundamental importance and will greatly change the character of the beer and the experience a beer drinker has. 

We are presented with Duckstein, a German dark lager (dunkel).  He asked us to pour several ounces in both a wide rimmed glass goblet and a narrow water glass.  We indulge using our senses.  The difference in character is remarkable, both in taste and aroma.  Why?  Markus explains, “Note where your tongue goes with the wide mouth glass versus the narrow mouth glass. With the wide mouth, physiologically your tongue extends forward. In the narrow glass your tongue retracts to the rear.  We sense sweetness at the tip of our tongue.  You get LESS sweetness with the narrow, because the beer travels directly to the rear of our tongue, bypassing our sweet sensors.  The placement of our tongue on a wide rimmed glass emphasizes the sweetness.  The beer is a sweeter beer with a wide rimmed glass.  Aromatically there were no surprises for me.  With a larger surface area emitting the fragrance of hops and malt, the wide rimmed glass enhanced the aromatic experience.

With other courses and other beers served in unique styles of glassware, we learn that the rim’s thickness or clean cut thinness will evoke different psychological impressions.   Thick rimmed glassware creates a feeling that the beer is more rustic, while thin rimmed glass promotes the sensation of an elegant beer.   Same holds true with stemmed glassware – thin = elegant, thick and short = rustic.  In blind tastings with the same beer people react to these psychological messages in glass texture.

Markus also asks us to recall drinking behavior at cocktail/beer parties.   If there is a choice, many or most women prefer glassware rather than drinking straight out of a bottle.  Why?  Women do not like to tilt their heads back and show their throat.   For men “showing throat” is an exercise in masculinity.  So we are told.  Hold your head high?

Furthermore we’re told that the position of the head when drinking can make you feel less or more full.  “One feels fuller when tipping your head back and drinking out of smaller glass.   The length of the stem obviously influences head tilt.  

Why does glassware shape matter?  It influences whether people are going to drink more or less.  If a certain style of glassware satiates your senses, you may drink less because of the exaggeration of beer character.   Now if you drink out of the bottle, then there’s obviously less satiation, but you’ll have to tilt your head back to do it.  It all figures.

In conclusion Markus puts it all into perspective, “You aren’t trying to get the beer drinker to drink more. You are simply trying to make them happier.” 

Enhance your next beer drinking experience with smart choices of glassware.  Yes you can.

Try this at your next beer tasting.  Choose a beer with a degree of obvious malt and hop character.  Serve it in 4 or 5 different types of glassware.  Tell your beer drinking “subjects” that you are serving them beers in 5 different glasses and would like for them to rate them as far as preference.  You can tell them the style of beer you are serving.  Then also ask them to rate the sweetness, malt character, bitterness, aroma, flavor, body, aftertaste, floral character, etc.   After this is all said and done – discuss the results.   After you’ve had the discussion, let them know that they were all the same beer.