Beer glass basics
In Germany each beer has its own designated drinking vessel. When you order suds at a pub, chances are they're served in a glass tailored to the beer and the brand. DW taps into which beer goes in which glass and why.
Take your pick...
It's no secret that Germany makes a mean brew. But what's the correct way to enjoy it? Each glass is tailored to enhance a specific beer's characteristics. More often than not, it boils down to the foam on top. Take pils, for example. A beer sommelier tells DW that a pils foam's dense, conical shape helps seal in the aroma, so a tiny glass isn't necessary to preserve fresh taste.
Pride of Cologne
To some, they may resemble thimbles. To Kölsch brewers these 20 cl glasses are essential to preserving the beer's fresh notes. Legally speaking, true Kölsch can only be brewed in or near Cologne. Waiters buzz around carrying circular "crowns" of full Kölsch glasses, automatically dispensing new beers as soon as the patron's glass is empty - unless you place a coaster atop your empty glass.
Freshness first
Like their rivals on the Rhine, Dusseldorfers have their own specialty: an ale called "Altbier." A proper Altbier glass is 20 cl, but shorter and wider than its Kölsch counterpart. "Since Altbier is top-fermented, the taste would quickly grow stale if poured into a large glass," says an Altbier brewer. "In the right glass, an altbier unfolds its aroma and forms a compact head of foam."
Decorative drinks
"A pilsner glass grows increasingly narrow toward the mouth of the glass so that the fine hops aromas go straight to the nose," a brewmaster from Essen tells DW. "This enhances the taste of the beer." Some pils glasses are merely cylindrical, others, like the one above, are tulip-shaped. The pedestal is only for ornamentation and doesn't influence taste.
One liter of liquid courage
Oktoberfest or "helles" beer is served in a Bavarian beer mug, or 1-liter Mass. Originally built of clay, these sturdy mugs are made to withstand multiple rounds of "cheers" and celebratory clinking with your neighbors. When empty they weigh more than one kilogram (two pounds) each, so just imagine the muscle you'll build when lifting up that glass. Prost!
Room for foam
Hefeweizen glasses are tall and curvacious. Due to its high carbon dioxide content, which makes the beer foam on top, hefeweizen must be poured into its tall glass slowly. The increased diameter at the top of the glass accommodates the extra foam, as well as the beer's flowery aromas. The glass is perfectly sized to accommodate the half-liter bottles from which hefeweizen is served.
Red or green?
Even Napoleon's soldiers raised their glasses to this "champagne of the North." A special fermentation with lactic acid cultures gives Berliner Weisse its bubbly character and unique taste, often complemented with a shot of rasberry or woodruff syrup. Its heavy glass goblet is made to accommodate a stable layer of sparkling foam.
Beer on a pedestal
According to one Schwarzbier brewer, every detail of its signature goblet celebrates the beer experience. "The shape, the thickness of the glass, the processing of the glass edge - it all emphasizes the flavor profile." Due to the goblet's wide mouth, notes of roasted chestnuts, chocolate and fresh bread waft to the nose. The shape also preserves carbonation, while encouraging you to sip slowly.
From Bonn with love
When Bönnsch drinkers imbibe, they're holding little masterpieces, inspired by designer Luigi Colani, says the brewery's owner. Bönnsch is an unfiltered version of Kölsch, named after Bonn where it's brewed. Although it doesn't enhance the beer's flavor, "the glass is more popular than the beer," the brewery owner laughs, especially with tourists seeking a unique souvenir.